How to Make Parmesan Cheese Long-Lasting

Have you ever stored your precious block of parmesan cheese in a plastic bag? An Italian culinary expert will definitely reprimand you and frown upon your way of storing the cheese. If you really want to buy the expensive Italian parmigiano-reggiano parmesan cheese, storing the parmesan cheese in a plastic bag is a really sloppy act.

Parmigiano-reggiano cheese is also known as parmesan cheese. The term ‘parmesan’ is used for generic or artificial parmigiano-reggiano cheese, as the original one has a hefty price. Parmigiano-reggiano cheese is made under tight monitoring and processes. Making parmigiano-reggianio cheese takes months, or even years.

Unlike parmigiano-reggianio, parmesan cheese is made in a relatively short time using artificial drying technique. In several countries in Europe, especially Italy, parmesan cheese or generic parmigiano-reggianio cheese are prohibited as they are considered to ruin the price of parmigiano-reggianio cheese in the market.

We are lucky that we can easily obtain parmesan cheese in a developing country like Indonesia. However, sometimes we may be unsure about the ideal way to store the cheese to maintain its taste. There are actually many ways to properly store parmesan cheese. Before that, make sure that the parmesan cheese you buy is in a good condition, is not damp, moldy, or even rotten. Once you have used the cheese, you can wrap the remaining cheese in wax paper.

Wax paper is not made of wax, but is a type of paper lined with food grade silicone. The purpose of using wax paper is to retain moisture and to prevent the cheese from drying out. According to several cheese experts, wrapping parmesan cheese in plastic will make the cheese hard to breathe and cause the cheese to ‘sweat’. The irony is, the Italian Consortium, as the producer of parmigiano-reggiano cheese that is known as the ‘king of cheese’ advises to wrap cheese in plastic.

Besides wrapping parmesan cheese slices in wax paper, make sure that you wrap it again with aluminium foil. Aluminium foil will protect the parmesan cheese but also allows it to ‘breathe’. Make sure that every corner and gap is covered with foil. Store the parmesan cheese well at the lower part of the refrigerator. Try to keep cheese away from other food, as cheese can absorb the smell of other food and this will ruin the aroma of the cheese itself.

The ideal temperature to store parmesan cheese ranges from 39 to 46 degrees Farenheit or approximately four to eight degrees Celcius. Never store cheese in the freezer. Always remember to wrap your cheese after use. Similar to wine, aged parmesan stored properly will taste better. Interested to try?