Cheese is a natural product subject to certain fluctuations. For example, cheese changes over time – this is called ripening. This short film explores how it changes and which cheeses are good to ripen and which should not.
Have fun!
And here are the facts at a glance:
- In general, the less water a cheese contains and the more compact it is, the more intense its flavor. Therefore, cheeses that lose water during ripening have a more intense flavor than young cheeses.
- Unashed goat cheeses mature well. They will then become drier and more compact, and a harmless blue mold may have formed on the rind. If you don't like this, you can carefully brush off the mold with a brush.
- Ashed goat cheeses don't age as well. They tend to become somewhat bitter with age.
- Cheese always ripens from the outside in. This can be clearly seen in cheeses like Camembert and Epoisses. When young, both have a firm core – the so-called "coeur" (French for heart). When they're fully ripened, they're creamy right through to the heart. Feel free to experiment and see which you like better!
- With Camembert and other blue cheeses, reddish-brown spots and discoloration may develop on the white mold during ripening. This is completely harmless and not a sign of spoilage.
- When young, Brin d'Amour, coated in herbs, is very soft, moist, curd-like, and creamy. Later, it becomes drier and firmer, and naturally more intense, and a wild, hairy layer of mold develops on the herbs. This particular mold is called "poil de chat" (cat hair) in French. It is also harmless and, together with the herbs, forms the rind. If this bothers you, you can brush off the mold with a vegetable brush. Be very careful when doing this so as not to remove all the delicious herbs at the same time. It's better to stroke the cat or press the fine hairs. Then it doesn't look quite so wild.
- Blue cheeses like Roquefort are not meant to be aged; they are best enjoyed young.
- Hard cheeses like Comté are already well-ripened when they arrive in stores. Our Comté is always aged for at least 15 to 18 months. This cheese shouldn't be allowed to mature any further at home; it should be consumed quickly, as otherwise the cut surfaces will dry out. If it does dry out in the refrigerator, it can be used wonderfully as a grated cheese.
