Say Cheese part 1: Intro & Buying

Yesterday I picked up The All American Cheese and Wine Book. I haven't read much of it since I've been sick all weekend, but I've really like the book. It explains how cheese is made, how to taste cheese, the various types of cheese, wine pairings and than very cool recipes. There are a few things I think could be more clear. So I've made a few changes for below to make more sense.So, here's some notes on buying cheese:LookLook for cheese that is uniform, fresh-looking and in the style you are expecting (if it's supposed to be fresh cheese and it's hard, don't buy). If it's slimy, moldy, cracked, or dried, than it's bad and don't buy it. If the cheese is wrapped in foil ask to see it before you buy it. SmellThere is no sure way to know if your stinky cheese is supposed to be stinky. You can either ask the cheese vendor or pay close attention to the other charateristics of the cheese.TasteBy tasting the cheese, you will find the texture. Which is the best way to tell the style of the cheese. Is it soft, semi-hard, etc? Soft cheeses will release flavors sooner than harder cheeses.FlavorFlavor is what matters the most. If the cheese has a funky flavor (more on this later) than pass on the cheese.Final Thoughts-Always taste at room temperature. If it's too cold, the flavors will be muted. If you have to taste cold cheese, warm it up first with your hands.-Try to avoid eating the part of cheese that has been next to plastic wrap. Cut off a small slice that touched the plastic. Next posting, how to taste cheese.