Lemon juice is a common ingredient in everything from pasta dishes to stews to desserts. In theory, it adds a bit of zing and brightness, but there are some mistakes everyone makes with lemon juice that can lead to it falling flat. And then there are the mistakes that won’t mess up your dish but will waste your time. But once you know what they are, you can learn how to avoid them.......CONTINUE READING THE ARTICLE FROM THE SOURCE>>>>>
Perhaps you’re adding lemon juice too early and causing your meal to come out with dull, muddy notes. Or maybe you haven’t figured out the right way to balance dishes using citrus and your dishes are suffering for it. Whatever the issue, know that you’re not alone.
While lemon juice might seem like a simple ingredient, there are all kinds of ways you can go wrong with it. Once you’ve learned how to master this everyday addition, your cooking will improve and you’ll be able to level up even the most basic recipe. We’re here to highlight the common missteps and tell you what to do instead.
Using lemon juice from a bottle
Using bottled lemon juice seems like a convenient shortcut, but what it offers in ease can’t make up for what it lacks in flavor. The stuff from a bottle is usually pasteurized and packed with preservatives. Add this to the fact that the flavor mellows over time and you have lemon juice that lacks vibrancy and complexity. When you rely on the bottled version, you miss some of the subtle sweet, sour, and bitter notes that fresh lemons have, making your dishes feel flat.
That said, there are times when the predictability of bottled lemon juice is just the thing. For example, when making jam, you need precise acidity levels to ensure proper pectin activation and preservation. In these cases, the consistent pH of bottled lemon juice can be a lifesaver, reducing the risk of spoilage and guaranteeing a reliable outcome.
So, bottled lemon juice can occasionally be useful for specific applications like preserve-making, but it’s generally a mistake to use it as a direct substitute for fresh juice in everyday cooking. And if you ever need huge quantities or just can’t face juicing a lemon, opt for the single-ingredient kind, even if it is a splurge.
Neglecting to measure lemon juice in recipes
Failing to measure out your lemon juice can lead to unpredictable results in your recipes. While it may seem convenient to say, “use the juice of two lemons,” the truth is that some lemons contain more juice than others. Their size, ripeness, and even age can cause significant variations in how much juice they yield. One lemon might provide an abundance while another could be more dry than juicy, leaving you with too little lemon and making your dish unbalanced.
By measuring the lemon juice, you get the precise acidity needed for the recipe to come out as it’s supposed to. This is especially important in dishes with delicate flavors in which a small difference would be noticeable or where lemon is a key ingredient. Precision in your measurements removes the guesswork and variability from your cooking, so you get more consistent results every time.
Taking that extra moment to measure might seem like a minor detail, but it can be the difference between a well-balanced dish and one that falls flat. It’s worth taking that couple of minutes to get consistent results. Of course, this can be a problem when a dish calls for a certain amount of lemons. But many recipes work on the assumption that one lemon equals 2 tablespoons of juice, so you can use this to work out your measurements.
Adding lemon juice too early
Another common misstep in cooking with lemon juice is adding it too early. While it might seem harmless, doing so can impact the finished dish. You won’t get the bright, tangy finish that only a late splash of citrus can provide. There really is a right and wrong time to add lemon juice. So, you should think carefully about when you add it and avoid doing so early.
When you heat lemon juice for too long, it loses its delicate acidity. leaving your dish with muted, less vibrant flavors. It can even turn bitter and muddy if you add it too soon in certain dishes. Squeezing it in right at the end lets it keep its natural zinginess to contrast deeper, richer flavors in a recipe.
That said, there are some recipes in which you add lemon juice early on. More often than not, these are sweet recipes like cakes, pies, and curds. There’s enough lemon juice in these kinds of recipes that there’s no chance of the flavor cooking off.
Only juicing enough for a single recipe
Lemon juice goes in everything from soups and sauces to preserves and desserts, so you can end up squeezing lemons on the regular. When you use this citrus frequently, juicing only enough for a single recipe is a mistake. Sure, lemon juice doesn’t last forever once squeezed, but it does stay fresh for a while. And that’s something you should take advantage of.
It’s not exactly hardcore meal prep, but you can save yourself time by juicing a number of lemons at the start of the week. You only get a couple of tablespoons of juice from each one, so if you cook from scratch daily, you might end up needing four or five lemons a week. This does depend on the kinds of dishes you make and how many people you’re cooking for, though.
Freshly squeezed lemon juice will keep for around five days stored in a tightly sealed jar in the fridge. This way, you can just dip into it when needed. Since a lot of recipes only call for a tablespoon or so of lemon juice, it means you don’t have to store partly squeezed lemon halves in the fridge — and it saves you time too.
Not adding lemon juice to eggs
One mistake you might be making with lemon juice is not using it to its full potential. Did you know that lemon juice can help give you fluffier scrambled eggs? It might sound odd but it’s all down to how lemon juice interacts with the proteins in eggs — and you can’t argue with science.
When you add a small amount of lemon juice as you whip eggs, the acidity affects the structure of the proteins. It makes the protein in the eggs stiffer, so it traps air bubbles more effectively and gives you lighter, airier results. The extra moisture also creates more steam making extra bubbles in the eggs as the liquid evaporates. So, what you’re left with are the fluffy, pillowy eggs of your dreams.
You don’t need much — just half a teaspoon for every six eggs — so it doesn’t change the flavor significantly. It doesn’t result in eggs that taste like lemon, but it does help balance the flavors, adding some brightness that cuts through the richness of eggs. So, your scramble will be fluffier and tastier. What’s not to love?
Using lemon juice and lime juice interchangeably
It’s a common misstep to assume that you can swap lemon juice and lime juice without consequence. While both give dishes a punch of acidity, they taste different and they’re suited to different dishes. So, you can’t just use whichever one you happen to have in the fruit bowl.
Lemon juice has more sugar and less citric acid than lime, so even though both their actual pH levels are similar, it seems less acidic than lime. It’s noticeably sweeter and has some almost floral notes to it. Lemon juice is a good all-rounder that’s often used in sauces, soups, stews, marinades, salad dressings, and so on.
Lime juice, on the other hand, is sharper and has a more assertive tartness with a hint of bitterness. It’s the face behind the punch in Mexican ceviche, Thai curries, and peanut sauces. It cuts through spicy, robust flavors, making it the go-to in Latin American and Southeast Asian recipes where bold acidity is key.
You can’t just use lemon in a recipe that calls for lime or vice versa without significantly changing the flavor of a dish. A recipe designed for the more nuanced brightness of lemon may lose its charm if overpowered by the more intense bitterness of lime. Conversely, relying on lemon in a dish that calls for lime might leave the flavor lacking.
Not using lemon juice to balance flavors
When you cook a dish, what makes it great is managing to balance the flavors in it. Balancing flavors means harmonizing sweetness, saltiness, umami, bitterness, and acidity so that no single element overwhelms the others. Lemon juice has a bright, clean acidity that can help you do just that.
Say you have a creamy pasta sauce or a hearty stew that feels a bit too heavy — a squeeze of lemon juice can cut through that richness. The acidity enhances other flavors and brings its own vibrancy too. Adding lemon juice creates balance by contrasting rich, umami flavors. Too much of one or the other can leave you with a boring or overpowering dish, but the perfect combination can make even simple dishes taste amazing.
You might also notice that in sweeter dishes, a splash of lemon juice can balance the sugary notes, creating a more rounded flavor. So many simple glazes and sauces use a mix of sweet and acidic ingredients for balance. It might also be part of why lemon desserts are so popular. The balance of sweet and tart in things like lemon meringue pie and lemon drizzle cake is nothing short of iconic.
Assuming lemon juice and lemon extract are the same
A mistake that can befall anyone is not understanding the difference between lemon juice and lemon extract and using them interchangeably. You might assume that lemon extract is just highly concentrated bottled lemon juice but it’s a different beast. Using one in place of the other won’t give you the results you’re looking for.
Lemon juice is squeezed fresh from the fruit. It’s both sweet and tart and can be used in a range of sweet and savory dishes. Lemon extract is a concentrated flavoring, made by steeping lemon zest in alcohol. It has an intense, potent lemon flavor that tends to be sweet but not particularly acidic.
Fresh lemon juice is an all-rounder, giving a true lemon flavor to a wide array of recipes. Lemon extract, on the other hand, is designed for use in baking. It gives you a lemony flavor in items like cakes and cookies without making them overly tart. In many recipes, it’s used in conjunction with lemon juice. The juice brings the sharpness, while the extract makes the finished bake more intensely lemony, since the juice can cook off somewhat. By no means should you sub lemon extract in a dish that calls for lemon juice or you risk making something inedible.
Juicing lemons inefficiently
If you’re not juicing your lemons efficiently, you might be wasting time and money. Not getting all the juice out means that some of it will go to waste and you’ll need to buy more citrus sooner than you would have otherwise. It can also take more time if you’re desperately squeezing, unsuccessfully trying to extract more juice.
So, how do you avoid making lemon juicing mistakes and do it the right way? One simple trick is to roll the lemon on the counter with your palm before cutting. This process helps break down the internal membranes, so you get more juice out quicker and more easily. You can also nuke your lemons in the microwave to produce more juice — about 20 seconds is the sweet spot. The brief heat softens the pulp, making it easier to release more liquid. It’s a hack that restaurants use to increase their yield.
It might add an extra step but it’s likely to save you time overall because you won’t have to fight with your lemons to get all the juice out. You’ll make your life easier and do your small part to reduce food waste while you’re at it.
Failing to make the most of how versatile lemon juice is
If you’re reading this thinking that you really don’t use lemon juice that regularly, you might be making the mistake of ignoring how versatile it is. You can use it for a huge range of dishes, both sweet and savory. So, if you cook often, it should be something you reach for on more days than you don’t.
It adds a pleasant zing to pasta dishes and risotto and livens up soups that could otherwise be flat and one-note. You can use it in sauces and dips like pesto, hummus, and Marie Rose sauce. It’s great in marinades for all kinds of proteins and it has a place in both sweet and savory preserves. Add a splash to soy milk to curdle it, creating a kind of vegan buttermilk. Or soak your raw garlic in it to mellow it out when you don’t want too harsh a flavor.
You can also use it in all kinds of desserts from the obviously lemony ones — like lemon cake and lemon meringue pie — to ones that aren’t overtly lemon-bases, such as fruitcake. There are so many ways to use lemon juice and it’s a shame not to make the most of it.
Incorrectly substituting lemon juice in dishes
If you’re in a pinch, you can use lemon juice in place of other acidic ingredients in a recipe. And, likewise, there are ingredients you can use instead of lemon juice if you’ve run out of this versatile citrus fruit. However, the mistakes come when you substitute incorrectly. There’s a subtle art to it, as acidity levels vary. And, of course, substituting one acid for another will always result in a different flavor.
So, what are the best substitutes for lemon juice? Vinegar is a good place to start, especially fairly neutral-tasting ones like rice vinegar and white wine vinegar. Apple cider vinegar is also a good choice and has some sweet, fruity notes like lemon. However, vinegar is more acidic than lemon juice, so it’s best to substitute one part lemon juice for half a part of vinegar and adjust from there. That means, for every tablespoon of lemon juice in a recipe, you’d use half a tablespoon of vinegar.
White wine also brings acidity to dishes and helps elevate them. It’s a good addition to pasta dishes, risotto, sauces, and similar, when lemon isn’t on the menu. Dry whites have the most acidity, but naturally they don’t have that lemony zing. You need significantly more wine than you’d use lemon juice — around a cup per tablespoon or two of lemon juice. Add wine before any other liquid ingredients and let it simmer and reduce before adding more liquids.
Not using lemon juice to make rice fluffier
Are you sick of shooting for the perfect fluffy grains and ending up making something dense and gluey? Lemon juice is the ingredient you need to make your rice fluffier. Nobody’s quite decided on why it works, but it’s a hack that people have been using for generations — and it might just save you from the tragedy of a dinner that misses the mark.
All you need to do is make your rice as usual but add around half a teaspoon of lemon juice and you’ll end up with those separated fluffy grains that can be so hard to achieve. No more disappointingly dense or porridge-like results for you. There’s also the option of adding extra lemon if you want its flavor to come through.
While it’s still unclear why this trick works, it’s pretty much foolproof. Some experts believe it could be the vitamin C in lemon juice that makes the magic happen but we don’t need to understand it to make the most of it.
14 Food Storage Hacks You Should Try
Nothing hurts more than throwing away an unopened box of strawberries. After all the effort you went through — going to the grocery store, picking out the best produce, and waiting in long lines to pay for them — having to pitch them is not easy. Not to mention, it’s a huge waste of your money. What if we were to tell you that all that waste could be avoided with a few simple food storage hacks?
No more will you have to go through the pain of tossing away an unopened bag of wilted lettuce or a half-used jar of tomato paste. From storing your herbs to keep them fresh for longer to keeping your onions in pantyhose (yup, no kidding), we’ve compiled a few genius food storage hacks that will help you save big bucks and avoid unnecessary food waste. Spoiler alert: There’ll be a lot of “why didn’t I think of this sooner” moments!
Store herbs in a glass of water in the fridge
Despite our best efforts, herbs always seem to end up withering away. If only there was a magical incantation to keep them fresh in the fridge. But what if we told you there’s a much simpler way to store herbs, and not only will they last longer, but they will retain their freshness and flavor?
To start, bring out your variety of herbs and sort them, as we’ll be storing them accordingly. Plants like cilantro and mint leaves have soft stems and are grouped under tender herbs. Oregano, thyme, and the like all have hard stalks, so they are part of hard herbs.
It’s always best to store clean produce after removing dirt and bacteria. According to USA Today, you should trim the stems of herbs about an inch, and then place them in a cup of water and cover them with cling wrap or a resealable plastic bag. When that’s done, place them in the fridge for long-lasting freshness. For hard-stem herbs, you should wrap them in a damp towel, place them in a resealable bag, and store them in the fridge.
Wash berries in vinegar and freeze in sealed containers
You’ve probably watched videos where they use a microscope to zoom in on fruits, where tiny creatures are just hanging out. We certainly don’t want to be biting into them. Well, berries are one of those fruits you eat with the skin on, so you need a better way to wash them than just plain old water.
According to Best Food Facts, vinegar seems to do the trick in eradicating these bacteria. However, make sure to pick up the commercial variety rather than store-bought vinegar. Commercial vinegar has a higher concentration of acid that works well in cleaning fresh produce. What’s more, you’ll find those dirty, waxy layers to be completely gone after a thorough rinse with a commercial vinegar bottle.
First, make a vinegar solution using a 3:1 ratio with water and then give your berries a 10-minute soak. While washing berries under running water will also suffice, we like to be extra careful about cleaning our fruits. After you’re done, you can store the berries in an airtight or sealed container.
Wrap your banana stems with plastic wrap or foil
If you’re letting bananas turn brown to make some delicious banana bread, that’s another story — but if not, browning bananas can be a nuisance. You’ve probably heard that bananas spoil other fruits as well if they’re kept together, as they release a chemical called ethylene, per BBC.
But what to do with bananas that spoil at the speed of light? Okay, maybe not that quick, but they tend to start softening the moment you get them in your car from the grocery store to take home. How can you prevent your bananas from spoiling and attracting a bunch of fruit flies? We have an easy hack to try.
According to Lifehacker, you should wrap the banana stem or the big lump where all the other bananas are connected in plastic wrap or tin foil. This slows down the rotting process, otherwise known as “enzymatic browning.” This process typically starts at the crown, where this chemical is released in abundance.
A YouTube video by Ideas Number One illustrates the hack perfectly. Simply cut a piece of aluminum foil or plastic wrap, wrap it around the stem, and press it tightly with your fingers. You’ll see a stark difference in decay between a wrapped banana and an unwrapped one.
Rinse, dry, and store lemons in airtight bags in the fridge
Like everyone else, you have probably been storing lemons on the countertop, tossing them in a basket without a second thought. But have you ever stopped to wonder if this is the right way to store them, or if they run the risk of molding too quickly, especially in hot weather?
What if we were to tell you there’s a better way that makes them last longer and retains their freshness? This new method is truly easy-peasy lemon squeezy.
In three simple steps, you’ll have a fresh batch of lemons every time you need them. You only need to rinse them, pat them dry with a towel, and store them in an airtight bag or container — then stow them away in the fridge to keep them fresh.
According to Well+Good, the fridge’s cold temperature helps slow the ripening of lemons, fruits, and other fresh produce. It also helps if they are kept away from ethylene-producing fruits like bananas, so the ripening process is slower. Once they’re wrapped in a resealable bag, put the lemons in the crisper drawer with an air circulation system and temperature control.
Store your onions in pantyhose
Since onions are a staple for many dishes, we usually end up buying in bulk. While they often make us cry, we can’t exact revenge on them by leaving them to spoil, so storing them somewhere they can breathe easily is a must. (On a side note, the Times Colonist notes that onions need to be kept away from the potatoes. Otherwise, both vegetables will spoil.)
In the pursuit of the perfect answer, we came across a truly breezy solution (pun intended). What better way to use old stockings or pantyhose than to store onions? These delicate things rip so easily that they might as well be put to better use before going into the trash can.
According to a blog from Brooklyn Farm Girl, you need to place only one onion (or a small cluster) inside the toe of the pantyhose, tie a knot, and then repeat the process until you run out of either space or onions. Then you can simply hang them on a hook in the pantry. We find that this hack not only keeps the onions fresh for longer, but also saves space. And, of course, it makes good use of old pantyhose.
Freeze leftover tomato paste in resealable bags
Leftover tomato paste can be a nuisance to store. Especially if you’re freezing it, when you’ll be left stabbing it trying to get a chunk out so you can use it. With a simple trick and a tip, you’ll be able to effectively store tomato paste without a struggle, cutting down on waste.
TikTok has a fantastic hack for this problem: Get out your resealable bags and pour the tomato paste into them. The smaller the bags, the better. This means you’ll need more bags to store your tomato paste, but it will be worth it. Once you’re done pouring, seal the bags tightly so the paste doesn’t escape.
Next, take out a knife and flip it. With its back, press down firmly on the bag horizontally and then vertically until you get a plus sign. Once you’re done marking the impression on it, take the bag and freeze it. When you’re ready to use it, you can easily break the portions into clean pieces by pressing down on the bag with your hands and taking out whatever amount of tomato paste you need without a hassle.
Never store bruised apples with the good ones
Apples tend to rot quickly, especially if not properly stored. While bruises on apples are fairly common, did you know that storing the bruised apples with a batch of otherwise good apples is a bad thing?
You’ve probably heard the saying, “One bad apple spoils the bunch.” This is true because apples, like bananas, are ethylene-producing fruits, which means keeping them with other fruit is a big fat “no.” Per Livestrong, you shouldn’t keep fruits like apples, bananas, kiwi, and mangos together, even with vegetables. Ethylene will cause premature ripening, leading to spoilage and mold.
McIntosh apples, for instance, are one of those that ripen at a faster rate due to higher ethylene concentration. To prevent this, you can keep the bruised apples separate from the good ones (via the University of Maine).
Per Gardeners World Magazine, you can store apples in a clear plastic bag to be kept in the fridge. Or you can even wrap individual apples in newspaper to store them for the winter. Here’s a really cool DIY: You can use an old filing tray as an apple rack, a cheap yet clever substitute for an apple rack.
Store your carrots in sand or sawdust
Carrots are a staple food enjoyed at every meal, whether served raw, in salads, or as a roasted vegetable dish. Most people like to preserve this vegetable to be used year-round, especially during winters when the climate is too harsh for it to grow.
A couple of hacks have been discovered to store carrots during such weather. When the season calls for them to be uprooted, ensure that carrots are pulled out without mud or they must be cleaned and dried off before being stored. Let them bathe in sunlight for two days to harden them, and then remove the heads to prevent regrowth
Carrots can be stored in either damp sand from the river or sawdust. These both ensure that the carrots will retain the moisture necessary to keep them fresh and preserved for a long time. As far as where to store them, plastic tubs or wooden crates are ideal. Start with a layer of the sand or shavings, then add a row of carrots, then add another layer of the sand or sawdust before adding more carrots. This will keep the carrots separated so they don’t touch each other.
Preserve fresh herbs in oil
In warmer temperatures, it’s important to store and preserve your fresh produce, since heat is literally a vegetable’s worst enemy. And out of all the vegetables, herbs are in particular need of saving. Well, there are always dried herbs, but the dried version (no offense) has nothing on fresh herbs; the freshness and flavor are unmatched.
The key to preserving herbs is freezing them in olive oil. The flavor of the herb-infused olive oil will instantly elevate your dishes. You can use the herbs to cook soups, stews, curries, or any other food.
According to The Pioneer Woman, all you need are some ice cube trays, extra virgin olive oil, and the herbs of your choice. You can use fresh oregano, thyme, rosemary, and more. Separate the herbs from their stalks and chop up the bigger pieces. Top up your ice cube tray halfway full, and then drizzle in the olive oil until the herbs are fully submerged. Next, cover with plastic film and freeze for up to eight hours. Remove your frozen cubes from the tray and transfer them to an airtight container. Now your herbs are ready to be stored for the long term.
Cover potatoes in brown paper and store in a dark place
Most everyone loves potatoes. From frying and boiling to baking and roasting, there are virtually countless ways to eat them.
According to Healthline, we can use a few simple tips to prolong potatoes’ life. Once you’ve bought them, the first thing to do is let them sit in an airy bowl and out of the packaging to help them breathe.
Storing potatoes at a temperature ranging from 42-50 degrees Fahrenheit is ideal for keeping them fresh and ready to use anytime. The best places to store them are those that receive less sunlight, like basements, garages, and other underground areas.
Solanine is a harmful chemical found in potatoes, which is produced in large quantities if exposed to any kind of illuminating light or even sunlight. If digested, it causes health problems such as upset stomach, nausea, and a bad aftertaste, per Michigan State University.
As Healthline recommended, wash potatoes only if you’re using them right away. Rinsing or washing away the dirt beforehand can promote the growth of fungus and bacteria from the introduction of moisture, so it’s best to let them be when not in use.
Freeze seasonal produce to make it last longer
Out-of-season crops have a bland taste, and some folks simply dislike store-bought vegetables and fruit. In this case, you can simply buy extra seasonal produce and freeze it to use later.
Vegetables with high water or moisture content tend to become waterlogged, according to The Washington Post. Veggies like kale, peas, beans, broccoli, and corn are perfect ingredients to be frozen and stored. They thaw well, making it easy to instantly add them to your pasta and sauces.
Some vegetables need to be blanched to prepare for the deep freeze. We have found that vegetables like leafy greens and okra fare well if they are partially cooked before freezing. To blanch, you simply need to bring a pot of water to boil and submerge your vegetables until they are halfway cooked. A Reddit user suggests that the proper way to blanch is to cut your vegetables first and then blanch immediately. Next, place them on a cookie sheet in a single layer, freeze, and then put them in a container or freezer-safe bag.
Similarly, some vegetables need to be chopped and placed in an airtight bag. Beans and peas must first be deshelled and then frozen to be used all year round.
Rinse and dry fish, then refrigerate in airtight containers
Fish is perhaps one of the most sensitive foods and requires the utmost care for transport and storage. The first obvious step to ensuring that the fish doesn’t rot as soon as it is out of the water is to keep it in ice (via Take Me Fishing). Once it reaches its intended destination, the fish must be stored in such a way to ensure the most extended preservation period. The sooner it is cleaned and prepped for storage, the better.
First, make sure it is clean by running it under cold water and then patting it dry with paper towels. You may freeze the fish by wrapping it in aluminum foil, wax paper, or plastic wrap before storing it in ice. It can also be refrigerated in an airtight container.
Exposing the fish to air can cause a loss of flavor very quickly, which is why all air must be removed before keeping it in a container or resealable bag. Refrigerated fish can last up to two to three days, while frozen fish can last up to 12 months.
Make sure that whatever medium is used to store the fish, it isn’t affected by other items in the fridge. And besides rotting easily, the fish can also contaminate other food items (via Respect Food).
Leave butter on the counter
Butter can be used in almost every dish, from sweet to savory, from making snacks to elevating the flavors of meals. So, how can you help it last longer?
A stick of butter tends to clump together in a hard form, so you won’t get a smooth peel with a butter knife unless it’s at room temperature. You can keep store-bought butter, which is typically the salted version, at room temperature. The first step is determining which type of butter you have.
Salted butter can be left at room temperature for one to two days on your kitchen counter. Just remember to cover it up, preferably in an airtight container like a butter dish or crock. Food Safety notes that salted butter has a shelf life of one to two months when refrigerated and six to nine months when frozen from the date of purchase.
A Reddit user suggests that unsalted butter can sit out at room temperature for an extended period of time because butter has a low moisture content, which impedes the growth of bacteria. However, unsalted and unpasteurized butter should be stored in the refrigerator. However, you can keep it out at room temperature for an hour to help soften it before cooking.
Wrap soft cheese in wax paper and refrigerate in airtight containers
Cheese is a delicacy that tends to get moldy quickly. You don’t want a bitter, rotten taste to spoil your pizza, so be extra careful in storing cheese so it can be enjoyed for a long time.
Perhaps the first thing you must do is see if you have soft, semi, or hard cheese. Each type has different storage requirements. Soft cheese tends to spoil easily, so it requires stringent care and shouldn’t be kept around for long. Once opened, soft cheeses like mozzarella are on borrowed time.
Yummy notes that soft cheese should be wrapped in plastic or parchment paper and stored in an airtight container. Mold spores are airborne, and their favorite place to grow is on moist food. Since soft cheeses are moist, they are vulnerable to spoiling and growing fungus.
Soft cheese like feta can also be stored in a liquid solution, such as oil or brine water. Just fill a jar or glass container with your chosen liquid and add the cheese. Per a Reddit post, soft cheeses don’t last as long as hard, aged cheeses like parmesan and cheddar, so it’s best not to store them for long.
