How to Care for Cheese

 

When cheese is as good as those featured on Barbury Hill - Fen Farm Dairy, Godminster and Bath Soft Cheese - it deserves to be looked after. There’s nothing worse than craving a slice of crumbly organic Godminster cheddar on a cracker, only to find it’s past its best. So we’ve talked to our British producers and farmers to get their recommendations on how to care for cheese, and how they suggest storing and preserving the cheese they lovingly craft for Barbury Hill customers.

Wrap in Wax Paper

Wrapping cheese in cling film can cause it to sweat and affect the complex flavour profile. Wrapping your cheese in wax paper provides the best conditions to allow it to breathe without drying out. Wrapping it well from the day it arrives on your doorstep will allow you to enjoy the cheese for longer.

 

Choose a specially selected container

A plastic Tupperware may not be the most glamorous receptacle but will keep the cheese from drying out and from absorbing other flavours from the fridge. Try to find one with an air vent and a grate on the bottom to allow air to circulate. A clean, damp dish cloth underneath will ensure the cheese doesn’t dry out.

Find the warmest spot in the fridge

This tends to be the vegetable drawer, so while storing your cheese amongst the broccoli and cucumber might seem odd, it will be happier and less likely to dry out.  

Only take out what you plan to eat

 Every time you take the cheese out of the fridge and bring it up to room temperature, the live cultures and moulds start working which can reduce the life expectancy of your delicious cheese. We’d recommend cutting off as much as you plan to eat and keeping the rest in the fridge until next time. Though we know Barbury Hill cheeses can be hard to resist eating in one sitting! 

How to serve cheese

If you can, plan ahead and take your cheese out of the fridge with an hour or two to spare. This will allow the flavour profile to deepen, bringing out the layers of aroma and flavour and allowing the texture to relax. Keep it wrapped until you’re ready to bring it to the table to prevent it drying out. 

The perfect cheeseboard

So now you know how to care for your cheese collection, why not stock up at Barbury Hill? With Christmas fast approaching, now’s the time to start planning a cheese extravaganza to wow your guests. Our recent story takes you through the components of the perfect cheeseboard, and with our growing range of artisan cheese from British producers, you can prepare a cheeseboard to get people talking.

 

 

 by Rebecca Lancaster, Copywriter

Rebecca, a talented writer, is a friend of Barbury Hill’s. When she’s not eating the best of British food and drink, she is writing about it. And when she’s not writing about it, she’s thinking about it.