The Art of Aging (Gracefully)

One of the Google Alerts I get daily on the subject “aging” offered this tasty tidbit: “The Art of Aging.”

Who could resist?

Click the link: the article was about cheese.

But might there be some lessons in aging cheese for aging people? After looking at The Nibble and Whey to Go! On The Art of Aging (Gracefully), I’m ready to say yes.

“When I mentioned to a friend that I was writing an article on aged cheeses, she shuddered, adding that she couldn’t stand 'strong, stinky, old cheeses.' Hold on, there! There are some very strong, sharp, er, particularly aromatic aged cheeses, but they’re not all like that, not by any means. . .”

“Cheeses are either fresh or aged. Fresh cheeses are generally mild and soft in texture. . . creamy and somewhat bland. . .Aged cheeses are. . . multi-textured. One of the great things about (them) is their range in flavors. . . some are sweeter. . . though beautifully complex.”

“The aging process is also known as ripening, maturing, or affinage.” (That’s French for “refining.”)

Here’s a point I can identify with:

“Without a good rind, a cheese will lose too much moisture during refining.” I don’t know about you, but my own refinement has involved a distinct loss of moisture.

The cheesemaker’s solution? Wash the exterior periodically with brine, oil, brand, whey, beer, cider, or wine. While the article didn't mention it, I've had some good cheeses that applied the wine internally as well.

The paths of people and cheese diverge when it comes to ripening, though. Cheeses do best in dark caves: people don’t.

One last lesson: You just can't judge a cheese by its appearance. Its beauty lies in its deeper essence.