Cheese enthusiasts pay attention to three things: taste, aroma, and where the cheese is made, but age is probably the most important. As they age, their flavours deepen, making aged cheeses popular in fancy restaurant kitchens and for elaborate gatherings more often than any other cheeses.
Knowing how aging can influence taste and texture will lead you to pick cheese for everything from everyday meals to refined cheese boards.
Cheese aging, termed affinage, is the controlled environment in which cheese is preserved under defined temperature and humidity conditions as moisture evaporates, proteins degrade, and flavours ripen. Fresh cheeses are mild and cold, with creamy textures, while well-aged cheeses boast a nutty, sometimes crystalline finish.
Some cheeses mature in days, while others take several years. In this period, the structure of cheese hardens along with the taste – this is the point of aged cheeses: to be grated, sliced, or presented as a feast centrepiece.
One of the most useful indicators of cheese aging is texture. However, hard cheese is recognized by many as the only type that ages; there are soft-aged cheeses that offer a completely different, equally good experience.
Texture always affects the mouthfeel of cheese; it is best served as a wedge, cut, or shaved.
As the enzymes in cheeses mature, the mischievous bacteria turn fats and proteins into complex flavour compounds. This is why aged cheeses frequently obtain flavours of caramel, roasted almonds, or umami itself. The well-aged cheese is not just special for its taste strength but also for its layering.
Soft-ripened cheese, on the other hand, generally offers earthy, mushroom aromas and flavours, especially near the rind. This type of cheese should be consumed at room temperature, as this is the ideal condition for relishing its various aromas and textures.
Different ages of the cheeses put them to best use for the flavour and texture:
Each will serve to enhance some other virtue in its most attractive form.
Exploring the world of cheese is a delightful pursuit: to make any effort there, one should first look for its quality. Taste for Luxury offers a carefully curated selection of cheeses, including premium and expertly matured varieties, to satisfy individual and equal preferences.
You consider your taste and enjoy the perennial aged soft cheeses or go for a robust, mature classic for authentic flavours. That’s the taste of many cultures under one roof.
