Thank you for purchasing one of our cheeses – we are so happy to have you as a part of our community and we hope each time you eat this cheese you will think of the special moments we shared at Alla Casa Vecchia. 

Every single piece of cheese living within Alla Casa Vecchia gets turned each day to promote the aging process. We lovingly nurtured your piece of cheese each day before you brought it home, now it is your turn.  

Your cheese is a living organism, a reminder of the ecosystem in Pacentro and a representation of the season that it was created within – it will continue to change after you bring it home so here are some tips to store your cheese. 

Ricotta — our freshest cheese that we offer, it is best enjoyed within three days. Please always store ricotta in the fridge, you can leave it in the basket we provide. Pay attention to the whey that the ricotta will lose over the 3 days, the whey is acidic and if the cheese sits in the whey then the flavor will be acidic. If you notice a build up of whey, just dump the whey out to separate it from the cheese. Ricotta is a very delicate cheese so be mindful that it may also absorb other flavors in the fridge if something has a particularly strong odor. 

Feel free to re-use the basket that comes with your ricotta, it is a great tool in the kitchen. We also happily will recycle the baskets if you would like to bring them back to us. 

Primo sale — this fresh cheese is best wrapped in cheese paper, wax paper or parchment paper. Cheese needs to breathe, just like us, so it is best to take a deep breath and gently secure the cheese in a breathable paper. If you have access to a fridge with a vegetable or cheese drawer, it would love to sit in one of these designated areas. Remember, temperature and humidity play an important role in maturing cheese – it is both a science and art. 

Stagionata del Morrone, accerit’, nusca, zafferano, mentuccia — all of these cheeses are of our more aged varieties so your goal is to keep slowly aging the cheese while it is in your care. Did you know that you too would become a part-time cheese affineur? Similar to the fresh cheese, it is best to wrap your aged cheese in a breathable paper then placed in a vegetable or cheese drawer. 

Bianco Majella and lu trau — these special cheeses are characterized by their interaction with two molds - Penicillium camemberti and Penicillium roqueforti respectively. In order to maintain the relationship between this complex cheese ecosystem we recommend that you use aluminum foil to preserve these forms once the cheese is in your care. Aluminium foil will allow those uniquely complex flavors and textures to continue to develop.

Vacuum sealed cheese — this method will preserve your cheese the longest, once you break the seal the aging process begins again. If you aren’t quite ready to eat your cheese yet you can place the vacuum sealed package in the freezer and then pull it out to defrost in the fridge when you are ready - this method is recommended for our more aged cheese that you intend to grate over time.

Your sense of smell and taste are your greatest allies. Each time you reach for your cheese, take a moment to smell and appreciate how the cheese is maturing, maybe it is an invitation to pause and reflect on all the ways that you are changing.

special note: if you are flying with cheese to the United States - you are allowed to bring it through TSA, just be sure to declare that you are bringing it and make note that the package label has all the necessary information should anyone have questions.