Once opened, kaşar and sliced cheese keep best wrapped first in wax paper or cheese paper, then placed loosely inside cling film or a bag; this two-layer method lets the cheese breathe while still limiting its contact with outside air.
Why does cheese need a special wrapping method?
Cheese wrapped directly in cling film cannot breathe, and moisture gets trapped inside, which over time can form a sticky film on the surface and speed up mould growth. Cheese left completely uncovered runs into the opposite problem: the surface dries out and hardens fast, the edges turn brittle, and flavour is lost.
With sliced cheese, air getting between the slices also speeds up drying; slices taken out of the pack and left on an open plate can start curling at the edges within a few hours.
What is the right way to wrap it?
Cheese paper or wax paper — parchment paper works too — is porous enough to let the cheese breathe while keeping moisture balanced, and the cheese should be wrapped snugly in it. The wrapped cheese should then go into a loose bag or container, placed in a part of the fridge that is not the coldest, usually the middle shelf rather than the door.
For sliced cheese, layering a thin sheet of wax paper between each slice keeps them from sticking together and makes it easy to peel off just what you need. If you have to use cling film because paper is not available, wrapping it loosely rather than tightly, and poking a few small holes in it, is a better solution than a fully sealed wrap.
How long does it keep?
Properly wrapped kaşar and sliced cheese generally stay fresh for two to three weeks in the fridge after opening, though this varies with the fat content and how long ago the original packaging was opened. If white or bluish mould spots appear, unlike hard cheeses, it is not recommended to cut off the mouldy part and use the rest of a sliced or semi-hard cheese; mould can spread deeper than what is visible in a softer-textured cheese.
What can you use if there is no cheese paper?
Bread bag paper or plain brown kraft paper is a reasonable substitute, thanks to a similarly porous texture; glossy, coated wrapping paper is not, since it does not let the cheese breathe. Swapping in a fresh sheet of paper every so often rather than rewrapping the cheese in the same one each time keeps the moisture and smell that build up on the old paper from transferring to the fresh cheese.
Does it differ for grated cheese?
Grated cheese has a far larger cut surface than a block, so it dries out on contact with air much faster; it is best kept in an airtight container and used within a few days where possible. If grated cheese is going to be frozen, spreading it in a thin layer first and breaking it into pieces once frozen makes it easy to take out just what you need without thawing the rest. If the cheese will be served at room temperature, unwrapping it just before serving lets the aroma come through more clearly.
Does a block last longer than sliced cheese?
A whole block of kaşar has a smaller cut surface, so it has less contact with air and generally stays fresh a few days longer than sliced cheese; that is why it is better to cut off only what you need from a large block rather than slicing the whole thing at once. The cut surface of the block can turn slightly yellow over time; that colour change alone is not a sign of spoilage, but if the surface also feels sticky or smells off, the cheese should be thrown out.