Frequently Asked Questions
Can you eat cheese rind?
It depends on the cheese. Bloomy white rinds (Brie, Camembert-styles like Tunworth) — yes, they're delicious and part of the cheese. Washed rinds (Stinking Bishop) — yes, though they're pungent. Natural hard rinds (Cheddar, Stilton) — technically edible but often tough and unpleasant. Best used for flavouring soups. Wax coatings (Babybel, some Gouda) — no, wax is not food. Cloth bindings — no.
How long does cheese last?
Hard cheese (Cheddar, Red Leicester) lasts 3-4 weeks properly wrapped in wax paper in the fridge. Semi-hard (Caerphilly) 2-3 weeks. Soft cheese (Brie-styles) should be eaten within a week of cutting. Blue cheese 2-3 weeks. If mould appears on hard cheese that isn't meant to be mouldy, cut away 2.5cm around and below the mould — the rest is safe. Discard soft cheese with unexpected mould.
Is cheese vegetarian?
Not necessarily. Traditional cheese uses rennet from calf stomachs. Many supermarket cheeses use vegetarian (microbial) rennet and are labelled as vegetarian. Many artisan cheeses use traditional animal rennet. Always check the label or ask the cheesemaker.
What's the best way to store cheese?
Wrap in wax paper or specialist cheese paper — never cling film. Store in the warmest part of the fridge (usually the vegetable drawer). Keep strong cheeses separate. Remove from the fridge 45-60 minutes before serving.
Can you freeze cheese?
You can, but it changes the texture. Hard cheese becomes more crumbly after freezing (fine for cooking, less ideal for eating). Soft cheese doesn't freeze well. If you must freeze, grate hard cheese first and freeze in portions for cooking use.
What does "PDO" mean on cheese?
Protected Designation of Origin — it means the cheese is made in a specific geographic area using defined traditional methods. It's the highest level of food protection in UK and EU law. Stilton, West Country Farmhouse Cheddar, and Yorkshire Wensleydale all carry PDO protection.
Is raw milk cheese safe?
Hard and semi-hard raw milk cheese aged for 60+ days has an excellent safety record. The acidification, salting, and long aging create conditions hostile to harmful bacteria. The NHS advises vulnerable groups (young children, pregnant women, elderly, immunocompromised) to avoid raw milk soft cheese, but notes that hard raw milk cheese is generally safe for most people.
Why is artisan cheese so expensive?
Artisan cheese uses more milk per kilo of cheese (lower-yield production methods), requires more hand labour, ages for months or years (tying up capital and storage space), comes from smaller herds with higher welfare standards, and is made by skilled craftspeople. A 500g piece of artisan Cheddar represents months of work from grass to plate. The price reflects genuine quality, not marketing.
What's the difference between blue cheese and cheese that's gone off?
Blue cheese contains Penicillium roqueforti — a specific mould deliberately introduced during production that creates the characteristic blue veining. Cheese gone off develops random moulds (often green, black, or pink) on the surface, along with off-smells (ammonia, sour, rancid) and slimy texture. If your blue cheese smells of ammonia rather than its normal earthy character, it's past its best.
Can I eat cheese if I'm lactose intolerant?
Very likely yes — aged hard cheese contains minimal lactose. The fermentation and aging process consumes most of the lactose (milk sugar). Aged Cheddar, Stilton, and other hard cheeses typically contain less than 0.5g of lactose per serving, well below the tolerance threshold for most lactose-intolerant individuals.
What cheese melts best?
High-moisture, medium-fat cheeses melt best. Young Cheddar, Lancashire, Gruyère-styles, and mozzarella-styles are excellent melters. Very aged hard cheeses don't melt smoothly (they can go grainy). Blue cheese melts well but should be added at the end of cooking. Very low-fat cheeses don't melt properly.
How can I support British cheesemakers?
Buy from specialist cheesemongers who source directly from makers. Visit farmers' markets. Choose named farmhouse cheeses over anonymous blocks. Tell your local supermarket you want more artisan options. Visit cheese trails when travelling in the UK. Gift cheese — cheese subscriptions from specialist shops make excellent presents.
What's that crunchy stuff in aged cheese?
Those satisfying crystals are tyrosine — an amino acid that forms as proteins break down during long aging. They're a sign of quality and maturation, found in well-aged Cheddar, Parmesan, aged Gouda, and other hard cheeses. Completely natural and delicious.
Is British cheese better than French cheese?
That's like asking whether Yorkshire is better than Provence — both produce magnificent cheeses shaped by their landscape and traditions. Britain excels at hard territorial cheeses (Cheddar, Stilton, regional varieties) and has made remarkable progress in soft cheese styles. France has extraordinary depth across all categories. Rather than comparing, celebrate both traditions. But yes — for a Cheddar, nobody comes close to the British.
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