Farm cheese at the market: how to choose fresh, quality cheese
Smell, colour, rind — simple signs worth checking at the counter.
Fresh cheese smells of milk and culture, with no sharp sour or foreign odour. The colour should be even and free of spots, unless that is a feature of the variety.
With hard cheeses, look at the rind: it should be intact and free of cracks. Do not hesitate to ask for a taste — honest cheesemakers are glad to offer one.
Ask how long the cheese has aged and how to store it. The answer tells you whether it is worth buying to keep.
