All cheeses follow the same storage method for refrigeration.
To preserve the freshness of any purchased cheese, store it in the refrigerator. This slows the growth of mold and the degrading of the cheese. Fresh cheeses, such as cottage cheese, only last one to two weeks compared to the two months of storage for very hard cheeses like parmesan, according to North Dakota State University Agriculture Extension.
Instructions
1. Tightly wrap cheese in parchment paper or wax paper. Press the paper firmly against any cut edges of the cheese to prevent air contact, which dries out the cheese.
2. Cover the paper wrapped cheese with a loose covering of . The must be loose to allow the cheese to breathe and avoid becoming soggy.
3. Place the plastic wrapped cheese into an air-tight container to keep it from picking up refrigerator odors.
4. Store the cheese in the warmest part of your refrigerator, such as on the door. Keep cheese for up to two months in the refrigerator for hard cheeses and up to two weeks for soft cheeses.
5. Discard the entire block or container of soft cheese if you notice any mold. Soft cheeses include cottage, cream or ricotta. Cut off the moldy area and a 1-inch radius around it from hard blocks of cheese such as cheddar or Swiss, and retain the remaining cheese for use.
Tags: hard cheeses, plastic wrap, wrapped cheese