First day of the creamery!
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The simplest and best advice for rinded cheeses is that given by Pierre Androuet: buy, if you can, from a shop that knows their cheese.
Buy only enough for the next day or two. Unwrap immediately and store on the counter bundled up in a clean damp towel. The evaporation will maintain a perfect temperature so you can serve the cheese at any time. Be sure to re-moisten the towel once a day, or as needed.
If you aren’t so lucky as to have a cheese shop nearby, buy from a service counter, or, before buying self-service, make sure the package is properly wrapped and sealed, and that the cheese inside looks appealing. Avoid any cheese that looks dry or discolored, as the seal may be broken.
When you get them home, unwrap immediately. Plastic wrap suffocates cheese. Rub the cheese with a thin layer of olive, canola or other cooking oil. To the left are some cheese unwrapped and ready to be rubbed.
Since they are not blue, grey or bloomy rinds, they will be rubbed with oil all over. The oil helps stop drying, and acts as a sophisticated preventative against mold. Since mold consumes fat, and the oil isn’t bound up in calcium like the fat in cheese, the mold will grow on the oil and not into the cheese. Since the mold spreads over the surface of the cheese, it can be wiped off.
Keep in an oversized Ziploc™ bag or, better, a covered container in your refrigerator with a clean, dry, lightly crumpled paper towel or two to absorb excess moisture, and leave a little breathing room.
If the bottom isn’t rippled, like this lovely Tupperware tub, then use sushi mats, inverted plates, or the towels to ensure it doesn’t sit completely flat on the surface so it doesn’t develop vapor lock — cheese needs to breathe.
Here’s the paper towels in place for the rinded cheese. The number needed will vary with your climate and refrigerator, you‘ll have to play a little to perfect it. Similar Cheeses can be stored together as long as they don’t touch.
And now, put the top on a place it in the fridge. Be sure to open the top to let fresh air in and have a look at your cheese to see if it needs tending. Too closed an atmosphere and yeast will form.
Notice the cool white snaps in this bin that open to allow some air in. You could punch some holesbut you still have to pop the top from time to time.
And here it is, comfy in the fridge. Just don’t neglect it. When mold starts to form it will consume the oil and not the cheese, simply wipe it off, or rinse in tepid water. Dry, rub with fresh oil and store as above in a clean container with clean towels.
Keep washed rind, blue, flavored and white rind cheeses separate to prevent mingling.
If stored as above, rubbed with oil, larger chunks of Semi-Hard & hard Cheeses can keep for months. Open them every few days to allow air in, and prevent yeast from growing. Wipe off any mold as it forms.
And here it is, comfy in the fridge. Just don’t neglect it. When mold starts to form it will consume the oil and not the cheese, simply wipe it off, or rinse in tepid water. Dry, rub with fresh oil and store as above in a clean container with clean towels.
Keep washed rind, blue, flavored and white rind cheeses separate to prevent mingling.
If stored as above, rubbed with oil, larger chunks of Semi-Hard & hard Cheeses can keep for months. Open them every few days to allow air in, and prevent yeast from growing. Wipe off any mold as it forms.
Storing and Handling Instructions ©2007 Dan Strongin, used by permission.
