Cooking Tips - About Cheese and Eggs

CHEESEmost purposes. Fresh eggs are perishable, so store in
When purchasing cheeses, be sure to select thosethe refrigerator, away from strong-odor foods.
that best suit the recipes or menus in which they areFrozen or dried eggs are convenient to use in
to be used.cooking and are as nutritious as fresh eggs. They too
Process cheese is a blend of fresh and aged naturalare highly perishable.
cheeses, melted, pasteurized, and mixed with anStore frozen eggs in the freezer at 0 degree
emulsifier. It is blander than natural cheese but slicesFahrenheit. or below. Thaw in the refrigerator only as
easily, melts smoothly, and does not get stringy inneeded and use promptly. Store unopened packages
cooking.of dried eggs in a cool, dry place. After opening,
Aged natural cheeses are available in many forms andstore in a tightly covered container in the refrigerator.
types, from very hard to soft, each with a distinctivePrepare only the amount needed at one time and
flavor.use it promptly.
Store cheeses, tightly wrapped in the refrigerator.Prepare all types of eggs for table use as close to
How long cheese can be kept depends largely on theserving time as possible. Cook eggs at low
type; generally, hard cheeses will keep longer thantemperatures. High heat will toughen the egg whites.
soft varieties. Should mold develop on a hard cheese,Break shell eggs one at a time into a saucer before
scrape or cut it off before using. Process cheese canadding to other ingredients. This way undesirable
be kept in the refrigerator longer than natural cheese.eggs can be discarded without spoiling the rest of
Low temperatures are important in cheese cookery.the ingredients.
High heat and prolonged cooking will cause cheese toPlace hard cooked eggs under cold, running water as
toughen and become stringy and may also cause fatsoon as they finish cooking. This makes the shells
to separate from the cheese.easier to remove and also helps keep the yolks from
EGGSdiscoloring. When cold, drain and refrigerate. Do not
Eggs may be purchased fresh, frozen, or dried. Freshremove shells from hard cooked eggs until ready to
eggs in the shell are preferred for table service.use. This prevents darkening and reduces the
Grade A medium eggs are usually the best buy forchances of bacterial contamination.