So you have selected the wine, decided the spread and also finalised the guest list for the big house party. But what is troubling you is the fact that you haven’t been able to buy the right cheese for the Risotto you’d been planning to prepare for a long time now. Worry not! To make things easier, we have come out with a few useful tips on how to buy cheese. Trust us, it will be a breeze.
"If you're hosting a party, its nice to have a cheese platter offering different styles of cheese rather than just one. Also if you are pairing it with wine, be mindful of the style of the wine and then buy a cheese accordingly," says Nikhil Agarwal of All Things Nice.
Here are other tips for you to consider:
Decide your recipe first: The first and foremost thing to keep in mind while selecting and buying cheese is the recipe. "If it’s Risotto that you are planning to cook, then your choice of cheese should be Parmesan," says Chef Thomas Zacharia, Olive Bar and Kitchen Mumbai. Things like these go a long way in deciding the type of cheese you’d like to pick up when you are at the store.
Stick to what you know: If you love to cook with cheese more often, we suggest you read up about the finer nuances of the ingredient. Having said that, stick to what you know when you are actually making a purchase at a food store. The staff will recommend and even persuade you to buy a particular type, however, unless you are comfortable cooking with it, don’t buy it.
Inspect it: After you have decided to pick up a particular variety of cheese, check if there are any cracks in it. Always ask for fresh cheese and make sure the attendant cuts the slices in front of you. "Try to avoid pre-cut, plastic-wrapped cheeses as it is better to have your cheese paper-wrapped instead," advises Zacharia.
Taste, taste, taste: When your requirement is to choose more than one variety of cheese, we suggest you ask for tasting slices. This usually happens when you are planning to prepare a cheesecake as well as pasta on the same day. Ask the attendant for crackers or bread sticks to break the taste as it can leave you confused."Don't forget to smell the cheese and look for different textures like soft, semi-soft and hard," says Anuj Agarwal, Sous Chef at Canvas Lounge, Mumbai.
Read labels: With open markets, Indian gourmet stores have started stocking up on international cheeses. Given the situation, those made in France and Italy are the most popular ones flooding the markets. Always read labels to check the make, manufacturer and finer details like whether it’s a reputed brand or not.
Check for dates: Most importantly, always look for expiry dates on the package. If there aren’t any, ask the staff to get it checked from their database. If there are no labels in sight, then ask them when the cheese was cut and packed. Always know that fresh cheeses help in ensuring the final taste of your dish.
Look for small portions: Let’s not deny the fact that cheese comes with a steep price tag. But then what is life when you don’t prepare your favourite dish with dollops of cheese on it? To balance it out, we suggest you buy them in smaller portions. Bottomline, you wouldn't like to waste precious cheese, would you?
Take the staff’s help: The best thing about gourmet stores is the fact that you will be loaded with many options. "Go to a store which has knowledgeable staff that is willing to guide you and let you taste different types of cheeses," says Anuj Agarwal. And we strongly suggest not getting carried away with the fancy items on display. :)
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