My chunk of Parmesan got hard while wrapped in the frig.

[no_hypocrisy]

It was fresher 2 months ago.

I want to grate it but it's now like a rock.

How can I soften it again? Possible?

[GoCubsGo]

1. I don't think so.

I suspect if you warmed it in the microwave for a short time, you might be able to soften it somewhat, maybe enough to grate. I suggest just saving it, and adding chunks of it to flavor your Italian tomato gravy, soups, or whenever,like one might do with cheese rinds.

[elleng]

2. Dunno, but I'd wrap in paper/cloth + nuke it gently.

OR you could just keep it at room temp for a while, timing depending on your current weather. (Was 97 here Wednesday!)

[Warpy]

9. 20 seconds of nuking can soften even granite hard brown sugar

here in the desert but it has to be flattened out and then attacked with a mallet to make it usable.

However, I'd really try nuking the hardened cheese, grating the warmed outside as I go. Once it's grated, it can be sealed into a container or even a zipper freezer bag and frozen. That stuff is more expensive than platinum these days and throwing any of it out is simply unthinkable.

It's been in the 90s here, too, and forest fire smoke has been rolling in and out, making the evaporative cooler chancy since it blows incredible funk into the house when the smoke is coming this way. This sucks.

[The empressof all]

10. I've been wondering how you all over there are managing with the smoke

It must be awful. With it being so dry it must just be horrific. I lived briefly by a big fire but we were still moist so smoke sank pretty quickly and I felt I was living in a campfire. It was over pretty quick. Are you able to get any relief inside with the windows closed? Do air filters work at all. I'm so sorry for you. Yuck!

[Warpy]

11. The last couple of days haven't been as bad

It's been hazy so we know there are plenty of particulates in the air but no more ash fall and the stink has largely abated. The west wind is picking up a bit, though, so it's likely to get worse again by midweek.

I'm actually OK if I can keep the swamp cooler on during the afternoon, when the haze lifts a bit. The nights have been hot and sweaty, though, since I haven't been able to use my window fan.

Other than the stench, it's probably not as bad as what I was breathing in Boston.

[no_hypocrisy]

3. THANKS! I'LL TRY BOTH IDEAS.

[likesmountains 52]

4. I have never tried this, but when I lived in Italy as an au pair, my family

kept the parmesan wrapped in a towel ,in an open cardboard box, under the kitchen sink. We probably went through a chunk pretty quickly though. I've always wanted to see how that would go over in my kitchen.

[elleng]

5. Thats great! I'll remember it.

[no_hypocrisy]

7. You are on the mark. Look what I found:

http://www.ehow.com/how_5932513_soften-dried-out-parmesan-cheese.html

1
Remove the original wrapper from the Parmesan cheese.

2
Lightly dampen a paper towel. Wring out excess moisture.

3
Wrap the paper towel around the whole piece of Parmesan.

4
Hold the paper towel in place by wrapping aluminum foil around the paper towel.

5
Place the wrapped cheese in the refrigerator for one to two days to restore moisture to the cheese

[grasswire]

6. into the minestrone!

That's what I would do with it.

[trud]

8. I wonder if just the outside is hard? n/t