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I've been eating more cheese lately. I prefer to eat it at room temperature versus cold right out of the fridge.
When I visited France MANY years ago, I seem to remember that they didn't refrigerate cheese. Just left it on the counter top on a dish with a glass top. That idea appeals to me, but I keep hesitating.
It might be a case like eggs. In England, and maybe other places, they do not refrigerate eggs, but once you refrigerate them, they must stay refrigerated. I keep an unrefrigerated quarter of butter out, and it’s fine. Cheese? Butter? Not much difference, right?
I'm sure it's fine for one or two days, but I would leave out only the amount you can eat during that time, and refrigerate the rest. Softer cheeses in particular will get moldy after a couple of days if they are warm.
Harder cheeses (Parmesan, etc.) can stay out longer. But in general, for longer storage refrigeration is a good idea. You can cut the mold off hard cheeses and eat the rest, but why waste any?
By the way, since butter was mentioned, it will get rancid after a long time if left out, but doesn't grow mold. I leave a stick of butter in a covered dish on the counter at all times, and have never had any problems. Cheese is different; it's not pure fat like butter.
I've been eating more cheese lately. I prefer to eat it at room temperature versus cold right out of the fridge.
When I visited France MANY years ago, I seem to remember that they didn't refrigerate cheese. Just left it on the counter top on a dish with a glass top. That idea appeals to me, but I keep hesitating.
Thoughts?
When I was young back in the 40’s and 50’s, every service station had a big hoop of yellow cheese on the counter and there was no air conditioning. A big slice of hoop cheese, a pack of soda crackers and a coke was a working man’s meal. It never spoiled.
I would graze on it all day. For me it would be best to portion out want I planned on eating that day and put only that on the counter.
Cheese carts in restaurants usually re-wrap the cheese after service and put them in the fridge to be brought out the next day for less spoilage, at home I guess it would depend on how quickly you eat your cheese.
I, too, prefer cheese at room temperature, but in summer, room temperature means you can drink brie with a straw.
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