STORING HARD CHEESES: There's very little moisture in hard cheeses, so
they have a much longer shelf life. Simply wrap in plastic wrap to keep
the air out. If any patches of green mold appear or if the cheese
becomes hard in certain areas, just scrape off the mold and cut out the
hard sections. 

SERVING CHEESE: Cheese should always be served at the correct
temperature. Soft cheeses should be at room temperature. If you've
bought one with any chalkiness through the center, leave it out of the
refrigerator for three to four hours to ripen further. Take blue and
hard cheeses out of the refrigerator 20 minutes before serving, just to
take any chill off them and to release the full flavor. 

HOW DO I KNOW IT'S RIPE? This applies specifically to bloomy and washed
rind cheeses. If you buy from a good cheesemonger, tell them when you
want to serve it and they should sell you the perfect cheese. Sell-by
dates, although demanded by law, aren't the best indicator where
ripeness is concerned. If you gently push the cheese with your fingers,
it should feel soft. You could also leave the cheese out of the
refrigerator for a few hours to make it ripen further.

AGE MATTERS: Age definitely matters when you're talking cheese or wine.
Many cheeses are aged, whether for a month or for two years. The ageing
process develops flavor and texture. Goats' cheese develops a farmyard,
earthy character and sheep's cheeses become nuttier and more complex.
Semi-hard cheeses, such as Cheddar, and grainy cheeses, such as
Parmesan, develop more salt crystals, and their flavor becomes more
savory with time.

SHOULD I EAT THE RIND?: The answer is a definite yes! Where soft bloomy
and washed rind cheeses are concerned, the outer rind is part of the
cheese, adding texture and flavor. Even with goats' cheeses coated in
ash, there's absolutely no harm in eating the whole thing. The rind on
semi-hard and hard cheeses is harmless too, but it's probably too hard
to actually eat.

SAVE THE RIND ON GRAINY CHEESES: Even though you probably don't want to
eat it straight up, don't ditch the hard rind from Parmesan or pecorino.
It's used traditionally to add an extra savory flavor to a meat rag— or
soup. You could also add it to the stock when making risotto or try
popping it into any slow-cooked meat or poultry stew.

LACTOSE-INTOLERANCE AND CHEESE: The process of cheese-making converts
most of the lactose sugars into lactic acid, although less so with soft
cheeses, cheese spreads and cream cheese. For those intolerant to
lactose, stick to semi-hard and grainy cheeses, such as Cheddar and
Parmesan, but in small amounts.

FREEZING CHEESE: Semi-hard and grainy cheeses all freeze well. In fact,
any cheese you can grate easily can go into the freezer. The freezing
process dulls the flavor, so frozen cheese can't be destined for a
cheeseboard, but it's perfectly fine for using up in cooking.

HOW TO BUILD THE PERFECT CHEESEBOARD: A stunning cheeseboard makes the
perfect finale to a great meal, especially during the holiday season.
Aim for three or four cheeses - any more gets too much for the palate.
Aim for different styles and textures: a hard cheese like mature
Cheddar, a soft washed or bloomy rind cheese such as Brie or Epoisses,
and a blue cheese such as a traditional English Stilton would be a great
combination.

ONE KNIFE PER CHEESE: Once you've created your perfect cheeseboard,
ensure that there's one cheese knife for each cheese, so the flavors are
not tainted and mixed up. You don't need any special knives, just ones
which are strong enough to cut through the cheese cleanly. If you're a
regular cheese-eater, however, it's worth investing in a set of cheese
knives.

VEGAN CHEESE: With the rise in plant-based eating, vegan cheese is
having a moment. Of course, it's not really cheese per se, as there's no
milk, but it does offer an alternative to the real thing. They are based
on plants such as nuts, coconut, soya and vegetables. Opt for those
which are as little processed as possible, or make your own
ricotta-style vegan cheese at home, using our recipe based on cashew
nuts. - (Separate recipe)

THE BEST CHEESE FOR MACARONI CHEESE: A great mac 'n' cheese is all about
the cheese, so it needs something strong which really sings out - a
mature Cheddar is always a favorite. But try mixing it with a different
tasting, good melting cheese such as GruyŠre, which is nutty and
slightly sweet. Sprinkling grated Parmesan over the top adds a deeper,
more savory taste.

THE BEST CHEESE FOR A BURGER: For a cheeseburger, the cheese needs to be
uniform in thickness and to melt well - but not so much as to melt all
down the side, making it impossible to eat. It's why processed cheese
slices are commonly used, but not everyone's a fan, with the added
vegetable oils and emulsifiers. Pre-sliced Cheddar, Monterey Jack and
Emmental will do the job perfectly. - (Separate Recipe)

THE BEST CHEESE FOR A TOASTIE: Oozing, melting and always irresistible,
a mature Cheddar is the first choice for a toastie. The important part
is to grate it, because the small pieces of cheese melt uniformly. You
can mix any strong-flavored cheeses which grate well, or try our toastie
recipe with a hint of chile and small pieces of mozzarella.


... "A loafer always has the correct time." -- Kin Hubbard
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