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ask the cheesemonger

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Everybody has questions about cheese, no matter how much you might already know. How best to store your cheese at home? Why do cheesemakers like raw milk? Got a question? Maybe we already answered it. Check below. If not, submit your question and we'll try our best to answer it.

Q: What does AOC stand for and why does it matter?

A: Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée, or AOC, is a French food-labeling term that protects the style, ingredients, and origin of a product. Many of...

Q: I’m having a dinner party, and I’d like to offer cheeses for guests to nibble on during the cocktail hour. How many kinds of cheese and how much of each should I serve?

A:Too many different flavors...

Q: Are there any rules for choosing which jam to serve with a particular cheese?

A:First off, there are no rules when serving or eating cheese. Anyone who says there are lacks creativity and lives in...

Q: Cheesemakers often refer to their “cave.” What exactly is it?

A: Essentially, a cheese cave is a temperature- and humidity-controlled space that provides an optimum environment for cheese storage...

Q: What is the difference between Brie and Camembert?

A:To understand the true differences between Brie and Camembert—both flat, soft disks of white, mold-ripened cow’s milk cheese—one must look to the...

Q: I've just gone crazy at our local shop and brought home an incredible selection of cheeses. Now what? How should I store my cheeses at home?

A:The most foolproof method of keeping your cheese in...

Q:I’m going on a weeklong camping trip this summer and would like to take along some good cheese that does not require refrigeration. Got any recommendations?

A: Nothing is quite as lovely as dining al...

Q: When I buy cheese from my local cheesestore, it comes in special paper. Is this better than plastic wrap?

A: Every style of cheese has a different rind and moisture content, and because of that,...

Q: I’m a lifelong cheese lover, but I’ve just been told by my doctor that I need to consume a low-sodium diet. Does this mean the end of interesting cheese for me?

A:Although a low-sodium diet might be...

Q: As with fruit, a ripe cheese seems to be a good thing. But when can you tell that it’s at that peak stage and not gone over the edge?

A: Knowing what to look for when selecting cheese will help you...