Storage savvy
• To store cheese, wrap it in wax paper, then in aluminum foil or plastic wrap, or put it in a zip-top plastic bag. The wax paper allows the cheese to breathe, while the outer layer helps lock in moisture, so it doesn't dry out.
• Keep fresh and soft-ripened cheeses in the refrigerator for up to 10 days. Once mold appears on a fresh or soft-ripened cheese, discard it.
• Store firm, semifirm, and semisoft cheeses for two to four weeks in the refrigerator. Wrap them tightly, but not too tightly because trapped air and moisture may encourage mold growth that is not necessarily the cheese's own. If mold appears, simply cut away the molded portion plus one-fourth to one-half inch around the area.
• Hard, dry cheeses such as Parmesan can be stored for almost two months in a dry section of the refrigerator until the flavor begins to decline. If the cheese starts to become too dry, wrap it in a moist paper towel for a day, then place it back in wax paper.
Cheese bites
• When serving as a course of its own (not in a recipe), bring cheese to room temperature for one to three hours beforehand so the flavor is at its fullest.
• If you're serving a semisoft cheese with a rind (such as fontina), it is fine to leave the rind on while serving, unless you are pairing the cheese with wine. In that case, the flavor of the rind might interfere with the taste of the accompanying wine.
• Leave the rind on hard cheeses such as Parmesan while storing, and remove it just before serving.
• Those trimmed hard-cheese rinds can be frozen for later use. Toss them into simmering soups to impart a subtle savory flavor; discard once the soup is done.
• Soft cheeses such as goat cheese can be difficult to cut; use a string of unflavored dental floss or a piece of thread for easier slicing. Wrap the floss around the cheese, crossing at the ends, and pull.
• Coat a cheese grater with cooking spray to prevent the cheese from sticking.
• Place softer cheeses such as fontina or Monterey Jack in the freezer for about 20 minutes prior to shredding.
• Use a vegetable peeler to shave hard cheeses such as Parmesan or Asiago.
Design a cheese course
Preparing a cheese course can be as simple or as elaborate as you like. A selection of cheeses makes a delicious and sophisticated first course or dessert.
To choose three to five varieties—the number recommended for a cheese course selection—consider creating a theme. Focus on a country, region, or province. For example, choose types of cow's milk cheese from the Normandy region of France, or varieties of goat cheese from the Poitou-Charentes region of western France. Another option is to select by texture and type. A blue cheese platter might include Gorgonzola, Roquefort, and Stilton; a semisoft offering, Havarti, fontina, and mozzarella.
Whichever you serve, always provide a separate knife for each cheese so the flavors do not intermingle. Use a wide, blunt knife for softer cheeses so they'll be easier to spread. Harder cheeses will need a sharp knife to make a clean cut.
When planning a cheese course, purchase at least one ounce of cheese per guest. Serving more is fine if the course is meant to be substantial. You can accompany cheese with fruit, bread, or nuts, paying attention to flavors. A strong cheese such as Gorgonzola can stand up to a flavorful rosemary-walnut bread, but a mild cheese such as fontina should be matched with a bland baguette so the flavor of the cheese is the focus of each bite.
What's the rind?
Cheeses form a rind as they dry out and ripen. For some varieties, the rind is just the dried outer layer of the cheese; this type of rind is not eaten. Heavily salted cheeses, such as Parmesan, that are allowed to age for a lengthy time tend to have thick, hard rinds. Cheeses with soft, white, edible casings—notably Brie and Camembert—form their rinds with the aid of mold sprayed on the surface. Gouda and Edam cheeses are given artificial wax rinds to retain moisture and prevent hardening of the cheeses' outer surface; other artificial rinds are made from leaves or ashes. Washed-rind varieties are periodically bathed with a brine, beer, or brandy to encourage the growth of bacteria; these cheeses (Taleggio is a noteworthy example) are often pungent, and the rind is usually discarded.
