Because of their fat content, many cheese readily absorb refrigerator
odors, resulting in a poor-tasting product. Therefore, store all cheese in
tight plastic wrap or foil (except blue cheese, which should be wrapped
loosely). Cheeses also need to be wrapped tightly to prevent them from
drying out. Hard and firm cheese keep from a week to several months in
the refrigerator, while semisoft and soft cheese are much more perishable
and keep only one to two weeks. For unripened chesses, such as cottage
cheese and cream cheese, check the “sell by” or “use by” date. These
products should last at least several days beyond the sell-by da