Beyond cheddar: tips from a cheese maker

David Frisone Strenio begins his workday at the Great Hill Dairy in Marion at 4:30 a.m. By the end of his shift, he will have produced as many as 200 six-pound wheels of the dairy's signature cheese, Great Hill Blue.

But for this cheese, which is sold in stores and appears on restaurant menus throughout Greater Boston, that's just the beginning of the process.

It will take about three weeks for the veiny bluish mold to grow, and another six months for the cheese to properly ripen, gaining its flavor and creamy texture.

Before he became the Great Hill cheese maker three years ago, the 31-year-old Fairhaven resident worked in restaurants -- most recently at Le Soir in Newton -- where he taught the waitstaff about different cheeses.

But although he has his preferences when it comes to shopping for himself, he says it is always a good idea to sample before you buy. "I'm never afraid to ask for a taste," Strenio says.

His favorites include Vacherin Mont d'Or, a soft, runny cheese that you could almost eat with a spoon, and Epoisses, a runny, pungent cheese with a red rind. But he often tries local varieties as well.

Strenio shops at Formaggio Kitchen in Cambridge (he once worked at the store's South End location), Wasik's in Wellesley, and Whole Foods.

While he says many traditional supermarkets are broadening their cheese selections, he prefers shops that specialize in cheese, most of which have knowledgeable staff.

"The person behind the counter should have no problem helping you," he says.

Strenio tends not to cook with cheese, but serves it to dinner guests as its own course.

He generally buys between one and two ounces of each variety per person -- an amount that would top two or three crackers.

He believes that what you pay for cheese will be worth it, and says spending $10 to $15 a pound is reasonable.

Strenio prefers to buy cheese cut to order, not prewrapped, because it tends to be fresher.

He recommends refrigerating blue cheeses, softer varieties, and those you don't intend to eat for a few days, and sometimes keeps hard cheeses on the counter. Refrigerated cheese should still be taken out a little while before serving -- its flavors and textures will be more fully appreciated at room temperature.

"Keeping it cold just numbs it," Strenio says.

According to the New England Dairy Promotion Board, Americans ate almost 31 pounds of cheese apiece in 2003.

But US consumers still make fairly traditional choices: the top three cheeses sold in 2004 were American, cheddar, and mozzarella.

Strenio, who eats cheese daily, also gives tours to dairy visitors, and likes telling the story of Great Hill. Similarly, he seeks out the stories of the cheeses he enjoys to deepen his understanding of what he eats.

But even if cheese is becoming more popular, he hopes it never becomes commonplace.

"I want cheese to be special," he says.

Emily Shartin can be reached at eshartin@globe.com.