Cheese always makes us happy, whether snacking or whipping up a creative charcuterie board for our guests. However, we recently learned that many of us may not be serving cheese properly. 

When we spoke to the cheese experts over at Cabot, we were shocked to learn that our biggest mistake had a lot to do with the temperature of our cheese. 

The Best Way to Serve Cheddar Cheese

According to Taryn Ruf, a certified cheese professional and retail store manager at Cabot Waterbury, Cheddar cheese is best served after it has spent some time out of the refrigerator. This not only enhances its flavor but also changes its texture. 

“Ultimately, cheese should be served at room temperature so that all the components of cheese – the volatile organic compounds responsible for flavor – can be released when you eat it,” says Ruf. 

The best way to do this is to remove the specific amount of cheese you will be consuming from the refrigerator an hour before serving it. Ruf suggests that you “set it out on the counter under a light wrap or loose lid so it doesn’t dry out” and also stresses not to pre-cut any cheese, as it’s easier to cut at room temperature. It also “reduces drying out caused by too much surface area if cut when you remove it from the fridge.”

Ruf also says it’s essential not to take the cheese in and out of the refrigerator. Not only does it “degrade the quality” and flavors when you repeatedly go from room temperature to refrigeration, but there are also food safety issues.

Gina Accorsi has been a Cabot cheese grader since 2018 and agrees with Ruf, stating there are “scientific reasons why people are better able to perceive flavor when cheddar is warmer versus colder.” Accorsi says, particularly with harder cheeses, it’s important to allow “for just a little bit of time to gradually, slightly warm from fridge temperatures” to help offer a “stronger sensory experience.” 

However, while cheese may be better when left out of the fridge for a little while, she also warns against leaving it out longer than you should. “Leaving cheddar cheese out for too long or letting it get too warm can cause sweating, oxidation, and a softer texture than desired.”