Can I Eat The Cheese Rind?

For those of us who love cheese that comes with a rind it’s often hard to tell whether or not we should be eating it. For those cheeses like Cheddar and Mozzarella it’s nice to not have to worry about a rind. Unless you’re a true cheese connoisseur this can be a bit of a tricky question.  In truth, the more appropriate question is not whether or not you can eat a cheese rind but more of a matter of when can you eat a cheese rind. Here are a few simple rules to follow.

Man-Made Cheese Rinds

When it comes to rinds you really must divide them up into types. Those that are made with wax or plastic are inedible for obvious reasons. You’ll find these on Gouda as well as some varieties of Colby, Brick and Cheddar. There are certain types of cheeses, like these that are aged in coatings often made from a wax or plastic and you don’t want to eat them. Other cheeses won’t have a rind at all (Feta) and therefore you won’t have to worry about whether or not it’s edible.

Rinds That Are Natural And Add To The Flavor

Cheese makers across the globe actually plan on our eating the rinds of their cheese, at least for many of the delicate versions. If you were sitting across from a cheese taster or maker and just spooning out the gooey center of a Camembert or Brie they would cringe and wonder why you were even bothering to eat it at all. The fact is the rinds on such cheeses are meant to be an addition to the flavorful scope you can enjoy in a soft, pungent cheese such as these. They are made from the same elements as the cheese itself and add quite a bit to the flavor dimensions.

Natural Rinds That Are Unappealing

Eating natural rinds on any cheese is of course, a matter of taste. One of the biggest things you’ll want to do is to take a deep sniff of the cheese and get a feel for it this way. Just like wine, the aroma of a good cheese is truly part of the tasting process. Next take a small bite and decide whether or not you enjoy the rind. Some cheeses that are of a washed rind type such as Stilton have a rind that is unappealing. It is often ugly and gritty and doesn't taste very good. Other cheeses like some made from goat’s milk and some Blue have a very moldy layer on the outside. It is a matter of choice to eat this part or not.