Cheese Handling

After arriving home with your new cheese finds, remember the three C’s of cheese handling.

• Clean: Because cheese easily absorbs other flavors, keep it away from other aromatic foods in the refrigerator.
• Cold: Refrigerate cheese between 34° and 38°F.
• Covered: Cheese loses flavor and moisture when it’s exposed to air, so make sure to wrap hard cheeses, such as Parmesan, in tightly drawn plastic wrap. Soft or fresh cheeses, such as Mascarpone, are best stored in clean, airtight containers. Semi-hard cheeses, including Cheddar and Gouda, can be wrapped in plastic wrap as well as a lighter wrapping paper, such as parchment.