The Importance of ‘Relaxing’ Your Cheese Before Serving
As with wines, it is important for cheeses to be brought to room temperature for at least one hour before serving.
Doing so will awaken all the aromas that lie dormant within the cheeses when chilled.
If you serve cheese straight out of the fridge, it will have a hard waxy texture and muted flavors.
The Importance of ‘Relaxing’
Just as you might stop prepping and tidying to collect yourself, get dressed, and have a pre-party drink before guest arrive, cheese needs a little time to relax so it can warm up, breathe, and feel like its best self by the time you are ready to dig in.
The 3 Crucial Steps
These steps are crucial as it will help soften the texture and let the flavors and aromas come alive quicker
- First, remove the cheese from the package
- Keep the cheese paper/wrapper in case you have leftovers
- Place it on a quality tray, board, and/or platter in room temperature for at least an hour
The Type of Display Trays You Should Use When Serving Cheese
Although this seems trivial overall, the tray, board, or platter on which cheeses are served plays an important role in the overall experience.
It is important that you select ones whose designs highlight your cheeses.
Raw and natural materials, such as wood, slate, or ceramic, are excellent choices.
Absolutely avoid plastic or metal to prevent transferring their ‘flavors’ to the cheeses.
Cheese Platter We Are Currently Using
We highly recommend the 2 cheese platters below because they are made of organic bamboo, large enough to put variety of cheeses, and is of ideal thickness so that the flavors do not escape.
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Excellent Choice for Beginners (GOOD PRICE):
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Worried About Leaving Your Cheeses Open in the Air?
You can put a clean lint-free cloth (like a flour sack towel or linen napkin) on top, invert a bowl over it or invest in a cheese dome.
Cheese Dome
A cheese dome protects your cheese while it relaxes on your counter. Place your cheese in the dome for at least an hour in room temperature before serving it on a platter.
An example of a good cheese dome can be seen below:
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Conclusion
It takes effort and time to relax your cheese but at the end of the day, the payout is well worth your investment.
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