# Cheese Flavor: More Intense When Room Temperature? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [August 8, 2017, 3:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cheese-flavor-more-intense-when-room-temperature/793098 "2017-08-08T15:59:38Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2017, 7:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cheese-flavor-more-intense-when-room-temperature/793098/21 "2017-08-09T19:16:46Z")
This is why “Wedding Reception” cheese tastes the best. Been sitting there on the tray for a while. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2017, 8:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cheese-flavor-more-intense-when-room-temperature/793098/22 "2017-08-09T20:15:08Z")
> [@Gatopescado](#): > > This is why “Wedding Reception” cheese tastes the best. Been sitting there on the tray for a while. Speaking of leaving cheese out, is it a Greek or French cheese that has a particular type of maggot growing in it? ---
**Author:** ![jerez](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c68b51/32.png) [@jerez](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jerez)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2017, 8:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cheese-flavor-more-intense-when-room-temperature/793098/23 "2017-08-09T20:18:14Z")
> [@](#): > > Speaking of leaving cheese out, is it a Greek or French cheese that has a particular type of maggot growing in it? Italian: > **[Casu martzu](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Casu_marzu)** > > Casu martzu (.mw-parser-output .IPA-label-small{font-size:85%}.mw-parser-output .references .IPA-label-small,.mw-parser-output .infobox .IPA-label-small,.mw-parser-output .navbox .IPA-label-small{font-size:100%}Sardinian: \[ˈkazu ˈmaɾtsu\]; lit. 'rotten/putrid cheese'), sometimes spelled casu marzu, and also called casu modde, casu cundídu and casu fràzigu in Sardinian, is a traditional Sardinian sheep milk cheese that contains live insect larvae (maggots). > Derived from pecorino, casu martzu goes ... ETA: Wiki says a variety is in Corsica (France). ---
**Author:** ![HMS\_Irruncible](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hms_irruncible/32/7394_2.png) [@HMS\_Irruncible](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HMS_Irruncible)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2017, 8:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cheese-flavor-more-intense-when-room-temperature/793098/24 "2017-08-09T20:47:39Z")
> [@ASGuy](#): > > I recently bought a round of bleu cheese, mostly for snacking with crackers. When I know I’m going to have some I chop off a piece and let it warm up to room temperature. I’m convinced the warmer temp brings out more flavor. It’s a physical fact that aromas and flavors diffuse more when they are warmed. So room temperature is best if you want to experience every single flavor of a food or beverage. To me, that’s a no-brainer. A harder question is why certain foods or beverages need to be cold. Cold suppresses the flavor. Why would you consume something that needs its flavor suppressed? (NB: I drink cold lager all the time. I don’t have an explanation, I’m just observing that I can’t explain why I prefer it that way.). ---
**Author:** ![HMS\_Irruncible](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hms_irruncible/32/7394_2.png) [@HMS\_Irruncible](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HMS_Irruncible)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2017, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cheese-flavor-more-intense-when-room-temperature/793098/25 "2017-08-09T20:54:23Z")
> [@Ukulele\_Ike](#): > > Great God, what sort of monster would put a ripe August tomato into the refrigerator in the first place? Well, in fairness, maybe they’re saving it for Thursday. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2017, 8:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cheese-flavor-more-intense-when-room-temperature/793098/26 "2017-08-09T20:59:39Z")
> [@Ukulele\_Ike](#): > > Great God, what sort of monster would put a ripe August tomato into the refrigerator in the first place? Apparently, the good folks at [Serious Eats](http://www.seriouseats.com/2016/10/why-you-can-and-sometimes-should-refrigerate-tomatoes.html) sometimes do. > [@](#): > > So the next time you hear someone tell you that science says you should never refrigerate your tomatoes, turn up your nose and say, “Well, correctly applied science says that I should.” If you’re not going to eat it right away, and it’s a freshly picked ripe tomato, storing it in the fridge actually does work well, so long as you let it warm up before serving. ---
**Author:** ![HMS\_Irruncible](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hms_irruncible/32/7394_2.png) [@HMS\_Irruncible](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HMS_Irruncible)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2017, 9:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cheese-flavor-more-intense-when-room-temperature/793098/27 "2017-08-09T21:59:39Z")
> [@Gatopescado](#): > > This is why “Wedding Reception” cheese tastes the best. Been sitting there on the tray for a while. Nicely done. ---
**Author:** ![wolfpup](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolfpup/32/10618_2.png) [@wolfpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfpup)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2017, 10:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cheese-flavor-more-intense-when-room-temperature/793098/28 "2017-08-09T22:16:12Z")
Yes. Also true for white wines that are often served too cold if right out of the fridge. Also true for sushi. In addition to enhancing flavor, warming to the right temperature changes the texture of many soft cheeses in a positive way. ---
**Author:** ![HMS\_Irruncible](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hms_irruncible/32/7394_2.png) [@HMS\_Irruncible](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HMS_Irruncible)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2017, 11:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cheese-flavor-more-intense-when-room-temperature/793098/29 "2017-08-09T23:19:38Z")
> [@wolfpup](#): > > Also true for sushi. Oh yeah. Another fine example. Also real hand-grated wasabi to go with. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2017, 11:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cheese-flavor-more-intense-when-room-temperature/793098/30 "2017-08-10T11:04:05Z")
I recently had blue cheese ice cream. It was, by necessity, cold, but boy was it delicious. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cheese-flavor-more-intense-when-room-temperature/793098.md?page=1)