Cheese Storage & Cooking Tips

Caring for Your Cheeses

 

For optimal storage, keep your cheeses wrapped in the paper or packaging in which they were delivered. Our paper is specially designed to allow the cheeses to breathe and retain moisture.

The best place to store your cheese is in a cool, damp place such as a wine cellar, larder or wine cabinet, otherwise in the vegetable drawer of your refrigerator.

Try to consume your cheeses within days of receiving them so that you can enjoy them at peak flavor, particularly the softer types. If properly stored, most cheeses will last several weeks. As a general rule, aged hard cheeses last longer than softer, fresher types.

Rewrap left over cheese in the paper or packaging it came in and store as aforementioned.

If you have thrown away your paper or packaging or if it has been torn, follow these guidelines:

      •  Bloomy rind, tommes and cheeses with harder and drier rinds, wrap only the cut surface in light weight plastic, leaving the rind exposed so the cheese can breathe.
      •  Blue cheeses should be wrapped securely in foil.
      •  Washed rind cheeses should be wrapped in wax paper or grease proof paper.
      •  Small cheeses, a goat's milk crottin, for example, should also be wrapped in wax paper or grease proof paper.
      •  Soft cheeses store well in waxed paper or sealed containers.

       

      Cooking Tips

       

      A Chef or home cook is only as good as his ingredients. Try some of these simple ideas with our cheeses and taste the difference.

      •  Crumble blue cheese or grate Parmesan into your vinaigrette.

      •  Cube watermelon into 1-1/2" cubes, add feta, cured olives, arugula and drizzle with extra virgin olive oil, lime juice and a couple turns of the peppermill for a refreshing summer salad.

      •  For an Artisanal grilled cheese take two slices of country bread and place your favorite ACC cheese between and grill it up - grilled cheese gone to heaven.

      •  Next time you have friends over serve fondue, its fun, easy and sure to please.

      •  Bring some fresh goat cheese to room temperature and whip in some diced tomatoes, basil and pine nuts - spread on croutons as an hors d'oeuvre

      •  Any Artisanal cheese works great in an omelet!

      •  Serve your next baked potato with a grated hard mountain cheese like Comté, Gruyere, or with a goat cheese. Bring the cheese to room temperature and sprinkle on your potato while it is still hot.

      •  For a simple sublime lunch - 2-3 cheeses, a green salad, fresh fruit, crusty bread and a glass of ros�!

      •  Add flavor to bread crumbs with grated Parmesan or Pecorino Romano.

      •  Mash potatoes with heavy cream, butter and a grated, firm mountain cheese like Beaufort or Ossau Iraty go especially well with meats and poultry.

      •  Warm a piece of apple tart with a real English Cheddar or a slice of gouda.

      •  Crumble some feta or goat cheese on lamb just before serving.

      •  Melt blue cheese butter on top of beef just before serving.

      •  Use your leftover cheese to make Fromage Fort to spread on baguette or add to salad. (see recipes)

      •  Sprinkle some Parmesan cheese on popcorn while it is still hot.

      •  Beets and goat cheese make a terrific salad.

      •  Figs and blue cheese are a wonderful combination as well.

      •  Jazz up a frozen pizza with a great Taleggio.

      •  Lightly sweeten a fresh farmer cheese, like Fromage Fermier, and top with seasonal fruit.

      •  Poach a pear in simple syrup. Chill and serve with gorgonzola or stilton "mousse" - bring your cheese to room temperature, place in a food processor with a touch of cream (optional) and process until smooth. Cut the pear in half lengthwise, scoop out the seeds and fill with the "mousse."