Author Topic: Wrapping cut cheeses- Foil, plastic, butcher, wax?  (Read 3214 times)

Milk Maid

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Wrapping cut cheeses- Foil, plastic, butcher, wax?
« on: February 12, 2013, 11:52:45 PM »
Hi all:

I usually wrap my cut cheeses in plastic wrap because it's what's right there and what stops soft cheese guts from coming out. But know plastic wrap is wrong (for the cheese and the world, too, I guess). I was asked a monger at a local cheese counter and she swears by butcher paper. But then asked another monger at another counter and she swears by cheese paper. I've also been told wax paper is best-- even wax paper with a few hole punched added for more air.

Any thoughts to share?

Thanks,

Milk Maid

Offline Tiarella

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Re: Wrapping cut cheeses- Foil, plastic, butcher, wax?
« Reply #1 on: February 13, 2013, 12:42:05 AM »
My only thoughts are that if you get it figured out please share with me!  I like the wrap I get from Yoav (iratherfly) for my bloomies but have not settled upon one I like for wedges of hard cheese.  I'm using the same stuff mostly but nothing keeps the hard cheese wedges safe from the dreaded wild blues at my place!    ::)

WovenMeadows

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Re: Wrapping cut cheeses- Foil, plastic, butcher, wax?
« Reply #2 on: February 13, 2013, 01:30:52 AM »
I go with wax paper or freezer paper (same as butcher paper?), and then place the wrapped cheese in a plastic container. I believe I had seen Alton Brown recommend this for storage on an episode of "Good Eats," and seems to work pretty good for short term storage. Longer (e.g. resealing half of a large wheel) and you may want to vacuum seal if available.

Offline Boofer

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Re: Wrapping cut cheeses- Foil, plastic, butcher, wax?
« Reply #3 on: February 13, 2013, 03:30:32 PM »
My only thoughts are that if you get it figured out please share with me!  I like the wrap I get from Yoav (iratherfly) for my bloomies but have not settled upon one I like for wedges of hard cheese.  I'm using the same stuff mostly but nothing keeps the hard cheese wedges safe from the dreaded wild blues at my place!    ::)
I believe I have mentioned more than once (Please, somebody stop him! ::)) that I have had good success for long-term storage of my wedged cheese under vacuum seal. Nice.

For my bloomies and some washed rinds, I too use either the cheese wraps from iratherfly or from The Cheesemaker. It allows them a little breathing room.

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Offline Tiarella

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Re: Wrapping cut cheeses- Foil, plastic, butcher, wax?
« Reply #4 on: February 13, 2013, 08:01:35 PM »
Hey, it's the Boofster!  It's okay to repeat the vac seal suggestion but I think what I'm looking for is how to wrap cheese I'll eat in a week or two.  With quite a bit of cheese around and only me eating dairy at the moment it can be hard for me to keep up.  I hate to open a package and find it all moldy but I don't want to vac seal every little piece including after each time I snack on it. ;). I just don't like to use plastic all that much and feel care about how much non-biodegradable trash I'm responsible for creating.  That's one of the reasons I loved those little cheeses that I wrapped in brandy-soaked leaves.  No manufactured packaging!!  How cool is that!   :D. (okay, here out in never never land we get our excitement anyway we can)

Milk Maid

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Re: Wrapping cut cheeses- Foil, plastic, butcher, wax?
« Reply #5 on: February 14, 2013, 04:07:00 AM »
Hi Tiarella:

Just read what you wrote. Wanted to let you know that I realized I could reuse my vacuum seal bags (esp. cool because they are do dang expensive). As long as I wash them really well and dry them well and don't puncture them, they seal right back up.

But the question, as you correctly said, is how do we best wrap cheeses for the shorter term.

Warmly,

Milk Maid

Offline Al Lewis

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Re: Wrapping cut cheeses- Foil, plastic, butcher, wax?
« Reply #6 on: February 14, 2013, 04:30:22 AM »
Hey, it's the Boofster!  It's okay to repeat the vac seal suggestion but I think what I'm looking for is how to wrap cheese I'll eat in a week or two.  With quite a bit of cheese around and only me eating dairy at the moment it can be hard for me to keep up.  I hate to open a package and find it all moldy but I don't want to vac seal every little piece including after each time I snack on it. ;). I just don't like to use plastic all that much and feel care about how much non-biodegradable trash I'm responsible for creating.  That's one of the reasons I loved those little cheeses that I wrapped in brandy-soaked leaves.  No manufactured packaging!!  How cool is that!   :D. (okay, here out in never never land we get our excitement anyway we can)

Tiarella, I've been using baking parchment and it seems to work just fine and is biodegradable.
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Golani51

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Re: Wrapping cut cheeses- Foil, plastic, butcher, wax?
« Reply #7 on: February 14, 2013, 11:48:59 AM »
What I learned at a great cheesery down my way (Red Hill Cheese) is to wrap it with wax paper (baking paper) and foil. To do this, cut out a circle of wax paper and a slightly smaller piece of aluminium foil. Wrap one side over to the centre of the cheese and work your way around, making sure not to allow the foil to touch the cheese. By doing so, you allow the cheese to breathe slightly without it drying out. I use it for my mould- rind cheeses and it has worked a treat.