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Soft Cheese

Canadian soft cheeses are neither pressed nor cooked during manufacturing. Most are surface-ripened, which means the ripening process begins on the surface of the cheese and progresses toward the centre. In this category, only Feta is interior-ripened, with the ripening process beginning at the centre and progressing toward the surface in a solution of salt water called brine.

Apart from Feta, which has no rind, soft cheeses are made according to a process requiring dexterity, patience and know-how in order to create quality cheeses with bloomy rinds and soft cheeses with washed rinds recognized for their high quality and originality. For example, Saint-Damase is the first soft cheese with mixed rind made in Canada. Its rind is both bloomy and washed. The moisture level of soft cheeses varies between 50 and 60% and their butterfat level varies between 20 and 26%.

Find out more about these soft cheeses:

Soft cheeses with bloomy rinds
Soft cheeses with washed rinds

Storage

Your cheese will stay fresh for many days if it is well wrapped in aluminum foil or plastic wrap. As an example, young Brie and Camembert cheeses will keep for about a month. If the cheese is ripe and kept under good conditions, it will last for about 2 weeks.

To learn more on how to store Empereur, Saint-Damase or Sir Laurier d'Arthabaska, refer to the storage section in their description. As a rule, make sure that the wrapping adheres well to the cheese to avoid dryout.

Store your soft cheeses in the lower shelf of your refrigerator, far from foods with strong odours, to avoid absorption of unwanted tastes and smells. If you follow these rules, your refrigerator’s vegetable drawer will make a good storage place.

Soft cheeses are at their best when they emit an aroma of mushrooms and the rind when pressed slightly under your finger. A very strong smell or an ammonia-like odour is a sign that the cheese is overripe.

Information provided by Dairy Farmers of Canada (www.dairygoodness.ca) 

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How to enjoy them?

Canadian soft cheeses are often enjoyed at the end of a meal with crusty bread, a few grapes or with a glass of red wine. They also are favourites at "Wine and cheese" tastings. But, these cheeses also delight numerous gourmets and cheese lovers who eat slices in sandwiches, add them to hot soups or incorporate them into everyday dishes.

To fully appreciate all the qualities of these cheeses, remember to take them out of the refrigerator about 45 minutes to an hour before eating them. They will then be at their best!

Freezing

The delicate texture of soft cheeses with bloomy rinds may be altered by freezing, but the taste will remain intact. You might want to use leftover pieces of Brie or Camembert in a soup or a salad! If, however, you freeze them for a short period, make sure they are carefully wrapped in aluminium foil and place them in an airtight freezer bag. As with all types of cheeses, it is important to cool them before freezing, and to allow them to thaw slowly in the refrigerator, letting the cheese to regain the humidity lost while frozen.

Neither the taste nor the texture of meals cooked with previously frozen cheeses will be affected.
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