Then cover with a clean damp linen cloth, or napkin, and place in a cool spot where there is not much airflow. Simply remove cheese from the fridge at least 2 – 3 hours before you want to use it, and arrange it attractively on a serving platter. There is no excuse as cheese is best when prepared hours in advance. It is a frustrating experience to witness a glorious, carefully crafted cheese ruined by being served too cold straight from the fridge. Great cheese will only reveal its true flavours and texture when served at the right temperature. The best place to store cheese after purchase is in its original wax paper, or box, in the vegetable compartment of the fridge. But these are very difficult to replicate at home which is why cheese should be bought as close as possible to when you want to use it. Temperature and humidity play an important role in both the storage and presentation of all traditional cheese.Ĭool damp conditions are ideal. One sensational cheese in perfect condition is far better than four or five mediocre types, and has the added advantage of being easy to match with a single wine. Any selection of more than a few cheeses tends to get very complicated, and my advice is to keep it simple. You should allow for no more than 50gm of a cheese per person, but its hard to resist getting carried away and buying too much. They are an important guide to what is good on the day. Trust your intuition, and the enthusiasm and knowledge of the person behind the counter.

When confronted by a huge tantalizing choice it’s easy to get confused. Good cheese shops are recognisable by the range of natural cheeses they display, and the sensory experience that hits your nostrils when you walk though the door. Here you can taste and choose the best on offer, which is not something that should be hurried. You are unlikely to find delicious examples of these amongst the predictable pre- cut wedges at your local supermarket, and any meaningful selection requires a visit to a reliable cheese specialist.

The most interesting varieties are inevitably handmade artisan or farmhouse cheeses which vary in quality from day to day and season to season. When buying cheese it’s crucial to remember that flavour comes first. The secret of getting it right every time is simply a matter of careful choice, and presentation. Furthermore the pleasures of sharing well-made cheese at its absolute peak is such a memorable experience that it inevitably it leads to wanting more. The concept of entertaining with cheese has changed dramatically in the past decade largely due to a growing interest and expanding the range of specialist cheese varieties.Ĭarefully selected traditional cheese is one of most satisfying, convenient, and natural pre – prepared foods you can buy. If you don’t remember the days of mousetrap cheddar cubes speared with tinned pineapple, or stodgy bland brie served with crunchy strawberries you are lucky.

Artisan cheese platter