The Ultimate Cheese Guide
Selection
Quantity
As a guide, Victor recommends 50-100g of cheese per person. When creating a cheeseboard or platter, odd numbers look better. Three or five cheeses are great, though sometimes one larger piece can look better (and more generous) than five small pieces.
Variety
The classic combination of soft, blue and hard cheeses is a safe approach. An alternative option is a trio of the same style. Try serving three soft cheeses - a triple crème, camembert and a washed rind.
Or three goat cheeses - one each of soft, blue & hard styles.
Balance
Compose your cheeseboard with a balance of textures as well as flavours in mind. A soft creamy white mould contrasts well with a firm blue cheese and a crumbly Cheddar to balance texture and mouthfeel.
Storage
Do not wrap your cheese in plastic
K-Sein Fromagerie wraps all of its cheese in specialised cheese paper and recommends you keep the cheese wrapped in this in your fridge. K-Sein also sells Formaticum cheese paper which is specifically designed for extending the life of cut cheese. Alternatively, you can wrap your cheese in waxed paper and then place it in a loose-fitting food bag. Designate a large plastic container for your cheese.
Ideally, you are after a container with an airflow button on top and a plastic grate on the bottom to allow air to circulate around the cheese. Keep a damp, clean dishcloth at the bottom of the box to prevent the cheese from drying out. Find the warmest place in your fridge.
Cheese can easily dry out if it is kept too cold. The vegetable drawer at the bottom of the fridge is usually best.
Don't freeze cheese, Artisan cheese is a thing of beauty, let alone delicious and won't recover from being frozen. The only exception is Parmigiano Reggiano rind which can be kept in your freezer to use in stocks and the odd end of cheese to grate into sauces.
Serving
Serve cheese at room temperature
Taking the cheese out of the fridge (leaving it fully wrapped) about 30 mins to 1 hour before serving allows the flavours and texture to develop their full potential.
Biscuits
K-Sein stocks only the best biscuits specifically made for cheese. Selecting the correct one will enhance the cheese, not distract from it eg. Cashel Blue with Sheridans Brown Bread Crackers. Fruit toast is excellent with triple crèmes. Feel free to ask for suggestions.
Accompaniments
Fruit pastes and sweet things are a classic match to balance the saltiness of certain cheeses. Savoury relishes/chutneys pair well with hard cheeses, especially Cheddar. Our quality range of accompaniments has been selected to match our cheeses and we're more than happy to help you choose.
Drink Matches
When matching drinks with cheese, the key is balance. Generally speaking, the strength of the cheese and its richness should be balanced by the accompanying drink, not overwhelmed by it. Wine, beer, cider and spirits can all work well with different cheeses.
You'll find K-Sein Fromagerie in Stall 30 in the Deli Aisle.