Frequently asked questions

Storage and safety 6

Keeping cheese fresh, how long it lasts, and when to toss it.

• Can cheese be frozen? Yes, but freezing changes the texture. Hard and semi-hard cheeses freeze best and are fine for cooking; soft and fresh cheeses tend to turn grainy or watery.
• Can you cut the mold off cheese? Yes for hard cheeses, no for soft ones. Here is how to tell the difference and how to cut it safely.
• How can you tell if cheese has gone bad? Trust your eyes and nose, but know what normal looks like for that cheese. Here are the signs that mean it's time to toss it.
• How long does cheese last? It depends on the type: about a week for fresh cheese, a few weeks for firm cheeses, longer for hard aged ones. A rough guide.
• How should I store leftover cheese? Wrap it loosely in parchment or wax paper, not tight plastic, write the date on it, and keep it in the fridge's vegetable drawer. Change the wrapping every couple of days.
• Should cheese be kept in the fridge? Not always. Hard cheeses are the forgiving ones, but the fridge helps them last longer, and soft, fresh and shredded cheeses should always be refrigerated.

Know your cheese 13

Rinds, styles, labels and what makes one cheese different from another.

• Can I eat the rind of cheese? Usually yes. Bloomy and washed rinds are made to be eaten; wax, cloth and plastic coverings are not.
• How do you pronounce cheese names? A quick guide to saying Gruyère, Gouda, Manchego, Gorgonzola and other tricky cheese names.
• What are the crunchy white crystals in aged cheese? Those crunchy white specks are harmless crystals that form as cheese ages. They're usually a sign of a well-matured cheese.
• What are the different types of cheese? Cheeses are usually grouped by milk type and by texture: fresh, bloomy rind, semi-soft, washed rind, firm, hard and blue.
• What does Brie taste like? Mild, creamy and buttery, with a slightly mushroomy rind. The flavor gets stronger as it ripens.
• What does DOP or PDO mean on a cheese? It means the cheese's name is legally protected and it must be made in a specific place, in a specific way.
• What is burrata? A fresh Italian cheese with a mozzarella shell and a creamy, stringy center.
• What is the difference between Brie and Camembert? Mostly size and richness. Both are bloomy-rind cheeses, and Brie is usually the bigger, richer one.
• What is the difference between raw milk and pasteurized milk cheese? Pasteurized cheese is made from heated milk. Raw milk cheese isn't, and in the US it must be aged at least 60 days. Here is what that means.
• What is the difference between ricotta, mascarpone, cottage cheese and cream cheese? Four soft, mild, fresh cheeses that get mixed up. The difference comes down to what they're made from and how they're made.
• What is the outer layer of brie cheese? It's the rind, a white "bloomy" rind grown from a harmless mold, Penicillium candidum. In most cases you can eat it.
• Why does Brie smell like ammonia? The mold that ripens Brie produces ammonia, and tight plastic wrap traps it. Let it breathe before you decide it's bad.
• Why does Swiss cheese have holes? Bacteria make carbon dioxide as the cheese ripens, and the gas forms bubbles called eyes. Tiny bits of hay may help them start.

Making and ingredients 8

Rennet, whey, annatto and what goes into cheese.

• How do you make ricotta from whey? Heat leftover whey to just below a boil and let it cool so the last proteins form soft curds, then strain. Adding some whole milk gives you more ricotta.
• Is cheese vegetarian? Not always. It depends on the rennet used to make it. Here is how to read the label.
• What do I need to make cheese at home? Less than you think. Start with a fresh cheese like paneer or ricotta, and add a few basic tools as you move on.
• What is annatto in cheese? Why some cheeses are orange A natural orange-red dye from the seeds of the achiote tree, used in cheeses like cheddar, Colby, Red Leicester and Mimolette. It adds color, not flavor.
• What is paneer, and is it the same as ricotta? Paneer is a firm, pressed fresh cheese from India, made from milk curdled with acid. Ricotta is softer and made from whey, so they aren't the same.
• What is processed cheese? Natural cheese blended with emulsifying salts and melted together, so it stays smooth and keeps a long time. Check the label name.
• What is rennet? An enzyme that curdles milk into curds and whey. It's traditionally taken from the stomachs of ruminant animals, but there are vegetarian alternatives.
• What is whey and what can I do with it? Whey is the liquid left when milk separates into curds. Don't pour it out, because you can make ricotta, bake with it, and more.

Buying and serving 12

Shopping for cheese, hosting, and putting together a cheese board.

• Can you bake Brie or Camembert? Yes. Both melt beautifully. Bake at 350°F (180°C) for about 15 to 20 minutes and serve hot with bread.
• Can you eat Brie or Camembert cold? Yes, but it tastes better at room temperature. Take it out 30 to 60 minutes before serving.
• Hosting: How much cheese should I buy? Start from a common per-person rule of thumb, then round up or down for who's eating cheese, what else is on the table and how adventurous your cheeses are.
• How do you build a cheese board? Pick a few cheeses that differ in milk and texture, serve them at room temperature, and give each its own knife.
• How do you cut different cheeses, and what knife do you need? Cut for equal portions and match the knife to the cheese's texture. A quick guide to cutting hard, soft and crumbly cheeses.
• Is pre-shredded cheese as good as block cheese? Fine for nachos and casseroles. For smooth sauces and melts, grate your own, because bagged cheese is coated to stop clumping.
• What cheese is best for fondue? Can you make it without wine? Classic fondue uses Gruyère and Emmental melted with dry white wine. Here is how to build it and what to do if you skip the wine.
• What goes with Brie and Camembert? Bread, something sweet and something salty, and a light white, sparkling wine or a light red. Ideas for serving both cheeses.
• What is a cheesemonger? A cheesemonger is a cheese seller who knows their stuff: someone who buys, cuts, ages and recommends cheese.
• What wine or whiskey goes with cheese? Match the strength of the drink to the strength of the cheese. Some starting points for wine and whiskey.
• Why do cheese knives have holes and points? The holes keep soft cheese from sticking to the blade, and the point lets you spear a piece and pick it up.
• Why does melted cheese turn greasy or stringy? Too much heat, too fast. The proteins tighten and squeeze out the fat. Low heat, grated cheese and the right cheese help.

Health and diet 4

Lactose, gluten and other questions about cheese and your body.

• Can I eat cheese if I am lactose intolerant? Often, yes. Aged hard cheeses are much lower in lactose, and small portions, lactase supplements or lactose-free cheeses can help. A milk allergy is different, so check with your doctor.
• Is Brie or Camembert gluten free? Yes, plain Brie and Camembert are naturally gluten free. Pastry, crumb coatings and packaged crackers are where gluten sneaks in.
• Is cheese addictive? Not like a drug. The "cheese is like crack" comparison came from press coverage of a food-addiction study and is a stretch.
• Is cheese gluten free? Most cheese is, but check the label on flavored cheeses (like beer-washed), shredded cheese and blue cheese. If you have celiac disease, ask the producer.

Wine 6

Corks, decanting, glasses and other wine questions.

• Does white wine need to breathe or be aerated? Usually not, and too much air can dull a delicate white. A few full-bodied whites, like young white Burgundy and oaked Chardonnay, can benefit from a short decant.
• How do you open a wine bottle with a broken cork? Try twisting a wide-threaded screw into the cork, or working a sturdy knife in and twisting. If it still won't budge, push the cork in and strain the wine through a coffee filter.
• What are tannins in wine? Tannins are the compounds in grape skins, seeds and oak that make wine feel dry and puckery. Reds have far more than whites.
• What is a corked wine? Corked wines smell and taste like a musty old basement. Other people say it’s more like wet cardboard or wet dog. Let me tell you what it really is.
• What is wine decanting? Pouring wine from its bottle into another container, either to expose it to more oxygen or to leave sediment behind in older wines.
• What kind of wine glass to use? Different wines are traditionally served in differently shaped glasses. This page points to Wine Folly's guide to choosing stemware.

Pairing 11

• How do you build a cheese board? Pick a few cheeses that differ in milk and texture, serve them at room temperature, and give each its own knife.
• What are tannins in wine? Tannins are the compounds in grape skins, seeds and oak that make wine feel dry and puckery. Reds have far more than whites.
• What bread and crackers go best with cheese? Keep them plain so the cheese is what you taste: thin baguette, plain crackers, and whole grain for blue.
• What cheese goes with beer? Match the strength of the beer to the cheese: light beers with fresh cheese, dark beers with strong cheese.
• What cheese goes with cider? Camembert with Normandy cider, cheddar with English West Country cider, and sweet ciders with blue cheese.
• What cheese goes with red wine? Match the weight of the wine to the cheese: lighter reds with softer cheeses, fuller reds with aged hard ones.
• What cheese goes with white wine or Champagne? Crisp whites and Champagne suit fresh and soft cheeses, and Pinot Grigio and Champagne go with the most cheeses.
• What fruit and nuts go with cheese? Grapes, pears, apples and figs for something fresh or sweet, and walnuts, almonds and pecans for crunch.
• What goes with blue cheese? Something sweet to balance the salt: honey, figs, walnuts, port, stout or a sweet cider.
• What wine or whiskey goes with cheese? Match the strength of the drink to the strength of the cheese. Some starting points for wine and whiskey.
• Why do sweet and salty go together with cheese? Cheese is salty and rich, and something sweet balances the salt while something sharp or fizzy cuts the richness.