The process of aging cheese is a method used to change flavor and texture of cheese through the passage of time. This process are called affinage, and affinage is a method where moisture evaporate and proteins break down so that the cheese can develops new characteristics. When cheese undergo affinage, the cheese loses moisture and the cheese becomes more concentrated in flavor.
For example, a young cheese may taste like fresh cream because a young cheese have a high moisture content, but an aged cheese may taste like toasted nuts because the aging process change the chemical structure of the cheese. The moisture content of cheese determine the texture of the cheese. Many people observe that cheese with a high moisture content is soft and creamy, but cheese with a low moisture content is hard and brittle.
How Cheese Changes with Age and How to Store It
Because moisture dictates the textures, the physical properties of a soft cheese is different than the physical properties of a hard cheese. Additionally, the moisture content affect how you should handle the cheese. You should use a gentle knife for a soft cheese because a soft cheese is easy to cut, but you should use a sturdy knife for a hard cheese because a hard cheese is densely and requires more force to cut.
The type of milk used to make the cheese also affects the final characteristics of the cheese. Cow milk are a common type of milk used to make cheese, and cow milk provides a versatile base for many variety of cheese. However, sheep milk and goat milk provides different characteristics than cow milk does.
Sheep milk is often higher in fat then cow milk, and sheep milk often results in a richer and more saltier cheese. Goat milk provides a tangy flavor, and goat milk allow the cheese to develops earthy notes as the goat milk cheese age. Storing cheese correctly is important so that the cheese do not spoil.
You should not wrap cheese in plastic wrap because plastic wrap trap moisture against the surface of the cheese. If plastic wrap traps moisture, the moisture can cause the cheese to grow an unpleasant mold. Instead, you should wrap cheese in parchment paper or wax paper.
Parchment paper and wax paper allows the cheese to breathe, and allowing the cheese to breathe help the cheese maintain it’s intended texture and flavor. Temperature is another important factor for the cheese. Professional aging environment use high humidity to prevent cheese from cracking, but a home refrigerator is a different environment.
When you are ready to eat the cheese, you should let the cheese reach room temperature before you eat the cheese. You should let the cheese sit out of the refrigerator because letting the cheese reach room temperature allow the fats in the cheese to soften. If you eat the cheese while the cheese is still cold, the fats will remains hard and the aromas of the cheese will not be as noticeablly.