Caring for Cheese
Cheese is a living thing—it needs to breathe! Plastic wrap is not your cheeseís friend—it's non-porous and impermeable (the exception to this is blue veined cheeses without rinds). Instead, re-wrap your cheese in the breathable paper we wrap your cheese in at the counter; or, if this gets destroyed, wrap it in parchment paper. You can also use a Tupperware container larger than the piece of cheese, creating its own little microclimate of circulating air. Also, cheese loves humidity, so if you have room in the vegetable crisper drawer of your fridge, this is where your cheese will live out its remaining days in peace. And remember: colder is not always better.

Check in on your cheeses frequently and see what they need.
• If the rind is excessively moist (mushy to the touch and sticks to your fingers), let it dry out. To do so, remove its wrapping and cover the paste (interior) with protective film or paper. Then, place it in the fridge, with the wet side near the fan if possible.
• If your cheese is too dry, (excessively cracked or flaky rind) give your cheese a bath by lightly moistening the outer rind with a damp cloth until properly moist.

Special Blue Cheese Needs: Blue cheeses that lack rinds. These cheeses, since they do not have a rind to protect them should be wrapped in plastic so as to seal in their moisture. These cheeses, since they are not pressed in production, carry a lot of excess water which they will slowly lose. If you notice excess moisture at the corners of the plastic wrap, the cheese should be unwrapped, placed on a paper towel to drain (or gently blotted with a paper towel), and then rewrapped when the excess moisture is removed.

Never Freeze Your Cheese! Freezing will destroy the microbial action within your cheese, and will kill off important flavor giving organisms. The overbearing and unpleasant taste of freezer burn will drown out all of the unique and subtle flavors in your cheese. Along the lines of this, never expose your cheese to excessively high or low temperatures. Cheese thrives in constant environments of moderate temperatures. Never expose your cheese to strong temperature or light fluctuation; this will compromise the integrity of your cheese. Remember, cheese is a living food. It is constantly undergoing changes beneath its rind and must be taken care of to ensure an optimum eating experience. The best advice? Buy little. Buy often. Respect Cheese.
 

On Serving
Before eating a cheese, remove it from the refrigerator about an hour before serving to bring it to room temperature (in hot weather this can be as little as 30 minutes). This allows the full flavor of the cheese to be expressed. Unwrap the cheese and throw the wrapping away - never use the same wrapping twice. If your cheese is in big portions, only cut what you are going to serve. Replace the rest in the refrigerator immediately.

To cut any cheese properly, use a good chef's knife or cheese wire if you have one. If the cheese is firm or semi-firm, use the backside of the blade to ‘shave’ off any shine and refresh the face of the cheese. Soft, washed-rind cheeses (like epoisses) should often be served whole, with the top rind cut off to be spooned or spread on bread or crackers. The important thing to remember when choosing things to accompany your cheese is to ensure is that the flavor of the cheese is not drowned out or altered. Fresh or dried fruit such as apples and grapes make good accompaniments. A little tip: Candied nuts and blue cheese? Wow.

Also, beer and wine can (and should!) be served with cheese. With a little consideration, the right pairings can be downright sublime. Good luck and happy feasting!