Cheese

[Del Q]

I really like Cracker Barrel from the grocery store, nice sized portion, easy to open, even with gloves. Great with hard pretzels or on pita bread with spam single serving and mayo/mustard.

[chrisoc]

I like to stuff a pita pocket with a few slices of cheddar and a few slices of summer sausage.

[Another Kevin]

I like to stuff a pita pocket with a few slices of cheddar and a few slices of summer sausage.

That's what I had for lunch on Sunday. Except that it was aged provolone and soppressata. Same principle: unleavened bread, hard cheese and fermented sausage.

[russb]

That's what I had for lunch on Sunday. Except that it was aged provolone and soppressata. Same principle: unleavened bread, hard cheese and fermented sausage.

Ok Kevin. You and I will need to hit the trail together soon. We eat similarly.

[Another Kevin]

Ok Kevin. You and I will need to hit the trail together soon. We eat similarly.

Looking forward to it! October. You know my itinerary.
12trysomething tells me you bring the best of the wurst.

[Rolls Kanardly]

I'll eat any kinda cheese, as long as it's Not-cho cheese.

How good can a big wheel of cheese be if it fell off a truck and rolled down a hill?

[lemon b]

Worked for a food processing and manufacturing company for over 10 years. Cheese has a strange breakdown process. In the 33 to 40 degree area it will last years. It is also unique in that it can start to go bad at higher temps, and than when put back to lower temps the breakdown process will almost come to a halt where as most product once the process starts it's going to just go bad. Obviously the packaging also plays a huge role also because once opened the air gets to it. Also once opened our four legged friends are now going to get a scent, unless resealed really well. It also starts the breakdown process at a higher temp than most fresh foods. I think once over 65 degrees is when the breakdown process really picks up if exposed to air, than problems are going to manifest themselves at a higher rate. One has to be aware of the range of temps over the period in the pack. My experience is unless your hiking in really hot weather it will last longer than your desire to eat it. But if one wants to haul the weight in temps under 60 degrees a month in a sealed zip lock is the max I'd keep it around. Get a few 70 degree days and problems are going to start to happen after a week.

[fadedsun]

I've found block cheese will last a week without going bad, if it actually lasts that long. It will be oily.

I've also found that the dry cheese packages in various box-o'-dinner options work well when reconstituted with dehydrated milk and olive oil: an acceptable sauce/dip.

[russb]

Looking forward to it! October. You know my itinerary.
12trysomething tells me you bring the best of the wurst.

This I cannot deny. I get it from http://www.swanmarket.com/

[kayak karl]

has anyone ever had cheese go bad on them on the trail. this question always gets asked, but i have never had ir go bad. eggs either for that matter.

[Another Kevin]

This I cannot deny. I get it from http://www.swanmarket.com/

Thanks for the pointer! I'm going to Rochester this weekend, and I might add this on to the mandatory Wegman's pilgrimage.

[overthinker]

I was very surprised recently to see eggs stored at room temperature at a supermarket in the Netherlands.

IIRC, eggs are generally sold unwashed in Europe. Unwashed eggs will keep without refrigeration MUCH longer than washed eggs. Eggs you buy in America are always washed, unless you know a farmer who will slide you some on the side.

[squeezebox]

What about sucking the air out of a ziplock before you seal it. Less O2 means less spoilage, But putting your mouth on something spreads germs.??
use a straw ?? just scrape the mold off and eat the rest?? There are a fair amount of cheeses that the moldy rind gets scraped off before eating.

[Siarl]

IIRC, eggs are generally sold unwashed in Europe. Unwashed eggs will keep without refrigeration MUCH longer than washed eggs. Eggs you buy in America are always washed, unless you know a farmer who will slide you some on the side.

Correct. I grew up on a small farm that my family had. We had chickens just for the fresh eggs. We would gather them and keep them out unwashed on the counter or wash them and put them in the fridge if we weren't going to use them right away...which was rarely the case. There were eight of us kids and nothing stayed long enough to spoil in our house. Eggs have a natural coating or bloom on them that protects the egg or unborn chick and allows it to form until hatching. If you don't wash the eggs or rub off the bloom, eggs can keep safely for up to two weeks or more with no harm done. But I wouldn't push the "or more" factor too much. In order for eggs to arrive as fresh as possible to the supermarket shelf, the commercial egg businesses refrigerate the eggs since there is quite a bit of lag time between lay date and the purchase date. And...the U.S. egg business is Big Business where as in Europe, Central America, South America and Asia the egg farmers are smaller and more locally delivered and can afford to place them on the shelf. When I lived in Honduras and the Philippines, the eggs were never refrigerated in the stores. But growing up in the Appalachians, almost every home in the mountains, my grandmothers for example, had a root cellar or spring house to keep things such as milk, eggs, and cheese cool. It's my opinion that in the U.S. there is a history of refrigerating quite a number of things that wouldn't necessarily be otherwise in other countries.

[bmanice]

I second the Alpine Cheddar - such a good cheese for anytime.