FAQ

Raw milk has not been heat treated or pasteurised. It has all its natural bacteriological and enzymatic characteristics. Raw milk is not the same thing as unpasteurised milk – while all raw milk is unpasteurised, not all unpasteurised milk is raw. Pasteurised milk has been heated to a particular temperature, for a specific time, in order to kill off certain bacteria. While pasteurisation ensures the destruction of many of the pathogens that may or may not be present, it also strips the milk of beneficial and innocuous natural flora.

The height of what a cheese can achieve is dictated by the quality of the milk. When cheese is made by farmers, they have the opportunity to start their cheesemaking decisions in the pastures and their breeding programmes, and they see the consequences directly in the vat. No milk purchasing contract, however specialised, can compete with this fine-grained control. 

Factors of influence on milk flavour fall into two categories. Firstly, individual factors such as the type of animal, the breed, their age, health and stage of lactation. Secondly, environmental factors such as the animals' location and climate, the farming system, what the animals were fed, how they were housed, the milking method and whether chemicals and medicines were used in milking.

These factors can influence the composition of the milk and the distribution of the constituents, its microbial diversity, flavour compounds and colour.

Rennet, a mixture of enzymes extracted from the stomachs of young ruminant mammals (calves, kids, or lambs), is used to make most cheeses. It transforms liquid milk into solid curd, which is the first step in cheesemaking. The most abundant enzyme in rennet is called chymosin.

Vegetarian substitutes have been developed as an alternative to animal rennet. We refer to laboratory-derived enzymes using the precise term, ‘vegetarian coagulant’.

A notable alternative to synthetic coagulants is the use of plant extracts which are also capable of setting milk. Figs, papaya, thistles and cardoons contain enzymes similar, although not identical to, those in animal rennet. Interestingly, the different enzymes lead to different flavours and textures in the cheese. Many Spanish and Portuguese cheesemakers use plant based coagulants.

Some types of cheese (such as ricotta and paneer) are coagulated by the combination of heat and acidity from the action of the lactic acid bacteria in the milk, sometimes boosted by the addition of vinegar or citric acid.

Cheese can be intentionally blue - cheeses such as Stilton have added blue mould spores within the body of the cheese. These moulds help to break the cheese down, and in the process they give it a stronger flavour and distinctive appearance. Sometimes other cheeses unintentionally develop blue mould. Air can penetrate the cheese through the rind, allowing naturally-occurring mould spores to grow. There is no danger in eating blue which has developed in this way, just as there is no danger in eating blue cheese. We encourage our customers to taste the cheese and see what appeals to them on a case-by-case basis.

Unlike cheeses that are aged in wax or vacuum packs, clothbound and natural-rind cheeses have permeable rinds, which allow oxygen exchange into and out of the cheese. One side-effect of this is that, if the cheese is bumped during turning or has natural crevasses within it, moulds can sometimes grow inside them. Whether or not this is advantageous depends on the nature of the mould growth: brown or grey moulds, or a ‘bruised’ appearance within the paste, are unattractive and not good to eat; on the other hand a streak of bright blue through a Cheddar adds complexity and was once a prized addition to the cheese (known as ‘Vinny Cheddar’).

Of course, if you’re in any doubt, please send us a picture. Our team will be delighted to advise you.

While Maison Morand does not offer medical advice on cheese and pregnancy: we can, however, share with our customers what we know about cheese.

Women can still eat cheese during pregnancy, but should avoid soft, semi-soft and blue cheeses, which may contain Listeria monocytogenes, a bacterium causing Listeriosis. Listeria does not occur naturally in milk or cheese; instead, its presence indicates contamination of either the raw material (milk) or environment (cheesemaking equipment or ripening areas). We take all due care to ensure our cheeses meet uncompromising safety standards so as to minimise this risk.

When assessing if you can eat cheese rind, there are two things to consider. Firstly is it an edible rind? Some cheeses have rinds that are not edible, so you definitely shouldn’t attempt to eat these! Both wax and a food grade plastic coating, “plasticote”, are often used to seal the outside of cheeses.

The second consideration is does it taste nice?  As a general rule: dusty coloured brown and grey moulds do not have a strong flavour, they tend to be mushroomy or earthy. Blue or white moulds often taste good (assuming you like the taste of blue mould of course). Anything that’s an odd colour could taste bitter, so go carefully. Provided you like the taste, eat as much as you like!

When we talk about our job of maturing, we are referring to all of the work involved in the ageing and maturing process, so that we ensure that we sell each cheese when it is at its best. It is during this period of time that flavour and texture development take place. Each cheese has a set of unique requirements for temperature, humidity, and treatments (such as washing, brushing, or turning) that, combined, will ensure its proper development.

Ageing and maturing of cheese is not a precise science. The animal, the feed, the quality of the milk, minute elements of the cheesemaking process and the season all have an influence on the cheese. The skill of the cheese maturer is to be able to adapt their techniques and methods to the cheeses they have before them. This knowledge comes with time and experience. Our aim is to work with the cheese before us to allow the quality of the milk and the expertise of the cheesemaker to shine.

Farmhouse cheese is handmade and thus varies with each day’s production and changes as it matures. As such it is necessary to apply a common sense approach to cheese care and respond to the cheese you have in front of you, as opposed to following rigid guidelines.

We sell our cheese wrapped in waxed cheese paper, which achieves the best possible balance between maintaining humidity around the cheese and allowing it to breathe. If you wrap your cheese in cling film or foil, it can cause the cheese to sweat which will negatively affect the flavour.

Cut pieces of cheese should be kept in the refrigerator to slow the growth of mould on their cut surfaces. However, it is important to be aware that refrigerated cheese is more likely to dry out, particularly if it is not wrapped.

The best option is to keep the cheese wrapped in its waxed paper within a box in the fridge. The container will help to prevent the cheese from drying out and prevent the cheese from absorbing flavours.

It is very important not to serve your cheese when it’s too cold as cold cheese can taste bland and inert. As a general rule of thumb you should bring it out of the fridge a few hours before you plan to serve it. You should keep your cheese wrapped whilst it is coming up to room temperature, to avoid any risk of it drying out. If it is especially warm you should reduce the amount of time the cheese is out of the fridge accordingly.

There are an array of factors which affect how long cheese will last, and so it is difficult to give a prescriptive answer without knowing which cheese you have,what size the piece is and what storage method you are using.

We do not label cheeses in our shops with best before dates as, for the most part, we expect these cheeses to be eaten within the next week or two. If you need your cheese to last, buy larger pieces as these last for longer. Buy it as close to when you want to serve it as possible (although if you are having your cheese delivered, also remember to allow for a few days leeway in case of delivery disruption).

If you have a specific shelf life concern, you are always welcome to contact us and we will advise as best we can.

We accept the following credit cards: MasterCard, Visa, and American Express. We only take payment once your order has been shipped.

We also accept payment by Apple Pay. If you decide to use this method, you’ll be taken to its website, where you’ll be prompted to log in and process your payment. You’ll then be directed back to our merchant website once your transaction is complete.

We aim to process refunds within three days of an item being returned to us. Please note, however, that your bank may take several days to process the payment back into your account. With that said, please allow up to ten working days after posting the item back to us before getting in touch about your refund. We’ll contact you by email to let you know when your refund has been processed.

Yes. You can place an order as a guest with no obligation to create an account. 

This is automatically sent to your email address when you place an order. If you haven’t received your order confirmation within 24 hours, please get in touch at contact@maisonmorandparis.com just in case there’s a problem with your order. Please check your mailbox’s spam or junk folder before contacting in case the order confirmation has been diverted there.

There is only a short amount of time between when you place your order and when we start processing it. If you contact us straight away after ordering, via contact@maisonmorandparis.com or +971 54 548 4703, we may be able to cancel your order before it’s processed. If not, we’ll despatch your order and then you can return it to us if you wish upon receiving it.  Please note however that perishable products cannot be returned.

Sadly, we’re unable to modify your order once we’ve started processing it. If you need to order a greater quantity or an additional product, please place a new order online.

You can absolutely return or exchange your item to us, within 14 days after receiving it, as long as it’s undamaged, unused and contained in its original packaging. However, you do not have a right to return perishable goods (this will include all cheese products and cold-cuts).

In the rare event that your order arrives damaged or faulty, please take photos of the product in question and email our customer service team via contact@maisonmorandparis.com with the details. We’ll respond within 48 hours. 

This depends on the carrier or shipping method that you choose when returning your item. Once we receive your return, we’ll notify you by email. We aim to process refunds within three days after receiving the item, but it can take several days for your bank or credit card provider to process the refund into your account, or onto your card.

Please note that perishable items, such as all cheeses, cannot be returned.

Yes, we do. These are issued electronically by email and each contains a unique reference number. Our gift vouchers are ideal if you’re not sure what to get that special person in your life. Simply buy a gift voucher instead!