At picnics when I was younger, you could always find me in one of two places. The first, the pool and the second, at the meat and cheese platter. Since I can remember I’ve never turned down a piece of cheese. The only other thing that comes close to cheese is chocolate and that’s a whole other therapy session. This past weekend I took the Cheese 101 course at Murray’s. If you live or plan to visit New York, I highly suggest this class. If not a class, stop in to the melt station and get yourself a Murray’s Melt.
As I was well in over my head with cheese knowledge, I took a few takeaways that would come in handy if I were ever to share my cheese at say, a dinner party or more likely, attend a dinner party.
1. Your cheese should be plated about 45 minutes before serving so that it reaches room temperature which is when cheese is at its peak for flavor and texture.
2. If you find mold on your cheese (blue, green or white) you can safely cut it away and eat the rest.
Don’t eat it if the mold is red. Side note: I always knew this but all along thought my dad was trying to poison me.
3. The holes in cheese come from bacteria.
4. Cheese that releases a lot of oil has more fat content.
5. That subtle crunch in your cheese means it was aged for a longer period of time (thumbs up). It’s the breakdown of the protein you’re tasting.
6. The blue in blue cheese is activated by oxidation.
7. Cheese can be left out 5-6 hours and then put back in the fridge for later use (or if you are me, a late night snack).
8. From lightest to darkest or whitest to more yellow in hue: goat, sheep, cow.
9. When making a cheese plate, arrange your cheese from most mild to strongest in a clockwise rotation.
10. Don’t know what to choose to bring to a party or stock for your own? Think: something old, something new, something stinky, something blue.
