Blue cheeses like roquefort and gorgonzola are, unlike other cheeses, a "living" product with an active mold culture, so they should never be wrapped airtight — instead, they need a wrap that lets the mold keep breathing.
Why does it need to be wrapped differently?
If a blue cheese is wrapped completely in plastic film, the mold is cut off from oxygen and an unwanted ammonia smell can build up inside; use wax paper or cheese paper instead, then add a loose layer of foil or a covered container on top. That double layer keeps the cheese from drying out while still letting the mold breathe a little. If cheese paper is not available, poking a few small holes in plastic film has a similar effect.
Should it be kept apart from other cheeses?
Blue cheese should sit in its own container in the fridge, separate from other cheeses; its mold spores travel easily through the air and can spread to a neighboring block of fresh or hard cheese, causing unwanted mold growth there too. A separate drawer, like the crisper bin, is a good spot to prevent that spread; without a spare drawer, keeping the blue cheese in its own closed box does the same job.
How long does it keep?
Properly wrapped, an opened blue cheese holds its quality in the fridge for 2-3 weeks — shorter than a hard cheese like kashar, but longer than a fresh cheese. The ideal storage temperature is 2-4°C; the middle shelf of the fridge, which is usually not the coldest spot, works best; the door shelf sees more temperature swings and is not a good spot for blue cheese.
Can it be frozen?
Blue cheese can be frozen, but the texture changes noticeably; once thawed it turns crumbly and loses its creamy consistency. Freezing is best reserved for cheese that will be melted into a sauce rather than eaten on its own; freezing it in small slices rather than one large piece makes it easier to thaw only what you need.
Should it come to room temperature before serving?
Taken out of the fridge and left uncovered on its wrap for 20-30 minutes before serving, blue cheese develops a fuller aroma and creamier texture; that resting time should happen unwrapped, not inside a sealed container.
Is the white surface layer mold?
The blue-green veins in roquefort and gorgonzola, along with the whitish rind on the outside, are a natural part of the cheese and safe to eat; pink, black, or orange spots, or a sharp, unpleasant smell different from its usual tang, are signs of spoilage, and the cheese should be discarded in that case; scraping off just the suspicious spot and keeping the rest is not recommended, since mold threads can reach deeper than what is visible.
Do white-rind mold cheeses (brie, camembert) need the same storage?
Brie and camembert, with their soft white rind, carry a different mold culture than veined cheeses like roquefort and gorgonzola; since that rind is more delicate, adding a slightly damp cloth on top of the wax paper keeps it from drying out. These cheeses should be eaten within 1-2 weeks of opening, since their shelf life runs shorter than veined cheese and the rind hardens and picks up an ammonia smell faster over time.
Comments (2)
Streç filmle sıkı sardığım rokfor birkaç gün içinde amonyak gibi kokmaya başlamıştı, mumlu kâğıda geçince bu koku tamamen bitti.
Peyniri 4 °C rafta değil kapı gözünde unuttum, iki hafta sonra kenarları kurumaya başlamıştı, orta rafa taşıyınca sorun düzeldi.