Blue cheese is undoubtedly one of the most polarizing cheeses on the counter - while some customers can't get enough Stichelton, other customers can't stand the scent of Roquefort. Blue cheese can also be more difficult to care for than some other cheeses in your case. But because all cheeses deserve the same level of care to keep them looking and tasting as fresh as possible, we've put together some tips for cutting and caring for these "parsleyed" wheels, as the French say (just in case you wanted to know the translation of "persillé"!)
- Most blue cheese is unpressed - because the blue mold is oxygen-activated, pressing the cheese would prevent the mold from growing in between the curds. If you open a wheel and it isn't full of that beautiful blue veining, don't worry! Give it a few minutes to breathe and you should start to see them appear.
- Do not remove the foil from a wheel of blue cheese when you put it in the cheese case. The foil is important because it protects the rind against drying out and from unwanted molds and bacteria.
- When opening and cutting wheels of blue cheese, score the foil/leaves/etc. before cutting or putting it on the wire to avoid dragging it through the paste. This will keep the the pieces looking clean and aesthetically pleasing. We recommend using our Professional Blue Cheese Knife or Wire Cutter for the cleanest cuts!
- Blue cheeses should be displayed in their own area of the cheese case to avoid cross-contaminating other cheeses with blue mold.
- Using our sturdier wrapping materials like Reusable Sheets or Brown Alios will prevent the cheese from leaking through the paper in transit or in your customer’s fridge.
Interested in testing out a new wrapping material for your blue cheeses? Reach out to wholesale@formaticum.com to request samples!