Buying and serving
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.
- Cheese Basics Everything I wish someone had told me about cheese: how it is made, the seven types, and how to buy, store, serve, eat and cook with it.
- Cooking with cheese Why melted cheese turns greasy, whether to use pre-shredded, and how to make fondue and baked Brie.
- 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 to buy cheese Go to a cheese counter if you can, buy what you'll eat soon, and read the label.
- How to serve and eat cheese Serve it at room temperature, mix three to five different cheeses, and plan about an ounce of each per guest.
- 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.