Qualities To Look Out For When Buying Fresh Cheese
Fresh cheeses are delightful to eat — whether it's buffalo mozzarella on a Margherita pizza, or soft, creamy ricotta stirred into gnocchi pomodoro. Fresh cheeses, or young cheeses, are simply a kind of soft cheese that has not been aged. With fresh cheese, you're getting the pure taste of the fresh curd with the milk, culture, and whey used and developed in the cheese-making process. This also gives fresh cheeses a fairly short shelf life to enjoy. Whether you're purchasing fresh mozzarella or goat cheese, you'll want to keep an eye out for distinct qualities that set apart high-quality fresh cheese from the rest.
Since fresh cheeses are ready to eat the same day they're made, with no aging process, they can spoil very easily. So when you buy cheese at the supermarket, make sure it's being properly refrigerated. Certain fresh cheese should be packed in water, which helps maintain its freshness. And don't be afraid to rely on your senses. Unlike aged cheeses, fresh cheese should barely have any scent. If you smell an interesting aroma on your fresh cheese, that's likely a sign of the cheese going sour, not a sign of flavor.
Popular fresh cheeses and their characteristics
Fresh cheeses are all a clean shade of white with no rind at all. With no rind, fresh cheese is high in moisture content, making for a creamy texture. Since these cheeses haven't been aged or combined with any other ingredients besides salt, they should have a milky, fresh flavor. Some fresh cheeses are mild and sweet while others have a bit of a cutting tartness.
Mozzarella is likely the most famous fresh cheese of all. There are different varieties of mozzarella based on the region it's made. But generally speaking, look out for a mozzarella that's pearly white, has plenty of bounce and elasticity, and has a smooth outer surface. And the bit of white liquid that seeps out when you cut into it? That's the whey liquid it's stored in — also a good sign of quality and freshness.
Feta cheese comes packaged in a salty brine to maintain freshness and give it that distinct salty bite. Buy feta cheese blocks instead of crumbles, as the blocks will stay fresher longer and contain the most concentrated flavor. (You can crumble it yourself!) Paneer and goat cheese have a bouncy quality. Similar to feta cheese, it's best to purchase paneer whole and slice it up yourself, and buy goat cheese in a log to crumble as you please.
Tips for storing your fresh cheese
Since creamy fresh cheese typically doesn't last longer than five days, it's best to serve and enjoy it as soon as possible. But if you have to store your cheese for a few days, it's possible, as long as it is constantly refrigerated and still stored in its original container with water. However, the refrigerator temperature can often dampen the fresh flavors of these cheeses. When you're ready to eat your fresh cheese, bring it back to room temperature to unmute the flavors before consuming.
If you want to preserve the flavor even further, you can store your fresh cheese in a mason jar with olive oil. You can create a delectable cheese marinade by adding fresh herbs and seasonings to your olive oil brine as well. This works particularly well when marinating mozzarella for a stronger flavor. Just remember, even though you're marinating the fresh cheese, it still needs to be enjoyed as soon as possible for the freshest, richest flavor.