Preservation of Cheese
Preservation and Vacuum Sealing
After the cheese is cut, it is carefully sealed in a plastic vacuum bag. The sealing machine removes all air from the bag, stopping the aging process of the cheese. This postpones the due-by date by up to two months. Because of this, you can hygienically preserve the cheese for a long time. This means you can safely order large amounts of cheese at a time, with no risk of spoilage. This way you can save on shipping costs.
Can I send cheese over the summer or during a warm period?
Gouda cheeses remain perfectly fine outside the refrigerator. When the cheese is hot, ‘sweaty’ or soft at delivery, simply put the cheese in the refrigerator and you will see that the cheese becomes ‘hard’ again (the heat during transport will not compromise the quality and / or the taste of the cheese).
Can I freeze cheese?
It is better not to freeze cheese because this is bad for the taste.
Tips
- Keep your Gouda cheese at approx. 9°C (48°F). Higher temperatures will increase the aging rate. Lower temperatures will impact the flavour.
- A proper degree of humidity is important. Too much moisture can cause mould formation. A dry environment will cause the cheese to dry out. Your fridge’s vegetable drawer or your cellar will be a perfect storage place.
- Package your Gouda cheese air-proof using the cheese paper included in your order (free of charge). Especially the cut sides of the cheese need to be well-covered.
- Only touch the crust when cutting; touching the cheese with your fingers can inadvertently cause mould formation.
- Remove the Gouda cheese from the fridge 30 minutes before usage. Allowing the cheese to “breathe” and warm up slightly will release all flavours and make cutting the cheese