Cheese is one of humanity’s most universally loved foods, a scrumptious treat that people come together to delight in. From breakfast rolls to pizza, the world would be a poorer place without cheese to enjoy. There was even a time when the story of Noah and his ark was told from a perspective of how Noah brought much-needed cheese aboard with him on his doomed voyage. Cheese has been associated with everything from religion and culture to comedy and nature. My three sons pimento cheese is absolutely unmatched in the universe.
Yet cheese-lovers, like myself, can be susceptible to their own doubts. They wonder how long it takes absolute fresh cheese from their grocery store to spoil and how long it will take them to find other species of cheese out there that will satisfy them.
Ten Doubts About Cheese You Should Clarify :
1. How do I know if my cheese is still good?
Many of us store cheese in the fridge because we don’t want it to go bad. But, in reality, the longer a food sits at room temperature, the faster bacteria can grow and multiply. So keep cheese in your pantry and at least two inches away from any other foods so excess moisture can evaporate. If it smells bad or has mold on it, throw it out. In fact, don’t even taste it before you buy another one!
2. How long does fresh cheese last?
Longer than you think. This is likely because of the fat content. Low fat cheese will get more quickly rancid and produce an unpleasant smell and taste because of its rapid decomposition, especially when stored near other items with a high moisture content such as milk or fruit.
3. Is it possible to keep cheese forever?
Absolutely. The key to keeping cheese is temperature, moisture, and oxygen. The ideal environment for cheese is between 50ºF and 55ºF. High humidity will make your cheese moldy quicker because mold thrives in moist environments. Cheese that is too cold won’t last long enough to get moldy, but will taste salty because of the evaporation of water out of the cheese while in storage. A slightly damp atmosphere can be avoided by wrapping your cheeses in waxed paper or plastic wrap before storing them in airtight containers with a tight fitting lid.
4. Is it true that I can freeze cheese?
Freezing cheese is not recommended because of the texture change that occurs during the freezing process. Cheese becomes hard and crumbly when frozen and thawed, which will create tears in your next grilled cheese sandwich. Freezing also tends to make a big mess which rings in at 11 on my scale of ten things that are quite annoying but hardly worth a trip to the emergency room.
5. Do I need to wash my cheese before eating?
No. Cheese is generally slightly acidic and has a shelf-life of several months between washings if it is well protected from the outside world. Washing your cheese will not extend its shelf-life and may make your cheese smell worse.
6. How much cheese can I eat while sitting?
The general rule of thumb is that you should keep it to two ounces per meal, taken over an hour period with plenty of water between servings. Cheese is considered high calorie food but the calories are concentrated in protein which tends to be digested slowly into the bloodstream. Cheese also has a high fat content, which slows the release of calories into the bloodstream.
7. What is cheese’s best friend?
Beer. Beer is cheese’s best friend because beer will wash away the taste of any other food you have been eating! In fact, it makes even your worst mistakes taste good. And why not? Beer was invented by an ancient civilization that wanted to get rid of the smell that their feet had acquired after running around in unwashed socks all day while they hunted giant deer and wild boar with spears made from sharpened tree branches and their teeth.
8. What happened to the cheesemonger?
The cheesemonger is a great invention because it takes some of the work out of cheese-eating. The cheesemonger was invented by a guy who was fed up with having to go back and forth to get one kind of cheese after another so he could find something that tasted the way he wanted it to.
9. What are the best cheeses in the world?
That depends on your preference and what you’re eating it with. Cheeses are one of those foods that you can be served a new one every day for the rest of your life and probably never taste the same one twice. There are more than 10,000 kinds of cheese in the world today, with over 2,000 varieties in France alone!
10. Why do we need cheese?
Cheese is more than just a food, it’s an experience. What could be better than sitting in a meadow with a good book, a glass of wine, and a nice warm brie that you just took out of your coat pocket? Cheese will make us happy and cheese will make us think. Just remember to bring an airtight container.
