Tips from the Big Cheese
How to store LEFTOVERS
The 3 C's of Storing Cheese :
Clean - Avoid handling the surface if possible
Cold - Keep it in the refrigerator
Covered - Wrap unused portions in plastic wrap, parchment paper, waxed paper or foil. You may wish to use a second layer like a Ziploc bag or an airtight container.
To Freeze or not to Freeze?
Cheese can be frozen. The nutritional value stays the same, however the texture will change. Frozen cheese is an ideal ingredient for baked dishes.
The How 2's of pairing
Dynamic Duo... Wine & Cheese
As a rule of thumb, match intensities...
big cheeses = big wines, lighter cheeses = lighter wines
Aged Cheddars - Cabernet Sauvignon blends, Merlot
Milder Cheddars - Chardonnay , Riesling Reserve
Monterey Jack - Oak-aged Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc
Mozzarella - Chianti, Beaujolais
Smoked - Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc
Canadian wine critic Natalie Maclean has a great tool for connecting each type of cheese to a specific selection of wines available in our Ontario LCBO stores...
Also check out Tony Aspler's wine and cheese recommendations at www.tonyaspler.com
Longstanding Companions = Cheese + Beer
Try these pairs as recommended by Ian Coutts at the Great Canadian Cheese Festival:
Maple Dale's Smoked Cheddar + Church Key Loyalist Lager
Maple Dale's 2 Year Old Cheddar + Barley Days Brewery's Harvest Pale Ale
Weblinks
www.cheeselover.ca (Canadian Cheese Society)
www.cheesesociety.org (American Cheese Society)
www.dairygoodness.ca (Dairy Farmers of Canada)
www.cheese.com (all about cheese)
www.thenibble.com (great for recipes)
tourism.bayofquinte.ca/food-and-drink/tastings-highlight-some-of-the-regions-best/ (tap in to the cheddar and ale trail)
www.dcicheeseco.com/about_cheese/cheeseopedia (become a cheese whiz with this extensive resource of cheese related terms)
www.tonyaspler.com (expert on pairing cheese with wine and beer)