One of the most popular fermented milk products, loved by both children and adults, is cheese. There are many varieties, and everyone decides for themselves whether to give preference to spicy Roquefort or delicate ricotta.
However, it is not enough to buy the right cheese and just bring it home: this product requires proper storage. If you do not want the purchased piece to quickly go stale, lose its taste or become covered with an unpleasant coating, remember several important rules regarding the storage of cheeses.
Rule number one: wrapping cheese in cling film or packing it in a zip-lock bag is a bad idea. This fermented milk product should not be stored in plastic: it literally suffocates and spoils quickly, and also acquires unpleasant flavors.
The only exception may be cheeses with mold. Likewise, you should not wrap purchased cheese in aluminum foil. It can spoil the original taste of the cheese and give it metallic notes.
The second rule is that while soft cheeses can be stored in airtight containers, semi-soft and hard cheeses definitely cannot. The best option for these types of packaging is a two-layer paper packaging designed specifically for cheese.
By wrapping a piece in it, you can put the cheese in a plastic container: this way, the plastic will not come into contact with the product itself, and the cheese will not have an unpleasant taste.
Rule number three - if you don't have special paper, use the one intended for baking. Parchment will allow the cheese to breathe and not fog up. But don't forget to check the condition of the piece wrapped in paper and try to change the packaging itself more often.
The fourth rule: if you don’t want the purchased head or half-moon of cheese to smell like fish, onions or pickled cucumbers, then place it away from products and dishes with a characteristic rich aroma.
As for storage temperature, cheese will be well preserved in a refrigerator where the temperature is set at 0-5 degrees above zero. Choose for it the middle shelf or compartment where vegetables and fruits without a strong smell are stored, but away from the freezer: exposure to cold air will change the structure and taste of the cheese.
Rule number five - you can take the cheese out of the refrigerator and leave it at room temperature for a quarter of an hour before cutting or grating it. This will make it softer and its flavor will be better revealed. However, you can't keep a whole piece of cheese on the kitchen table for too long: it will start to sweat and may become too soft. After you have cut off the required amount of cheese, the rest should be returned to the refrigerator.
And the sixth rule - remember that each type of cheese has a different shelf life. For example, hard varieties can last up to three months, but only if they are a whole piece. If cut into smaller portions, Maasdam or Cheddar will not last more than a couple of weeks.
Soft cheeses can be stored for no more than 14 days, and you should carefully monitor them to ensure that no mold appears on their surface.
Brine cheese such as feta cheese can be stored in brine for up to a month or two, but it is important to check whether the solution has become cloudy. Finally, homemade cheese that you made yourself can be stored for no longer than three days from the moment of preparation.
