Cornish Yarg: urgent advice!

[silverspring]

Dear all,

We have just won 2kg of Cornish yarg in competition and have brought it back home. What is the best way to store this cheese, and how long will it keep for? Any way to prolong its life (eg freezing)?

Can't find very much at all online, hope someone here can help!

[Duntov]

Congratulations on your win!  I do not recommend freezing.  Keep the cheese wrapped tightly in cling wrap or foil, air tight in the coldest part of the fridge.  The cheese will last a very long time this way.

[awakephd]

If you have access to a vacuum-sealer (i.e., this sort of thing: https://www.amazon.com/FoodSaver-Vacuum-Sealing-System-Starter/dp/B0044XDA3S/ref=sr_1_1?s=kitchen&ie=UTF8&qid=1471195945&sr=1-1&keywords=foodsaver), you can cut a hard or semi-hard cheese (I think yarg is considered semi-hard) into quarters or eighths (or whatever size wedges you feel like you would use in a reasonable amount of time), and vac-seal each wedge. Store in your refrigerator. Done this way, it can last for years - literally - perhaps developing a bit more depth of flavor along the way.

[silverspring]

Many thanks for your kind replies! Unfortunately we don't have access to such vacuum sealer, so will opt for the first option. If tightly bound with the cling film, what do you think shelf time will be - a week or so?

[Kern]

More like several months.  It might pick up some blue mold, which can be scraped off.