About Baileys Cheese & Charcuterie
What exactly is fine cheese?
It is a short way of saying Farmhouse and Artisan cheese, but also including the following ideas:
- Comes from great milk; animal welfare and feed are paramount
- Made in a traditional way by masters of the cheesemaking craft
- A properly matured cheese
- Full of health benefits, when consumed in moderation
- Has seasonality
- Has terroir (taste of place)
Fine cheeses are made with great care, precision and love. To get the most out of your fine cheeses at home it is important to know how to correctly store, cut and serve your fine cheeses.
How to store fine cheese
Farmhouse and artisan cheeses are living products, evolving over time. This process, known as affinage in French, requires the expertise of a specialist cheesemaker. Under optimal conditions—high humidity (85-90%) and relatively high temperatures (8-12°C)—cheeses mature, developing unique textures and flavours.
Once cut, cheeses cease to mature and must be refrigerated to preserve their freshness. Avoid plastic wrap, as it can dry out or suffocate the cheese. Cheese paper or foil are better options, allowing the cheese to breathe while protecting it.
Store cheeses in a dedicated fridge drawer to maintain a consistent environment. Soft and blue cheeses typically last up to two weeks, while firm and hard cheeses can remain fresh for up to a month.
Moulds that may appear on open surfaces are normal and can be easily removed before enjoying the cheese.
How to eat fine cheese
Fine Cheeses taste best at room temperature when their flavours are "open". Therefore, we recommend that you take your cheeses out of the fridge at least 30 minutes or even an hour before they will be served. Cut as much as you will need off the bigger piece and put the rest back in the fridge. Lay the cut pieces out on your chosen board, slate or plate, and cover with a cloche so that the cheese comes to room temperature but does not dry out and/or lose its aroma. In the absence of a cloche, cover cheese loosely with cling film or foil.
For a cheese board, arrange 250-400g wedges of cheese on a board and cut at least one slice off each cheese to show how they should be cut. Place a knife next to every cheese - this will help to avoid cross-contamination of flavours. A nice versatile cheese board would include 3 to 5 different cheeses varying in texture, flavour, milk, and aroma.
If you intend to serve individual cheese plates with 3-5 cheeses allow 30g (1oz) of each cheese per person. Again, remember to aim for variety to give your guests a fuller and more exciting dining experience.
If you'd like to compose a well-balanced and versatile cheese board or plate, make sure to include a variety of textures, milks, styles, flavours and aromas. We recommend 4-5 cheeses for a well-balanced selection: a soft, a semi-firm, a firm and/or hard and a blue.