Common cheese mistakes that everyone makes

Anyone worth their weight in gouda knows that the focal point of any good dinner party should be the cheese. If you’ve been blessed with the absolute privilege of supplying the cheese board, you’ll be the star of the show. Heads will turn, conversations will stop, and suddenly the cheese board will assume it’s rightful place as the centre of attention. While there are a tonne of cheeses on the market these days, some, well, some are not very good. So to help you navigate, here are the common mistakes most people make when it comes to the dairy product, that thankfully are easily fixed: 

1. Holding a grudge

Like humans, not all cheeses are made equal. And why it’s likely you’ll experience a soapy chevre or a dusty brie in your lifetime, it doesn’t mean that all cheeses of that variety will be that way. You’ve got to learn to let go of your grudges because they might become your new favourites. 

2. Not storing it properly 

Simply put, you have to store your cheese properly or it will go to waste and result in emotional anguish. Although the cheeses are often displayed in the store with a skin-tight sheath, this doesn’t do much for preservation once opened. My favourite method is putting it in a snap-lock bag and sucking out the air before closing, this will keep your cheese fresh-to-death for way longer. 

3. Calling everything a brie 

Brie is more commonly misused than American’s misuse ‘Kleenex’, that is a brand of tissue, not the name of the object itself, come on ppl. Like Kleenex is just one type of tissue, brie is just one type of brie-style cheese. It’s a soft which ring, with a runny paste, but there are many kinds of cheese that belong to this family, so study up. 

4. Not providing different knives for different cheeses

I don’t want anyone coming in hot on my brie-style with that knife that’s just been knee-deep in gorgonzola!!! Have some decency. 

5. Serving with budget baguette 

If you’re going to buy high-end cheese, you need accompaniments to match. There is honestly nothing worse than seeing a flaccid supermarket-bought baguette infiltrating a perfectly good cheese board. 

6. Not leaving the rind on 

The cheese rind can almost always be eaten, and if not, it adds texture and colour to the board. You’re not doing yourselves any favours by removing it, there’s nothing better than a gouda with a red rind.