# Saving cheese **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [January 3, 2008, 3:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/saving-cheese/432131 "2008-01-03T15:42:18Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2008, 3:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/saving-cheese/432131/1 "2008-01-03T15:42:18Z")
The holidays are over, and I have too much cheese. There’s gorgonzola, blue cheese, triple-cream brie, romano, parmesan and medium cheddar. I know the romano, parmesan and cheddar will keep for a few months. What about the soft cheeses? I’d hate for them to go to waste. How do I store them so they don’t go bad before I get to eating them? ---
**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2008, 3:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/saving-cheese/432131/2 "2008-01-03T15:45:49Z")
MOved to cafe Society. **samclem** GQ moderator ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2008, 3:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/saving-cheese/432131/3 "2008-01-03T15:51:01Z")
Wrap it tightly in cling film, bag it and freeze it. Works fine for me. Might not work quite so well with the Brie. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2008, 3:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/saving-cheese/432131/4 "2008-01-03T15:59:21Z")
[QUOTE=samclem] MOved to cafe Society. **samclem** GQ moderator [/QUOTE] I thought it was a factual question, as it’s about how to preserve cheese and not about recipes or preferences. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2008, 4:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/saving-cheese/432131/5 "2008-01-03T16:16:22Z")
[QUOTE=Johnny L.A.] What about the soft cheeses? [/QUOTE] Not much call for them. ---
**Author:** ![Slithy\_Tove](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slithy_tove/32/18248_2.png) [@Slithy\_Tove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slithy_Tove)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2008, 4:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/saving-cheese/432131/6 "2008-01-03T16:21:13Z")
Wrap them in paper towel to absorb the moisture that will come off the cheese, then wrap it in Saran. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2008, 4:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/saving-cheese/432131/7 "2008-01-03T16:23:30Z")
[QUOTE=Mangetout] Not much call for them. [/QUOTE] I’m sorry, but I’m going to have to shoot you. ---
**Author:** ![Defensive\_Indifference](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/defensive_indifference/32/6502_2.png) [@Defensive\_Indifference](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Defensive_Indifference)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2008, 5:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/saving-cheese/432131/8 "2008-01-03T17:04:08Z")
Probably not all that helpful, but… I freeze bags of shredded cheese all the time. It works great with mozzarella, cheddar, and parmesan. Never tried it on higher-quality blocks of cheese, though. Cheese usually doesn’t last too long around our place. ---
**Author:** ![Scarlett67](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scarlett67/32/7387_2.png) [@Scarlett67](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scarlett67)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2008, 5:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/saving-cheese/432131/9 "2008-01-03T17:35:59Z")
I was going to suggest making fromage fort, but I see that it keeps for only about a week in the fridge. Oh well. Might at least be something different to try. ---
**Author:** ![ratatoskK](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ratatoskk/32/2987_2.png) [@ratatoskK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ratatoskK)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2008, 6:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/saving-cheese/432131/10 "2008-01-03T18:11:15Z")
Ask **Shagnasty** , he knows all about cheese. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![teela\_brown](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/d9b06d/32.png) [@teela\_brown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/teela_brown)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2008, 6:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/saving-cheese/432131/11 "2008-01-03T18:14:17Z")
I wrap bries and camemberts tightly in plastic wrap, making sure every cut surface is tightly bound by the wrap. Blues are wrapped in foil, and firmer cheeses like cheddar, parmesan and swiss seem to do fine in a ziploc bag. The foil tip I got from some foodie show or other, I can’t remember which, and it seems to eliminate the “sweating” that the blues can sometimes do if you wrap them in plastic. ---
**Author:** ![Unauthorized\_Cinnamon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/bc8723/32.png) [@Unauthorized\_Cinnamon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Unauthorized_Cinnamon)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2008, 7:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/saving-cheese/432131/12 "2008-01-03T19:02:41Z")
[QUOTE=Slithy Tove] Wrap them in paper towel to absorb the moisture that will come off the cheese, then wrap it in Saran. [/QUOTE] I think absorbing excess moisture is key. We wrap in parchment, held with a rubber band, then put in a baggie. It extends the storage time by weeks. ---
**Author:** ![ivylass](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/9de053/32.png) [@ivylass](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ivylass)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2008, 1:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/saving-cheese/432131/13 "2008-01-04T01:30:04Z")
Have a cheese-tasting party. Blindfold your guests, make them guess the cheese. Serve wine, and put on a cheesy movie. Mmmmmm…cheese. ---
**Author:** ![blondebear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blondebear/32/1022_2.png) [@blondebear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blondebear)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2008, 5:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/saving-cheese/432131/14 "2008-01-04T05:35:06Z")
Saving cheese, Saving cheese, Save every day and you’ll always be… …wait a minute, that’s not right. Sorry. ---
**Author:** ![Quint](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/76d3ee/32.png) [@Quint](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quint)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2008, 6:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/saving-cheese/432131/15 "2008-01-04T06:48:06Z")
[QUOTE=ivylass] Have a cheese-tasting party. Blindfold your guests, make them guess the cheese. Serve wine, and put on a cheesy movie. Mmmmmm…cheese. [/QUOTE] This is the correct answer. ---
**Author:** ![StGermain](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stgermain/32/2868_2.png) [@StGermain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/StGermain)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2008, 2:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/saving-cheese/432131/16 "2008-01-04T14:15:41Z")
You have to get Cheese to accept Jesus as it’s personal Saviour. StG ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2008, 4:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/saving-cheese/432131/17 "2008-01-04T16:34:49Z")
Well, the parm and the romano have sell-by dates of May and June so I’m just going to leave them in the fridge. (They haven’t been opened.) The gorgonzola, blue, and brie? They’re still sealed too. I went ahead and put them in the freezer. If they keep, then good. If not, then at least I tried something. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2008, 4:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/saving-cheese/432131/18 "2008-01-04T16:42:55Z")
I fear the brie might not freeze well, or at least the rind might not be very nice afterwards. I bought far too much cheese from the reduced cabinet at the local supermarket, about a month before Christmas and I froze nearly all of it - it all worked pretty well - I had mature Cheddar, Jarlsberg, Stilton, Cantal jeune and Manchego - the cheddar was a bit more crumbly than I would normally have expected, but there was no deterioration in flavour, as far as I could tell. None of my guests noticed (or complained if they did notice). ---
**Author:** ![Ponder\_Stibbons](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ponder_stibbons/32/343_2.png) [@Ponder\_Stibbons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ponder_Stibbons)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2008, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/saving-cheese/432131/19 "2008-01-04T16:49:57Z")
[QUOTE=StGermain] You have to get Cheese to accept Jesus as it’s personal Saviour. [/QUOTE] I like the way you think. Tell me more about Cheese’s Christ. Sorry. ---
**Author:** ![StGermain](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stgermain/32/2868_2.png) [@StGermain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/StGermain)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2008, 5:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/saving-cheese/432131/20 "2008-01-04T17:54:42Z")
_Alright, I’m so going to hell_ There is no _Joy_ without Cheeses! The highs are not as high and the lows are lower, when you don’t have Cheeses in your life. Gouda _loves_ you! StG [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/saving-cheese/432131.md?page=2)