Our Fresh Markets are just the place for true cheese aficionados. From mouth-watering European classics to traditional American favorites, our global selection will serve you well.

There aren¹t many hard and fast rules to enjoying good cheese. So we¹ve passed on some of what we¹ve learned over the years below. Read on, then drop by a Yoke¹s Fresh Market near you and put your new-found wisdom to work. Enjoy.

Putting together a cheese tray? The trick is to showcase different cheeses. Create variety and contrast in terms of texture, flavor and shape. Three or five is a typical selection of cheeses to serve in any assortment.

Planning a cocktail party? Figure on 4 ounces (1/4 lb.) of cheese per person.

It's best to use a separate serving knife for each cheese are serving cheeses with very different flavors. If you don't have cheese knives, provide knives that are not sharp, such as a small butter knife.

For the best fruit and cheese pairings experiment. Some like Cheddar and apples or Dry Jack and pears are naturals. But you may find your own favorites. One pairing to avoid would be cheese and citrus flavors work for most people.

It's typically safe to pair cheese with plain crackers but for a richer experience, try a good European-style crusty bread. Serve sliced and whole so guests can tear off their own portions.

There are few if any rules for pairing beverages with cheese. Wine goes great with cheese, but so does beer. Try serving milder drinks with the softer, more delicately flavored cheeses. As the cheeses become stronger and more flavorful, so should the beverages.

To best maintain both the flavors and aromas of unpasteurized cheeses, they should be sliced when you purchase them, and eaten soon after. Softer cheeses usually keep from one to three weeks. Hard cheeses may be fine for several months.

Store hard, semi-hard and semi-soft cheeses at 35° F to 40° F, but remove them 1 to 2 hours before serving. The flavor of cheese is best when eaten at room temperature. Fresh cheese, on the other hand, should be treated just like milk- don't let it set out too long, either before or during an event.

The organisms in cheese are alive, so cheese will continue to ripen, no matter how you store it. Cheeses need air, but you also need to maintain their humidity. Wrap them in waxed or greaseproof paper and use loose, airtight food containers so they doesn¹t absorb strong aromas from other foods.

And be especially sure to keep blue cheeses in separate containers. Blue cheese mold spores are alive and active, and will migrate to other foods.