Keys To Telling If Cheese Has Gone Bad

Cheese is one of the food items that almost everyone has in their home but because it is a dairy product, it can sometimes start to go bad quicker than other items in your refrigerator. If you don’t want to end up wasting your money by throwing out unused cheese, it is important to know how to tell if your cheese has gone bad. Most of the time, natural instinct can help you with this but sometimes it is necessary to have a bit of knowledge as well. Here are some keys that will let you know whether your cheese is still okay to eat.

Smell

When you first buy a new cheese, you should unwrap it and take a sniff. This is true whether or not you plan on eating it in the near future. It also gives you the opportunity to rewrap the cheese properly (such as in cheese paper) before you put it away. Although it may seem silly, this initial sniff is important because you can use it as a basis for comparison later on if you aren’t sure if your cheese is still edible. All you have to do is unwrap your cheese and smell it; if it smells more or less the same as it originally did, it is fine to eat. Remember that some cheeses (such as cheddar) will smell slightly different as they age but still be fine.

Taste

If the cheese passes the smell test but you still aren’t sure whether or not it is good, you can take a little taste. Some people are afraid to do this but as long as the cheese smells find and you have a very small taste, you will be okay even if the cheese is no longer good. As with smells, remember that the taste of cheese will change slightly over time but a completely different taste means you should throw it out.

Know The General Shelf Life

Apart from smelling and tasting the cheese to see whether it is still good, you should also know the approximate shelf life of the various cheeses you tend to buy. Aged cheeses tend to have low moisture content and that means that they usually age very well. This means that your aged cheddar or Gouda should be fine. You can even scrape off any mold that you find. If you have a fresh cheese such as fresh mozzarella, you should try to eat them sooner rather than later. The ideal shelf life for these cheeses is 7 to 10 days but once again use your senses to judge.

How To Pair Cheddar Cheese With Dessert

When most people think of cheese, they don’t necessarily consider having it with dessert. Most people traditionally choose to have their cheese for a snack or with breakfast, lunch or dinner but that doesn’t mean that you can’t use cheddar in some sweet combinations. When pairing cheddar cheese with dessert, you have two main options: you can add it on to your dessert after it is already made or include it in your favorite dessert recipe. Most people would be surprised at how many desserts can taste even better with the simple addition of cheddar.

Apple Pie

The classic option is to make your favorite apple pie recipe and add a slice of cheddar on top. If you want your cheddar to be gooey and melted, then you can try one of the many delicious recipes for apple pie that involve using it. Some will add it to the filling while others will have you mix it in with the crust. One of the most popular options is to roll the cheddar into the edge of the pie crust when making it from scratch. Although any type of cheddar is a popular addition to apple pie, sharp cheddar is the most common.

Cheese Cake

When most people think of cheese cake they picture the creamy classic made with cream cheese but that is not the only option available. Another great idea is to try making your cake with cheddar instead. Of course this won’t be a traditional cheese cake; instead it will be more of the traditional style cake but with cheese instead of chocolate or some other type of flavoring. Once you try this combination you will realize that cheddar can work perfectly to create a dessert.

Cupcakes

Making cheddar cupcakes is very similar to making a cheddar cake and while you could just follow the same recipe and put the dish into cupcake tins instead of a cake pan, you can also use the opportunity to get creative. If you really want to make a dessert that is both sweet and savory and brings out the flavor of the cheddar, try adding a bit of chopped up bacon as well.

Cookies

Cheese connoisseurs know exactly how to combine the right cheese with the perfect wine or beer and you can even get these combinations in your dessert. You can find some great recipes that combine beer, cheddar cheese and some finely chopped apples. You get to choose the beer and cheddar so make sure you select a combination that works together.