Cheese - one of the few products that are, perhaps, in every refrigerator. Cheese can be stored for a long time, but its quality is unchanged only if the storage conditions are chosen correctly. How to store cheese is correct - a science because there are many types of cheese, all of which require special treatment.

Types of cheese

Despite the fact that there are more than one hundred and fifty varieties of cheese, still there is no uniform classification. In most cases, depending on the technology of preparation are divided into cheese rennet (they are soft and solid), dairy (non ripening and ripening) and processed. Another classification implies the division for processed cheese, soft, semisolid, solid and brine (maturing in brine).

These categories are further divided into types, each of which has its own characteristics storage. Therefore, representing what species is the cheese, it is easy to imagine how it should be stored to the cheese lost its properties.

Rennet hard cheese

For the production of this type of cheese used bacterial ferment. This group includes "Dutch", "Swiss", "Latvian" cheeses "Cheddar" and others. Hard cheeses can be kept longer than other species in a dry place at a temperature of between 0 and 4 degrees. Cheese piece preserved better than sliced ​​cheese. It is advisable to wrap the cheese tightly in plastic wrap or put in a tightly closing enamel, porcelain, glassware. Cheese wrapped in paper is not recommended.

Ideal for storage of cheese will approach the bottom shelf of the refrigerator and vegetable compartment. A little secret: the cheese is stored better if next to him put a piece of sugar, which will absorb excess moisture. Before serving, hard cheese is recommended to hold for a while at room temperature so that they properly disclosed their flavor.

Rennet hard cheese, if necessary, can be stored without a refrigerator. To do this, a piece of cheese wrapped in a clean towel from cotton cloth that has been soaked in a solution of salt and pressed and then removed in a dark place. But sub-zero temperatures can not tolerate hard cheese: if you put a cheese in the freezer, after thawing, instead of the elastic piece of cheese there is a risk tasteless crumbs. This cheese has only suitable for the preparation of pastries.

Rennet soft cheeses

Due to the special technology of production soft cheese rennet rich in vitamins Vitamins for everyone . This group of cheeses can be divided into five subgroups:

• Cheese, which are necessary for the maturation of lactic acid bacteria and microflora cheese mucus. Taste and smell of cheese sharp, spicy, with a hint of ammonia;
• Cheese microflora of cheese and slime on the surface of white mold cheese. Have a sharp taste with a hint of mushroom;
• Cheese with a bluish-green mold inside the cheese. For this group are characterized by a spicy aroma and taste of hot pepper;
• Brine cheeses that mature in a brine solution.

Varieties of rennet soft cheese are significantly different from each other not only in taste, aroma and texture, but also the conditions of storage. On average, they can be stored for ten days to a month at a temperature of from 0 to 4 degrees. They must be stored wrapped in plastic wrap, tight-fitting suit and glassware. Cheese with a strong odor, such as "Roquefort", should be stored separately from other products, including other types of cheese. All cheeses should be stored separately: molds easily contaminate other foods. For the same reason it is necessary to thoroughly wash the dishes, which were stored cheeses with noble mold.

Brine cheeses should be stored in the serum, brine or sealed original packaging in a dark place at a temperature of not more than 4 degrees. Cheese serum usually have the shortest shelf life of cheeses in brine stored for much longer - up to several months. Generally, brine cheese was invented in southern countries with hot climates. And now this kind of cheese for some time can be stored at room temperature, although such experiments with cheese and undesirable.

If such cheese is stored in brine, it may become too salty. This problem is easily solved: to use brine cheese often soaked in milk or water for several hours.

Fermented cheeses

Sour milk cheeses are maturing and non ripening. Non ripening cheese dairy in appearance and taste reminiscent of the usual cheese, they have a soft, spreadable and salty flavor. Ripened cheeses made from fermented milk curd with salt and soda. They are kept for two weeks in a dry place, in this time on the surface of the crust is formed.

Sour milk cheeses are stored in the refrigerator for up to a month. Some varieties may be two or three days and stored at room temperature.

Cream cheese

Processed cheeses are produced by melting mixtures of cheeses, cheese, butter and other dairy products with the addition of salt and spice-melters. The processed cheese of low quality sometimes added as vegetable fats. Cream cheese is further smoked smoke in smoking chambers at low temperatures. As a result of this kind of cheese is a delicious brown crust and kept better than other cheeses.

This view is also divided into subspecies: there Lomteva, smoked, spreadable, with spicy additives, sweet. Unopened packaging can be a short time to keep at room temperature. For long-term storage is optimally suited refrigerator door.

Maria Bykov

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