Cheese rinds that you should avoid eating
Before serving a cheese board, it's helpful to know which rinds are edible and which are artificial, such as wax.
“Just taste a little bit, you'll be fine. The cultures are good for your gut health and they aren't going to hurt you. No cheesemaker would put anything on the cheese that would be harmful.”
The rind protects the inside of the cheese during ripening, and some rinds also contribute flavor or a different texture. Some rinds are edible, others are not, and there's an intermediate group of edible rinds that are unappealing and should be avoided.
Most cheese rinds are edible. As Tom Bivins, former executive director of the Vermont Cheese Council, told Food & Wine, "Just try a little bit, it won't hurt you. The cultures are good for gut health and won't harm you. No cheesemaker would put anything harmful on it."
There are three types of edible rinds: bloomy, washed, and, technically, thick and natural. Bloomy rinds are formed from beneficial molds and yeasts, are usually white and mealy in appearance, and appear on soft cheeses like Brie and Camembert. They have a slight bitterness that balances the creamy sweetness of the interior.
Washed rinds can be flavored or bland. The basic method involves rinsing with brine, sometimes with added cultures, and results in a slightly salty, reddish-orange exterior. Rinds can be made with cider, beer, wine, port, coffee, or other liquids, as is the case with Italian taleggio. Natural rinds, generally hard, such as those of Stilton or Parmesan, are also edible. Parmesan rinds, when left over, add an umami flavor to soups and sauces.
Inedible rinds are artificial, such as those made of wax. They prevent moisture evaporation, keeping the interior moist and preventing mold growth during ripening. These rinds are found on some Goudas, waxed Cheddars, Edam, Airedale, most Manchego, and many Derby cheeses. If the rind has a patterned design or paper attached, it is probably waxed. Cloth, such as that used on cloth-wrapped Cheddar, should be removed before eating the cheese.
Mont d'Or style cheeses are wrapped in strips of tree bark. Molly Browne, from Jasper Hill, explained to Culture Cheese Magazine: "The bark becomes a fundamental part of the cheese's structure." However, the bark itself is not particularly appetizing.
In general, if you don't like a crust or know for sure it's not food, don't eat it. Otherwise, enjoy it.
