For a dish that is best served at room temperature, the popularity of cheese has never been greater.
New research shows that cheese is leading the dairy category in the US; while milk consumption has fallen, annual cheese consumption is at a record high of almost 42 pounds per person. That’s up about 10 pounds since 2000, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
Retailers are certainly listening. “We have been seeing a positive trajectory in cheese sales for some time now, and with social media trends like charcuterie boards, we also noticed our customers becoming more curious to learn from our in-store cheesemongers,” says Elise Olson, a certified cheese professional. at the Whole Foods market.
“During the pandemic, we attracted large numbers of customers who, faced with limited dining options, discovered or perhaps even rediscovered cheese and continued to consistently purchase cheese as life returned to normal,” Olson added.
There are a surprising number of ways you can cheat on the way you serve cheese (if you eat cheese straight from the fridge, we’re not judging, just talking to you). We turned to the experts to discover common mistakes to avoid when serving cheese for maximum enjoyment.
Do not serve cheese straight from the refrigerator
For the best flavor and texture, let the cheese come to room temperature before serving. Whether you are serving fresh goat cheese or aged Parmigiano Reggiano, remove it from the refrigerator at least 30 minutes before serving, preferably longer.
Another thing that experts across the (cheese) board unanimously agree on: don’t freeze your cheese! If you buy a large quantity from a big store and end up with more than you need, don’t worry. Hard cheese can keep for two to three months if stored properly in the refrigerator. Sarah Pastula, founder of a Vermont-based cheese board company called Line 5 Charcuterie, says it will only continue to mature into a finer cheese!
How do you choose the freshest cheese?
Instead of picking up a pre-packaged block of cheese, Werlin recommends asking the cheesemonger to cut you a fresh piece of cheese from whatever you order. No one wants to come home and find out they made money for spoiled cheese.
“Cheese is cut into wedges in the store and then packaged,” Werlin told TODAY.com. “Well, if the cheese was wrapped two weeks ago, the chance that the cheese will taste a bit like plastic increases exponentially. And so I really recommend asking for a fresh piece of the wheel.”
Is it rude not to eat the brie crust?
Have you ever approached a cheese board at a party and discovered that only the rind of the brie remains? Let’s agree not to do this to each other again. “I always tell my classes: don’t dig out the center and leave the rest behind. It’s really rude,” says Laura Werlin, a James Beard award-winning author of “The All American Cheese and Wine Book.”
A common problem when serving is “nosing the cheese,” meaning someone has cut straight across the tip of a wedge, ruining its triangular shape. “What you want to do instead is cut parallel to the shape of the cheese that already exists. So that you keep that beautiful triangle,” says Werlin.
All crusts that are not made of cloth, wax or other inedible materials are safe to eat, according to Werlin. If you need to cut off the peel, do so in your own cocktail napkin.
How do you cut hard cheese?
Just because you can cut it doesn’t mean you should.
“Parmigiano Reggiano is one of the oldest cheeses in the world,” Italian chef Michele Casadei Massari, Parmigiano Reggiano ambassador in the U.S., tells TODAY.com via email. “It uses almost the same ingredients, craftsmanship and techniques as 1,000 years ago, and production has remained virtually unchanged over the centuries.”
Many aged cheeses should not be sliced at all; instead, Massari recommends cutting it into pieces and using the tip of a knife as leverage to break off small pieces. This helps preserve the crystals of tyrosine, which develop during the aging process and contribute to the characteristic crumbly texture. The same goes for cheddar, which becomes sharper with age and similarly develops tyrosine crystals, giving a delicious salty crunch.
Don’t forget unexpected options
“One of the most common myths is that you should not eat cheese if you are lactose intolerant. And that is absolutely not true,” says Werlin. Your friends with a dairy problem will thank you if you put something on your plate that they can eat.
“As a good rule of thumb, the longer a cheddar is aged, the less likely it is to contain lactose,” says Pastula.
And while some cultures serve a cheese dish in place of dessert, why not blur the line completely and open the door to dessert cheese? “As consumers look for more unique flavors, we see dessert cheese becoming more of a trend,” said Gina Martano, R&D manager at Vermont Creamery. Martano says the brand has developed chocolate cherry, honey truffle and strawberry spritz goat cheese varieties to meet demand.
If you fall into the Liz Lemon camp of “night cheese” lovers, this could be the perfect option for extending plausible cheese-eating hours until bedtime. There’s even research that suggests cheese can help you sleep better, whether you eat it straight from the fridge or not. Which you’re definitely not, right?
How to make a cheese board
A cheese board is timeless, reliable and always a crowd pleaser. It’s a host’s secret weapon, whether you’re entertaining a crowd or a group of people, and the quickest way to turn a gathering of any size into a festive occasion.
An assortment of cheeses is a great place to start, from fresh to aged, mild to funky. For the least amount of effort, you can place slices or wedges of cheese on a platter and call it a day. “My biggest tip is not to be intimidated by what you see on social media,” says Pastula. Her signature ‘cheese zippers’ and salami roses are indeed striking, but she encourages people to just dive in.
“I always look at a cheese board as the centerpiece of a gathering,” says Pastula. “Everyone is captivated by the Insta-worthy presentation, but it’s really the people it brings together that are most important.”
Whether you’re serving family or friends, she notes that they’re easier to please than you might think: “Cheese makes everyone happy.”
This article was originally published on TODAY.com
