Experimenting with cheese

Buyer's guide
Enjoy fine cheeses at their prime, with these simple guidelines for getting the most out of your fromage – from the store to your dining table.

Nibble before buying
Not a problem if you go to a better-quality food shop or supermarket. The last thing you want is to get home and be startled by an overpowering flavour.

Store cheese properly
Its main enemies are excessive heat and air. Keep cheese tightly wrapped in its original packaging, waxed paper or foil, in a cool, slightly humid place, like the warmer areas of your fridge (check the manufacturer's instruction manual for advice).

Serve it professionally
Take your cheese out of the fridge at least an hour before serving; the flavour really comes alive at room temperature. And when serving, use a separate knife for each cheese so the flavours don't mix. Don't cut cheese in advance – it will dry out.

Cook with cheese
Almost any cheese can be incorporated into cooking. For melting, Cheddar, mozzarella and Swiss are the most popular, although Gorgonzola works well, too. Goat cheeses are great when heated under the broiler, and soft cheeses like ricotta and cream cheese can be paired with herbs and stuffed into meat and vegetables for fantastic results.

Read more in Food & Entertaining and Party Planner