Tequila Mexican Cheese Dip

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In this cheese dip, better known as queso fundido in Spanish, the tequila not only shines through but gives the melted cheese a luscious texture. Typical salsa ingredients (tomato, onion, chile, cilantro) mingle with the cheese, to make an unforgetable mexican dip. This dip needs to be eaten as soon as it's made or kept warm (for a relatively short time) in a chafing dish.  Don't worry, before you know it, it will be all gone!

I like to accompany with homemade tortilla chips. 

Ingredients

1 Tbs. olive oil

1 large ripe tomato, cored, seeded (if you wish) and cut into 1/4-inch pieces

1 medium white onion, cut into 1/4-inch pieces

Hot green chile(s) to taste, (roughly 1 large jalapeño or 2 large serranos), stemmed, seeded  and finely chopped

3 Tbs. tequila, preferably a silver tequila

8 oz. Mexican melting cheese (such as Chihuahua, quesadilla or asadero) or Monterey Jack, mild cheddar or brick, shredded (you'll have about 2 cups)

1/2 cup (loosely packed) chopped cilantro (thick bottom stems cut off)


Method


Heat the oil in a large (10-inch) skillet over medium-high. Add the tomato, onion and chile(s), and cook, stirring constantly, until the onion begins to soften and brown, about 7 minutes. Add the tequila and cook, stirring, for a minute or so, until reduced to a glaze. (If you tip the pan toward an open gas flame, the tequila will ignite. If you choose this route, simply shake the pan back and forth until the flames subside and the tequila has reduced to a glaze.)

With the skillet of tequila-infused vegetables over medium-low, sprinkle in the cheese. Stir slowly and constantly until just melted-too long over the heat and the cheese will become tough, oily and stringy. Scoop into a warm dish, sprinkle with the cilantro and serve right away with chips to dip.

Check out the Hot Black Bean Dip With Chipotle in the country blog

and Super Bowl Menus And Recipes

Adapted from Rick Bayles

Andre Soltner's Alsatian Pizza

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If I can make pizza, you definitely can make pizza.  Of course, I don't make the dough, I buy it.  Then I simply let it stand for 30 minutes until it rises, pound it as hard as if it were a letter from the IRS and roll it as thin as I can.  That is the hardest part, for pizza dough is a tough cookie to deal with.

I recently bought myself the Emile Henri Pizza Stone which I featured in my Christmas gifts post

and I have been making pizzas left and right.  This, aside from the Margherita, is by far my most favorite pizza. 

If you happen to have a Publix where you live, their pizza dough .which is sold in the bakery, is pretty good.

For those of you not familiar with Andre Soltner, he was the legendary chef/owner of Lutece, once considered the best restaurant in New York and where I was lucky to have many a memorable meal in the 80's.  It is long gone but his recipes and his reputation will live fovever.  Andre Soltner was born in Alsace, need I say more?

 

 Makes 4 Servings


Ingredients

1/2 pound frozen pizza or bread dough, thawed

1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil

1/2 cup fromage blanc or fresh ricotta

1 tablespoon all-purpose flour

1/2 cup crème fraîche or sour cream

Salt and freshly ground pepper

1/4 pound thickly sliced smoky bacon, cut crosswise into 1/4-inch strips

1 medium onion, thinly sliced

Directions

1.Divide the dough into 4 pieces. On a lightly floured work surface, roll out each piece to a 4-inch round; let rest for 10 minutes. Roll each round out to an 8-inch round 1/8 inch thick.

2.Lightly oil 2 large baking sheets with 2 teaspoons of the olive oil. Transfer 2 dough rounds to each baking sheet. Fold each edge over onto itself to form a thin lip. Refrigerate the dough rounds until chilled, about 1/2 hour.

3.In a food processor, pulse the fromage blanc until smooth. Add the flour, crème fraîche and the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Season with salt and pepper and process until smooth.

4.In a medium skillet, cook the bacon over moderate heat until the fat is rendered, about 4 minutes. Add the onion and cook just until softened, about 2 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and let cool.

5.Preheat the oven to 425°. Spread the fromage blanc mixture over the rounds to within 1/4 inch of the edge. Sprinkle with the bacon and onion. Bake on the bottom shelf of the oven for about 12 minutes, or until the crust is golden brown. Cut into wedges and serve.

Notes

Cutting bacon is easiest when the slices are chilled and stacked. Make sure to use a very sharp knife or kitchen shears to keep the slices neat. Note: This recipe yields four servings as main course, but as an appetizer in this menu, it makes plenty for eight.

The stone should be warmed in the oven at 425 for at least 30 minutes.  I sprinkle coarse corn meal on the stone before I lay down the pizza.

Butterscotch Pudding

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Is there any dessert more comforting than pudding? Of the trio of vanilla, chocolate and butterscotch flavors, the last one arguably has the most dedicated fans. But many people have tasted only the boxed kind. Here is the real deal, infused with caramel and the rich flavor of butter. Definitely not for those who are watching their weight!


Serves 4 to 6

Ingredients:


6 large egg yolks

1/3 cup plus 1 Tbs. cornstarch

3 cups milk

6 Tbs. (3/4 stick) unsalted butter

Pinch of fine sea salt

1 1/4 cups sugar

1 tsp. vanilla extract

Whipped cream for serving



Directions:


In a heatproof bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, cornstarch and 1/2 cup of the milk until well blended. Set aside.

In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine the remaining 2 1/2 cups milk, the butter and salt and heat, stirring frequently, until the butter is melted. Set aside and cover to keep warm.

In a large saucepan, combine the sugar and 1/4 cup water and stir to moisten the sugar. Place over high heat and bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Stop stirring and cook, brushing down any crystals that form on the inside of the pan with a pastry brush dipped in cold water and occasionally swirling the saucepan by its handle, until the sugar turns a deep golden brown caramel. The caramel will have a toasty aroma, and you may see some wisps of smoke.

Reduce the heat to low. Gradually and very carefully stir the warm milk mixture into the caramel; the mixture will boil furiously. Cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture is smooth and the caramel is completely dissolved. Gradually whisk the hot caramel mixture into the egg mixture. Return the mixture to the saucepan, set over medium heat and heat, whisking constantly, until the mixture comes to a full boil. Strain through a coarse-mesh sieve placed over a bowl. Stir in the vanilla.

Press a piece of plastic wrap directly onto the surface of the pudding, and pierce the plastic a few times with a knife tip to allow the steam to escape. Let cool to lukewarm, then refrigerate until cold, about 2 hours.

Layer the chilled pudding and whipped cream evenly in 4 to 6 parfait glasses or footed bowls. Serve immediately, or refrigerate for up to 8 hours before serving. 



Adapted from Williams-Sonoma Comfort Food, by Rick Rodgers (Oxmoor House, 2009).

Broiled Flounder With Parmesan Cheese Topping

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Flounder makes for a quick and light dinner for two on any given night of the week.  It takes no time to broil and really requires no marinade if you cook it with a light sauce.  Yellow rice, cream spinach or broiled tomatoes make for delicious side dishes.

For a variation, add a little mustard to the cheese mix.

Serves 4

Ingredients
4 (6-ounce) flounder fillets

2 tablespoons lemon juice

Old Bay Seasoning

1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

1/4 cup butter, softened

3 tablespoons mayonnaise

3 finely chopped green onions

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon hot pepper sauce


Directions

Preheat broiler.

Place fish flat or in rolls in a greased, shallow baking pan . Sprinkle with lemon juice and Old Bay.

In a small bowl combine Parmesan cheese, butter, mayonnaise, green onions, salt and hot pepper sauce; set aside.

Broil flounder for 4 to 6 minutes, or until fish flakes easily with a fork. Remove from oven and spread cheese mixture on top. Broil an additional 30 seconds, or until cheese is lightly browned and bubbly. Serve warm.

Stuffed Quail With Chestnuts In A Red Wine Sauce

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One of the advantages of living in the South is that quail is readily available in most supermarkets and specialty stores.  Unfortunately, quail is something most people don't cook at home and only think of ordering when they see it on the menu at a fancy restaurant.  They are just as easy to cook as chicken and if you look for them or ask your grocer, you will be surprised to find them, usually in boxes, where the frozen turkeys and ducks are kept.  Remember, though, that they are tiny little things, usually smaller than you remember, so you will need at least 2 per person.

I am posting this recipe at this time because you might just be lucky enough to find bottled chestnuts on sale after the holidays.  It really beats having to shell and roast fresh ones.  I understand Trader Joe's carries them so check for them next time you visit the store.

Ingredients

Salt

4 cups roasted, shelled and skinned chestnuts (2 pounds in shell or about 4 (7½- ounce) jars peeled whole)

1 bay leaf

6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

3 large shallots, thinly sliced

6 tablespoons port

5 tablespoons cognac

Freshly ground black pepper

12 semiboneless quail

1 small onion, quartered

1 medium carrot, cut into 4 pieces

1 celery stalk, cut into 4 pieces

5 sprigs fresh thyme

1 garlic clove, peeled

½ cup full-bodied red wine

1 teaspoon cornstarch

2 tablespoons water

kitchen string; wooden picks


Instructions

Bring a large saucepan of salted water to boil; add chestnuts and bay leaf; cook until chestnuts are tender, about 20 minutes. Drain chestnuts; discard bay leaf.

Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large heavy skillet over medium-high heat; add shallots and cook, stirring frequently, until lightly golden, about 3 minutes. Add all but 18 chestnuts (reserve these for later); cook, stirring and mashing chestnuts in pan with a fork for 2 minutes. Stir in 4 tablespoons port and 3 tablespoons cognac. Continue cooking, stirring constantly, until stuffing is fairly dry, about 2 minutes; season to taste with salt and pepper, then spread on a plate to cool.

Discard any disposable metal skewers from cavity of each quail, then rinse quail inside and out and pat dry. Stuff 1 quail with 3 tablespoons stuffing, pressing and shaping it to fill out breast. Tie legs together with string and push legs up against body. Thread cavity closed with a wooden pick. Repeat with remaining quail.

Put oven rack in middle position and heat oven to 350°.

Season quail with salt and pepper. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Brown 6 quail on all sides, about 10 minutes total. Transfer quail, breast side up, to a large shallow baking pan. Wipe skillet clean and brown remaining 6 quail in same manner in remaining tablespoon oil, transferring quail to baking pan once browned.

Add onion, carrot, celery, thyme, garlic and 1 tablespoon cognac to skillet. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring and scraping up any browned bits, for 2 minutes. Scatter reserved chestnuts, onion, carrot, celery, thyme and garlic around pan with quail.

Remove strings and picks from quail, then roast quail until just cooked through (cut into inner thigh; meat will be slightly pink), 6 to 8 minutes.

Transfer quail to a serving dish. In a small saucepan, combine wine, remaining 2 tablespoons port and remaining tablespoon cognac; bring to a boil, then remove from heat. Dissolve cornstarch in water and stir into sauce; bring to a simmer, remove from heat and season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve quail with sauce.

You might also enjoy:

Roast Quail With Fresh Figs And Balsamic


Adapted from La Cucina Italiana

A Cheese Souffle

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Did you know I am a closet cook? Yep, sometimes when I am all by myself I practice stuff that I'm not good at, like souffles.  About a month ago my friend The Corinthian Column, an art collector, put me to shame with a gorgeous blue cheese souffle that he posted on his site.  Well!  Little did he know that souffles have always been my Achilles heel and just the thought of having to make one makes me weak at the knees.

When I was learning to cook, souffles were the domain of the great French chefs.  When my mother came back from her lessons at the Cordon Bleu, she could make two things that I know of...French Onion soup and a cheese souffle.  To watch her set up for tackling a souffle was like watching a general plan strategy for an important battle.  That kind of put a damper for me but I knew that if I ever wanted to be a real cook, sooner or later I would have to make a decent souffle.  Not spectacular...just decent.

Throughtout my cooking career, every time I tackled a new recipe it was never good enough in my eyes.  The more I tried, the more disappointed I became, so I stopped.  That is, until a couple of days ago.  Going through one of the French cookbooks at Barnes & Noble,  this recipe caught my eye mainly beause it was for a small souffle;  secondly, because it was so simple...well, even a caveman could do it; and third because it was by none other than Francoise Bernard the grande dame of French popular cuisine.

I quickly jotted down the ingredients in a piece of paper, together with the oven temperature and the time and off I went to conquer the beast.  The result...well I don't need to tell you, just look for yourself.  As for the taste...as good as any souffle I've had in France or at La Grenouille where they serve it with a cheese sauce on the side (we'll tackle this later).

The recipe is really for two and was made in two 5 inch souffle dishes, buttered and coated with grated Gruyere cheese.

Oven Temperature 350 degrees for 25 minutes

First make a cup of bechamel with 2 TB. butter, 2TB flour and 1 cup of milk.  Melt the butter, add the flour cook for a minute and add 1 cup of hot whole milk.  Cook until it almost comes to a boil.  The sauce will be nice and thick.

Add 3/4 cups grated Gruyere cheese to the sauce, salt and pepper.  I added a little cayenne pepper also.

Separate 3 eggs and add the yolks to the bechamel sauce. Mix well.

With a portable mixer*, beat the egg whites until stiff peaks.  Make sure you beat well or souffle won't rise.  With a wooden spoon take some of the whites and incorporate into the sauce and then fold the rest carefully so as not to deflate.  Don't do this too much, it's okay if you have some patches of white "clouds".  

Fill the two souffle molds leaving about 1/2 inch at the top. I inserted a finger in one and went around the rim.  I didn't do it with the second and it really didn't make a difference.  Place in the preheated oven.

Pour yourself a glass of rose and mix a simple green salad.  By the time you are finished, your souffle will be done.

The moral of the story...When making a souffle, don't over think it!

 Note:  Do not open that door! turn the light on and watch to your heart's content.  When you see that it looks like mine, you have conquered the beast!

*It is better to beat this small quantity of egg whites with a portable mixer, if you have one.

The Cheese Course...A Brief Primer

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Americans, to put it mildly, don't know how to eat cheese.  And why should they? Aside from Wisconsin or Vermont cheddar, cheese is not something Americans have grown up with.  Our idea of cheese is melted over a hamburger, sliced for ham and cheese sandwiches or as part of a tray carelessly put together to keep away the hunger pangs before a meal.  Worse of all, we serve it straight from the refrigerator.

In Europe, particularly in France, cheese is as venerated  and enjoyed almost as much as wine. Wine and cheese have many similarities including the fact that both are fermented, complex and have a rich heritage.  Just as wine can be made from different grapes, cheese can be made from the milk of different animals.  Where the grapes are grown and how they are cultivated will be reflected in the wine, just as where the animals live and what they eat will be reflected in the cheese.    That is why terroir is just as important when pairing cheese with wine as it is when pairing wines with food.  In other words, if it grows together it goes together.  It's as simple as that.

Getting to know the delights of cheese can be an intimidating prospect, if only because of the astounding number of varieties available. Humankind has been engaged in creating different cheeses ever since the process was discovered by accident at least 10,000 years ago. France alone produces over 500 different varieties of cheese and there are at least a thousand individually named varieties worldwide.

Cheese categories And Wine Pairings


 The following are categories of cheese and suggested wine pairings. Most people prefer serving the softer, more delicately flavored cheeses with lighter, fruitier wines. As the cheeses become more flavorful and assertive, you should select from heartier, more intensely-flavored wines. Some cheese experts point out that you can sometimes set up delicious pairings by deliberately contrasting flavors. Some soft creamy cheeses go very well with complex, full-bodied wines.

In general, cheese and wine produced near the same region marry well. For example, serve Sancerre wines with Crottin de Chavignol or a Vin de Jura with Comte. But what’s most important is that neither overwhelms the other. Thus robust blue cheeses should be matched with equally strong red wines*, while more delicate, creamier cheeses need an intense white or fruity red wine. Spanish sherries, both dry and sweet are excellent partners for many cheeses; especially those from Spain. The bottom line here is that your own personal preference should prevail.


I.  Fresh, rindless cheese: unripened, moist and quite soft, with a high water content. Those made from cows milk tend to be mild in flavor; goat and sheep milk have stronger flavors.

Examples: French Chevre  (mild to tangy) and Montrachet (slightly tangy), Greek Feta (salty and milky), Mozzarella (mild), Italian Robiola (mild and creamy) and Ricotta (mild).

Wine Pairing: Brut champagne/ sparkling; Pinot Blanc; Pinot Gris; crisp, high-acid Sauvignon Blanc, such as Pouilly-Fume and Sancerre; Beaujolais; Chenin Blanc; or Vouvray.

II. Soft-ripened :bloomy rind with soft edible skin. When fully ripe and at room temperature, center is runny.

Examples: French Brie (mild and buttery to pungent) and Camembert (slightly acidic and earthy); triple-cremes such as French Gratte-Paille (artisanal cheese), Brillat-Savarin, Explorateur , and Saint-Andre (all rich and buttery).

Wine Pairing: Brut Champagne/sparkling; lighter, dry styles of Riesling and Chenin Blanc; Beaujolias, Cabernet Sauvignon; fruitier styles of Pinot Noir and Merlot.



III. Semi-Soft washed-rind cheeses (the rinds have been rubbed or washed during the ripening process) .

Examples: French Pont-l’ Eveque, Epoisses, and Livarot (very strong artisanal cheese); Munster from Alsace, Italian Taleggio (mild and buttery); and Spanish Mahon.

Wine Pairing: sturdy red wines such as Syrah, Barolo, Barbaresco, weightier Pinot Noir or Burgundy.

IV. Semi-Soft : aged and protected by an inedible wax rind. Can be sliced, but difficult to grate.

Examples: Italian Bel Paese (mild and sweet); Dutch Gouda and Edam (salty and tangy depending on age), American Brick (mild to strong depending on age), Italian Fontina (nutty and smoky) and Bel Paese; French Port-Salut (mellow to sharp) and Reblochon (mild and creamy).

Wine Pairing: Chardonnay and oak-matured Sauvignon Blanc (Fume Blanc); Alsace Riesling,; Gewurztraminer; Viognier; Roussanne and Marsanne; Pinot Noir.

V. Hard: drier and firmer than semi-soft and aged for varying lengths of time. Can be sliced and grated.

Examples: French Cantal (nutty and mild to sharp); English or American Cheddar (mild to sharp depending on age); Swiss or Emmenthaler (sweet and nutty); Spanish Manchego (mellow, but full flavored); American Monterey Jack (mild to mellow) and Italian Provolone (mild to sharp).

Wine Pairing: Fino and Amontillado Sherries, Barbera, Cabernet Sauvignon, Grenache, Merlot, Mourvedre, Nebbiolo, Sangiovese, Syrah, Tempranillo.

VI. Blue-Veined: Injected with a mold to produce veining prior to ripening. Consistencies vary from creamy to dry and crumbly.

Examples: French Bleu du Bresse (piquant, but milder than most blues), and Roquefort (sharp and pungent), Spanish Cabrales, Danish Blue (sharp and salty), Italian Gorgonzola (tangy and piquant), American Maytag Blue (strong and salty), and English Stilton (piquant, but milder than most blues).

Wine Pairing: Extra Dry or Demisec Champagne/sparkling, late-harvest
Chenin Blanc, Riesling, Sauvignon Blanc/Semillon and Tokay, old vines
Grenache and Zinfandel, reserve Cabernet Sauvignon and Shiraz/Syra,

Vintage Port, Sauterne* (the ultimate!!!) or dessert wine.

VII. Grating Cheeses: hard, with crumbly texture and ripened for various lengths of time. Hard to slice; best grated.

Examples: Italian Asiago (usually sharp), Parmigiano-Reggiano (sharp, nutty and often salty) and Pecorino Romano (usually sharp); and Swiss Sapsago (grassy and herbal).

Wine Pairing: Fino Sherry, Nebbiolo, reserve Sangiovese, Syrah, Zinfandel.


Ultimate Pairings:

Goat Cheese with Sancerre
Stilton with Port
Roquefort with Sauternes

Fromagerie Berthelemy

My Favorite Cheese Shop:

Fromagerie Barthélémy,  51 rue de Grenelle,  Paris 75007

Perhaps the most famous in all of Paris, this tiny shop boasts over 200 cheeses. Luckily it is within walking distance of where I usually stay and I never go by without peering in and taking a sniff!

The Cheese Course...Serving Tips:

Don't serve too many cheeses. Even one carefully chosen cheese paired with an excellent wine can constitute a pleasing cheese course. Put three or four cheeses of differing flavors, shapes and textures on a large cheese platter, set out an equal number of knives and let guests slice and savor. I suggest a soft Brie, such as the luxurious Brie de Meaux from France or better still, a Brillat-Savarin; an American Cheddar, preferably an unpasteurized white cheddar from Vermont,  a blue cheese like Blue de Bresse or Roquefort and something just for fun like a spicy, aged Gouda. Or hone in on a particular country like Spain and serve Manchego, Cabrales, La Serena, and Mahon . If you crave blue cheese, go all out with a platter of Maytag, Irish Cashel and Stilton, although this can be a bit overwhelming.  I have often served a platter of different goat cheeses, both domestic and imported after a Provencal menu.  Accompanied with fig jam, honey, pears and a baguette it is mana from heaven!

Always serve cheese at room temperature. Depending on the warmth of the room, it shouldn't take more than an hour. Leave cheese wrapped while its warming up.

Arrange wedges and logs far from one another so flavors remain distinct. Figure on a two-ounce serving portion of each cheese per person if the cheese platter is an appetizer or dessert; double that if cheese is the whole meal.

Tell your guests the name, origin and type of each cheese, and in which order it’s best to sample them. As in wine-tasting, progress from milder cheeses to stronger ones.

Pair foods that won't overshadow the delicious flavor and texture of the cheese. Some possibilities include:

Breads: Baguettes, Brioche, Walnut Bread

Fruits: Fuji or Gala Apples, Anjou or Bosc Pears, Grapes, Melon, Peaches, Strawberries

Dried Fruits: Cherries, Currants, Dates, Figs, Raisins, Apricots, Cranberries

Nuts: Walnuts, Pistachios, Almonds, Hazelnuts

Other: Fruit Chutneys, Olives, Honey, fig jam (particularly good with goat cheese!)

Cheese Etiquette


When serving cheese a la francaise, an individual serving is cut from each cheese being served and place on a diner's plate and eaten with a knife and fork.

The edibility of a cheeses rind is a matter of taste and common sense. The rind of stilton is obviously inedible, while eating the rinds of Reblochon, Brie or Camembert is a matter of personal preference. Its acceptable to trim them away.

It is considered bad manners to cut the "nose" off a wedge of Brie.  Long slices should be taken from alternate sides to maintain its shape.

Truckles such as Stilton need to have a "lid" cut off the top.  You can either use a cheese spoon to serve the cheese from the opening or cut down from the opening to serve small wedges.  Replace lid when storing the cheese.  Same can be done for Gouda or Edam cheese.

When to Eat Cheese

You can either serve cheese as a separate course at the end of the meal, instead of or before dessert, like the French; or as the Italians as a separate course before the meal.  In this case it is served with some form of salumi (cured pok products) and fruits or vegetables, olives, nuts, bread and wine. It is also served as an appetizer before an evening meal.

A wonderful alternative is to serve it as the meal for lunch together with a baguette and perhaps a slice of terrine or jambon de bayonne and a salad.  A glass of wine wouldn't hurt either!  This is by far my favorite way and one which I enjoy often, particularly when I'm by myself.

A blue cheese with ash in the middle

Buying and Storing Tips:


Try to buy from a specialty cheese or gourmet shop if one is available where you live.  The selection will be wider and fresher.  Supermarkets are not the best place to buy cheese. Taste before you buy whenever possible.

Never buy pre-sliced cheese.

Cheese, like wine, is seasonal.  Check with your cheesemonger to buy a particular cheese at its peak.

Buy cheese that has a natural rather than a plastic rind. Fresh-cut cheese will taste better than a plastic-wrapped wedge. Look for a cheese that seems fresh, with no mold or seeping liquid. Don’t buy cheese in a puffed-up package that looks as if its ready to burst. And never buy cheese that smells even slightly of ammonia.

To store cheese, wrap it in wax paper or parchment paper, (tin foil is okay also) then overwrap with plastic wrap. Never wrap cheese in plastic wrap alone, it makes cheese sweat.  Once you have unwrapped the cheese, discard wrapping and put cheese in new wrapping. Store in your refrigerators produce bin which has high humidity.  Cheeses that come in a box, such as Camembert, should be stored in the box.

The softer the cheese, the shorter the shelf life. Very soft cheese such as chevre should be used within a few days. Hard cheeses will keep for up to a month.

No cheese benefits from freezing, so buy cheese in small quantities and use it while its fresh.  I have had good luck freezing Stilton and Gruyere but not for long periods of time.

This is as much as I know about cheese (with a little help from some of my books); but there is tons of information out there in books or on the web.  I have three books which I strongly recommend on the subject and which have served me well. 



All images Getty