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Q and A: Serving Cheese

Albertina Roca
  |   January 16, 2015   |  

Because there are hundreds of cheeses that come in all sizes, it is important for every cheese lover out there to know how to cut and serve it. Like the cheese itself, handling and serving this gourmet treat is an art form that must be mastered through patience, experience and flawless technique. This 'Question and Answer' section should help you resolve all your cheese serving and storing dilemmas.

Q: How Should I store Cheese?

A: When storing cheese, it all depends on what type of cheese you have.

  • Soft cheeses: Usually last a few days in the lowest part of the refrigerator, and must be kept in a plastic airtight bag. The temperature must be between 35 to 40 degrees Fahrenheit.
  • Hard cheeses: Will remain fresh for an extended period of time.
  • Goat cheese or sheep's milk cheese Will usually last for three weeks.

Q: What is the best way to serve cheese?

A: The next time you want to serve cheese at a party, here's are a few things to remember.

  • Always serve at room temperature, unless your idea is to have it melted, like with fondue cheese.
  • Don't take it in and out of the refrigerator too frequently. This may damage its texture, and it will not taste as good.
  • Remove all wrappings before serving, unless the cheese comes in a special packaging or presentation (wooden box, etc).

Q: How much cheese should I serve?

A: About 100 to 120 grams of cheese per person should do it.

Q: How do I prepare a great cheese board?

A: A good cheese board takes time and thought to prepare. Follow these rules:

  • The idea is to have variety and complementing or contrasting flavors and textures.
  • It is always best to have a wide selection of cheeses for everyone to select from; the more you have, the more probability that each and everyone of your guests will find a cheese that they like.
  • Also consider this: The best cheeses for an appetizer cheese board will not be as suitable for a dessert cheese plate, which will typically include sweeter fromage.
  • For a good mix, try five cheeses of different flavors, colors and textures.
  • Add some fruit or colorful garnish of some sort, like strawberries, grapes or springs of fresh herbs.
  • Have the breads play an important supporting role. The more delicately-flavored the cheese, the white and blander the bread. Powerful, flavorful cheeses like blues and chèvre go well with spiced or herbed breads. If in doubt, try the understated (but always fresh) French baguette. For very soft cheese, provide a variety of hard, bite-size crackers to make the whole process easy and elegant. Tip: prepare a few as examples.


Cheese Board Sampler Ideas:
  • Crottin: A delicate and sweet, with a soft, even texture - the cheese is uncooked and unpressed. The flavor is pungent, but not overpowering.
  • Comte: Extremely popular and refined, fruity with nutty undertones, firm pâte.
  • Camembert: perfect for those traditionalists.
  • Emmenetal: the classic crowd-pleasant Swiss cheese.
  • Livarot: Strong, heavy and moist cheese, very popular, covered in a moldy rind and spicy undertones.
  • Roquefort AOC: An attractive blue-veined cheese, clean and strong flavors, very salty to contrast the sweet cheeses above. Stilton blue cheese, like, and a chèvre, like the popular Crottin de Chavignol. This simple mix will satisfy all palates.

Q: Help! All these cheese are different! How do I cut them?

A: It's not not impossible!

  • Round or square cheese: Cut like a cake. In half and triangle-shaped wedges.
  • Pyramid or cone shaped cheese: Cut horizontally and in slice.
  • A drum shaped cheese: Always cut into discs and then cake-like wedges.
  • A bûche or log-shaped cheese: Best served in slices.
  • A cheese wheel: Typically cut by a cheese-monger.
  • Notes on Cheese-Cutting:

    • A good cheese knife has a slightly bent blade with two sharp points at the end and a wooden handle, and should be kept clean and sharp. Use a knife with a strong blade, preferably long. You want to cut the fromage simply and efficiently, without crushing it.
    • If you're cooking with a hard cheese that calls for grating, use a strong grater.
    • If serving cheeses with very different textures or flavors wash or clean the knife before cutting the next. You don't want delicate flavors to mix. You can use a piece of bread (and you're welcome to eat it too).

Q: There are a lot of special cutting instruments out there, what are they, and should I invest?

A: Invest in a double tipped knife, if you're getting one thing, as well as a good cheese board.. Anything else is up to your particular needs, how often you eat and serve cheese, how important presentation is to you, etc.

  • Roquefortaise: Wire butter knife that cuts Roquefort without altering the delicate texture.
  • Girolle: A very popular invention, it is a cheese board with a guillotine knife attached, used for firm cheeses like Tete-De-Moine.
  • Cheese board: Can be marble or solid wood.

Q: I want to serve a cheese plate as desert, any suggestions?

A: If serving cheese after a meal, follow these straight-forward guidelines.

  • For meat-based meals: Serve a blue cheese as dessert, like Bleu d'Auvergne.
  • For light, airy meals: Creamy, fatty cheeses are in order, for example Soumantrain.
  • Spicy, strong-flavored meals: A matching strong cheese, like a Munster or Livarot.

Questions and Answers

Q:which is served first cheese or desert???
A:Usually the cheese is served before the dessert or instead of it.

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Author

Albertina Roca

Copywriter & Certified Cheese Addict

Meet Albertina, a seasoned food writing wordsmith and marketing creative split between the sizzling vibes of Miami and the charming streets of Buenos Aires. With a solid 20 years in the traditional and digital advertising world for the gourmet food industry, she’s mastered the art of making words as mouthwatering as the dishes they describe. She’s proudly been part of the Gourmet Food Store family (and its brands) since its very beginnings, and what a fun, flavor-packed journey it has been!

Highlights

Albertina's journey in copywriting is marked by a passion for creativity and a knack for connecting with audiences. Her expertise spans SEO-driven content that boosts visibility, engaging social media strategies that spark conversations, persuasive advertising campaigns that captivate, and heartfelt storytelling that resonates deeply.

Experience

With a diverse portfolio spanning numerous articles, blogs, and captivating content pieces, Albertina has left her mark on the industry. From informative guides to persuasive sales copy, her work not only informs but also inspires action.

Education and Background

Her journey began at Rutgers College, where she studied in History and Political Science, with a minor in English Lit. She honed her craft at The Miami Ad School in South Beach, where creativity and copy collided under the South Florida Sun. From the neon streets of South Beach to the tango beats of Buenos Aires, her pen dances with the rhythm of whatever gastronomic tales she gets to write at the time.

Currently savoring life in Buenos Aires, Argentina, she’s bilingual in English and Spanish, an avid reader, and cheese addict.

Her writing? Seasoned with creativity, spiced with experience, and garnished with a dash of wit.

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