On Food and Cooking

Loose Wrapping Tight wrapping in plastic
film is inadvisable for three reasons: trapped
moisture and restricted oxygen encourages the
growth of bacteria and molds, not always the
cheese’s own; strong volatiles such as
ammonia that would otherwise diffuse from
the cheese instead impregnate it; and trace
volatile compounds and plastic chemicals
migrate into the cheese. Whole, still-
developing cheeses should be stored
unwrapped or very loosely wrapped, other
cheeses loosely wrapped in wax paper. Stand
them on a wire rack or turn them frequently to
prevent the bottom from getting soggy. It can
be fun to play the role of affineur and
encourage surface or blue mold from a good
Camembert or Roquefort to grow on a fresh
goat cheese or in a piece of standard Cheddar.
But there’s some risk that other microbes will
join in. If a piece of cheese develops an
unusual surface mold or sliminess or an
unusual odor, the safest thing is to discard it.