How to Serve Cheese, According to Experts

For a food best served at room temperature, cheese’s popularity has never been greater.

New research indicates that cheese leads the dairy category in the United States; while milk consumption is declining, annual cheese consumption is at an all-time high of nearly 42 pounds per person. That’s an increase of about 10 pounds since 2000, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

Retailers are certainly listening. “We’ve been seeing a positive trajectory in cheese sales for some time now, and with social media trends like charcuterie boards, we’ve also noticed our customers are increasingly curious to learn from our cheesemakers in store. » says Elise Olson, a certified cheese professional at Whole Foods Market.

“During the pandemic, we gained a large number of customers who, faced with limited options for dining out, discovered or perhaps even rediscovered cheese and consistently continued to purchase cheese as life returned to normal. normal,” Olson adds.

There are a surprising number of ways you could be neglecting how you serve cheese (if you’re eating it straight out of the fridge, we’re not judging, but we’re talking to you). We turned to experts for common mistakes to avoid when serving cheese for maximum enjoyment.

Do not serve cheese straight from the refrigerator

For optimal flavor and texture, let the cheese come to room temperature before serving. Whether you’re serving fresh goat’s cheese or aged Parmigiano Reggiano, remove it from the refrigerator at least 30 minutes before serving, preferably longer.

Another thing that experts from all (cheese) sectors agree on: don’t freeze your cheese! If you buy a large quantity from a big box store and end up with more than you need, don’t worry. Hard cheese can last for two to three months if properly stored in the refrigerator. Sarah Pastula, founder of a Vermont-based cheese board company called Line 5 Charcuterie, says it will simply continue to age into a thinner cheese!

How to choose the freshest cheese

Rather than picking up a prepackaged block of cheese, Werlin recommends asking the cheesemonger to cut you a new piece of whatever you’re ordering. No one wants to come home and find out they spent money on spoiled cheese.

“The cheese is cut into quarters by the store and then packaged,” Werlin tells TODAY.com. “Well, if it was packaged two weeks ago, then the chances of that cheese tasting like plastic increase exponentially. That’s why I really recommend asking for a new piece of the wheel.

Is it rude not to eat the crust of brie?

Have you ever approached a cheese platter at a party only to find that all that’s left of the brie is the rind? Let’s agree not to do this to each other again. “I always tell my classes: don’t dig the center and leave the rest behind. That’s really rude,” says Laura Werlin, James Beard Award-winning author of “The All American Cheese and Wine Book.”

A common problem when serving is “sniffing the cheese,” meaning someone has cut straight off the tip of a corner, ruining its triangular shape. “What you want to do is cut parallel to the shape of the cheese that already exists. So you keep that nice triangle,” Werlin says.

Any crusts that aren’t made of fabric, wax or other inedible materials are safe to eat, according to Werlin. If you must cut the crust, do so in your own cocktail napkin.

How to slice hard cheese?

Just because you can decide, that doesn’t mean you should do it.

“Parmigiano Reggiano is one of the oldest cheeses in the world,” Italian chef Michele Casadei Massari, Parmigiano Reggiano ambassador to the United States, told TODAY.com via email. “Today it uses much the same ingredients, know-how and techniques as it did 1,000 years ago, with its production virtually unchanged over the centuries.”

Many aged cheeses do not need to be sliced ​​at all; instead, Massari recommends cutting it into pieces using the tip of a knife as leverage to break off the smaller pieces. This helps preserve tyrosine crystals, which develop during the aging process and contribute to that characteristic crumbly texture. The same goes for cheddar, which becomes sharper as it ages and similarly develops tyrosine crystals, giving a delicious salty crunch.

Don’t forget about unexpected options

“One of the most common myths is that you can’t eat cheese if you are lactose intolerant. And that’s absolutely not true,” says Werlin. Your friends with dairy issues will be grateful if you include something they can eat on your chart.

“As a general rule, the longer a cheddar is aged, the less likely it is to contain lactose,” says Pastula.

And while some cultures serve a cheese dish instead of dessert, why not blur the boundaries completely and open the door to dessert cheese? “As consumers seek more unique flavors, we see dessert cheese becoming more of a trend,” says 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’re in the Liz Lemon camp of “nighttime cheese” enthusiasts, this might be the perfect option for extending plausible cheese-eating hours until bedtime. Some research even suggests that cheese may 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 platter

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 single group, 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 lowest lifting effort, arrange slices or wedges of cheese on a platter and finish it. “My biggest advice is to not be intimidated by what you see on social media,” says Pastula. Her signature “cheese zippers” and salami roses are indeed eye-catching, but she encourages people to dive right in.

“I always think of a cheese board as the center of a gathering,” says Pastula. “Everyone clings to an Instagram-worthy presentation, but it’s really the people it brings together that are most important.”

Whether you’re serving family or friends, she notes, it’s easier to please than you think: “Cheese makes everyone happy.” »

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