Soft-ripened cheese... is the white skin edible?

[MoodyMedStudent]

This probably sounds like a ridiculous question... but I just bought a pack of "soft-ripened" cheese and was wondering if the white skin on it is edible and what it is...

Here's a picture of what it looks like: http://www.finecooking.com/CMS/uploadedImages/Images/Cooking/Articles/Web_Only/fc019bc092-00_ld.jpg

 

[ergdegdeg]

AFAIK, it's generally edible, but of course you don't have to if you don't like its taste.

 

[miles01110]

Looks like Brie or Camembert. It's edible.

 

[awmazz]

It's equivalent to the crust on a loaf of bread. I'd say it's compulsory to eat it otherwise don't buy the cheese.

Additional plastic (white or clear) or wax (the red kind) outer coatings on the other hand, you don't want to eat.

 

[Peterkro]

It's edible but taste like candle wax.

 

[lewis82]

I personally think it ruins the taste of the cheese, so I remove it (this is particularly true in the case of Brie, since it doesn't have a strong taste).

 

[arkitect]

It's edible but taste like candle wax.

Quelle horreur!

No it doesn't.

Dutch cheese and that cheddar stuff has wax coating. This white rind is puuuure yumminess.

 

[MoodyMedStudent]

Hmm so it doesn't taste like much... and no GI symptoms yet so I guess I'm good.

 

[BlackViper]

Eat it

That white stuff (Rind) on a surface ripened cheese is the remaining mould that gives the cheese it's flavour. It is edible though some people don't like the strong flavour and dispose of it, what you need to ba cautious of is if your cheese smells of ammonia, this means it has gone bad and should not be eaten. Other kinds of cheese have a wax coating to preserve freshness, this is not eatten though it wouldn't be harmful. In general, any cheese rind is safe to eat though some are tough or have unpleasant flavors.