Monday, December 2, 2013

Ripeness


Beautifully ripe wedge of Brie. Check out at that oozy goodness.
Image via Binnorie Dairy 

For the upcoming holiday party you might decide that you're going to bring a cheese platter. Awesome. But, to ensure a spectacular cheese experience, make sure that your cheese is ripe! This goes for soft-ripened cheeses (with the fluffy white rind) like brie and camembert. To measure ripeness, take the wheel of cheese and gently give it a push. If it gives, then it's ripe and if it feels stiff, it's not. Don't worry, cheese that's not ripe is still very delicious, just not as creamy.  If you're purchasing a wedge rather than a wheel, you can usually tell if the cheese is ripe if the interior (paste) of the cheese slightly oozes out. Wheels that are cut into wedges do not continue to ripen.

*Be careful! There's such thing as overripeness. If you find that your cheese is overripe, 
throw it out!
Signs of an overripe brie or camembert:

-Ammoniated scent
-Astringent flavor, slight burn on the tongue

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