FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Q: How should I store artisan cheese at home?

Cheese needs to breathe. Avoid tight plastic wrap. Instead, use specialized cheese paper, parchment, or wax paper. Store it in the vegetable crisper drawer of your refrigerator, which mimics the humid environment of an aging cave.

Curating an archive requires addressing the nuances of dairy care. Here are our insights into common inquiries.

How should I store artisan cheese at home?

Cheese needs to breathe. Avoid tight plastic wrap, which traps moisture and encourages harmful molds. Instead, use specialized cheese paper, parchment, or wax paper. Store it in the vegetable crisper drawer of your refrigerator, which mimics the humid environment of an aging cave.

Is it safe to eat the rind?

In most cases, yes. Bloomy rinds (like Brie) and washed rinds (like Taleggio) are meant to be eaten and contribute heavily to the flavor profile. Hard natural rinds (like Parmesan) are too tough to eat raw but are excellent for flavoring soups and broths. Artificial wax or cloth rinds should always be discarded.

What are the crunchy bits in aged cheddar or gouda?

Those are tyrosine crystals. As cheese ages and loses moisture, proteins break down into amino acids. Tyrosine is an amino acid that crystallizes under these conditions, creating a delightful crunchy texture that is a hallmark of a properly aged wheel.

Why does blue cheese have blue veins?

The blue veins are a harmless, edible mold called Penicillium roqueforti. During the cheesemaking process, the wheels are pierced with needles to allow oxygen inside, which allows the dormant mold spores to bloom and spread throughout the interior.