How to Store Fontina Cheese

Delicious, semi-soft fontina comes from the Aosta valley in the northwest of Italy. An essential ingredient in gratineed pasta dishes like macaroni and cheese, you can make sure that your fontina lasts longer by following a few simple storage steps.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

1. 
    

   Before you store fontina cheese at home, examine the cheese block and make sure that it is free of blemishes and signs of mold. Except with blue cheeses, visible mold means that the cheese is spoiled and must be discarded.

2. 
    

   Choose an appropriate container for the cheese. Rindless, semi-soft cheeses like fontina should be stored in a plastic food container that maintains a humid environment for the cheese. A plastic container can also isolate these softer cheeses from the chance of absorbing flavors from other foods.

3. 
    

   The ideal temperature for storing fontina is 35 to 40 degrees, which is close to the average temperature of a home refrigerator. Fontina also tends to freeze better than other cheeses. Freezing, rather than refrigerating, can extend the life of the cheese for a number of weeks.