C’est Cheese!

Cheese has been a staple of our diet for centuries.  We consume cheese for breakfast, lunch, dinner and in-between.  It is a satisfying, nutritious and tasty treat.  But do you know when and how cheese was created?

History of Cheese

Most historians agree that the appearance of cheese came around 7000 B.C.  But the origins of the first cheese are in question.  My favorite story (and the most likely) is that cheese was a happy accident. 

In this story, an Arab nomad set out across the desert on his horse with his saddlebag (made from a sheep’s stomach) filled with milk to quench his thirst.  After several hours, he stopped to refresh himself and found that the milk had separated into thick white lumps and a pale, watery liquid.  This occurred because the naturally occurring rennet from the sheep’s stomach and the heat of the day caused the milk to separate into curds and whey.  Presto --- very rustic cheese was created!

Buying, Serving & Storing Cheese

Try it before you buy it!  You will never know if a cheese will please your palate until you try it.  Always ask for a sample, where possible.  Also, when buying soft-rind cheeses, don’t buy more than you can eat in a week.  Hard cheeses will last much longer when stored properly, but soft-rind cheeses are more delicate.   

Cheese should always be served at room temperature.  When cheese is cold it will not provide you with the true depth of its flavor texture.  On a cool day, let your cheese sit out in its packaging (leave it wrapped or it will dry out) for an hour; on a hot day half an hour.  Also, hard cheeses are going to take longer to come to room temperature than soft cheeses.

When serving a cheeseboard as an appetizer or a cheese course with dinner, don’t go overboard.  3-4 cheeses on a board are plenty.  Just make surethat you serve a variety.  Try a soft-rind, hard cheese and a blue cheese.  Or do a cow, sheep & goat milk cheeseboard.  Have fun with it – serve with fruit, nuts honey, or a fruit paste. 

Artisan breads are my favorite accompaniment to cheese.  But if you prefer crackers, then make certain you choose one that will not interfere with the flavor of the cheese.

When you purchase cheese at Fromage du Monde, your cheese will come wrapped in cheese paper.  This paper is imported from France and is specifically designed to extend the life of your cheese and keep it fresh tasting.  I recommend that you keep your cheese wrapped in this paper but make sure you carefully reseal it or tuck it in a Ziploc bag to ensure it does not dry out. 

If you do not have cheese paper, I would suggest wax paper or aluminum foil to keep your cheese fresh.  Plastic wrap also works.  However, be mindful that cheese wrapped in plastic wrap for long periods of time will absorb the flavor of the plastic.  This can add an unpleasant taste to your cheese.   You will likely need to trim a cheese that has been wrapped in plastic for more than a week.

Cheese should be stored towards the bottom of your refrigerator—the vegetable drawer is your best bet.  Hard cheeses can stay fresh up to a month; semi-soft cheeses will be good for a few weeks and soft cheeses around 10 days.  And you should never, ever freeze cheese!

Most importantly --- be adventurous!  We all have our favorites, but there is a whole world of cheese out there waiting for you to explore.