Kitchen Tip: How to Grate Cheese

On the Menu Today~

Kitchen Tip: How to Grate Cheese

Believe It or Not ...
there is a trick to
grating a block of cheese at home.
Last summer when Mr. H and I were on one of our
saturday afternoon drives through the countryside,
we stopped at a cheese factory that we had passed by earlier.

Many of the cheese factories here in Wisconsin
have "on site" cheese stores.
Stores that you can stop at and
pick up cheese and/or fresh cheese curds.
Many of the cheese stores have "Cheese of the Day" sales
or their own specialty cheeses on sale.

On this day, we happened to stop at Dupont Cheese
Dupont Cheese is located in Marion, WI.
Home to some of the best tasting cheese....
but then again, I love any and all cheese.

Mr H and I walked
into the cheese store and
we were immediately greeted by the lady behind the counter.
Mr H and I started chatting with the lady behind the counter,
as we told her our cheese selections.
I noticed that the lady behind the counter
had a specific routine...
each time she handled the cheese.
(I notice funny things like that:)
Each time the lady behind the counter
came in contact with cheese
she did the same thing....

The lady behind the counter put on a pair of plastic gloves,
took out our cheese selections,
untwisted the twisty tie thingy,
carefully unfolded the outer wrapper down around the cheese.
Then the lady behind the counter
cut a smaller block of cheese from the larger block,
put the smaller block of cheese on the slicer,
and began slicing our cheese.

Surprisingly the smaller block she cut from the larger block,
was the exact amount we wanted sliced...
I commented on this and
she said she'd been working there a long time...
I certainly believed her.
I then made the comment,
"I know you have to wear plastic gloves for sanitation reasons"...
But, "It must be a real pain in the arse,"
"Having to put on and take off those
silly plastic gloves all day long..."
She told us that she didn't mind because
The only way to handle cheese is...
while wearing plastic gloves...or
with a plastic baggie/saran wrap touching the cheese
I didn't know that....

The lady behind the counter explained to us...
the number one reason cheese goes bad quickly is
because people handle blocks of cheese,
shredded cheese and sliced cheese,
with their bare hands....
She said that the oils in your hands,
along with the bacteria on your hands,
even clean hands,
causes cheese to mold faster.

Wow! I didn't know that...
Leaving cheese unopened,
will dry the cheese out but...
it's the bacteria and oils on your hands,
that will usually cause cheese to mold.
A big Thank you goes out to
The lady behind the counter at
Dupont Cheese.

Follow these few easy steps at home
to keep your cheese fresh..

If you use packaged shredded cheese,
put a plastic glove on your hand,
before putting your hand into the bag..
When handling sliced cheese,
wear a plastic glove or use saran wrap and
when handling blocks of cheese to shred,
wear a plastic glove or use saran wrap to hold the cheese.
I have been using this trick now for 7 months and
you'll be amazed at how much longer your cheese will last.

Follow these easy steps:

• 1 block of cheese
• 1 gallon size ziplock baggie/saran wrap
• Box grater

1. Fold the sides down on the ziplock baggie, like you were folding up a long sleeve shirt.
2. With a scissors, cut the store/company wrapper from the block of cheese. Try not to touch the cheese with your bare hands.
3. Pick up the folded baggie with the seam side down in your hand or wrap cheese in saran wrap.
4. Pick up the block of cheese, grate cheese as your normally would *If wearing plastic gloves, put gloves on and proceed with #3

To store cheese:

1. Fold the sides of the baggie over the cheese.
2. Seal baggie and store cheese in the refrigerator.

Cheese