How can I pack cheese on a two- or three-day trip when it's hot outside?

	Ask the Expert Dorcas Miller Outdoor cookbook author Dorcas Miller believes ingredients should have zing - or they should stay at home. Ask Dorcas a question Meet Dorcas Previous Answers

When cheese gets hot, it"weeps" oil. By day three, a plastic bag of slimy cheese is, shall we say, a tad unappealing. So what can you do in hot weather?

One approach is to forego large blocks and purchase individually wrapped portions. String cheese, for example, comes in handy one- ounce servings. (If this cheese reminds you of pizza, it's because string cheese is actually mozzarella.) Check the deli section of your supermarket for cheddar that comes wrapped in wax; I've seen some handy 8-ounce miniblocks.

Another option is to carry a hard cheese like Parmesan, which has a lower fat content and therefore exudes less oil. Although most people are used to grating Parm over pasta, a slice of this cheese on a cracker is actually quite tasty.

If you are traveling with a group, you may find that a one-pound block provides slices for lunch and with some leftover for dinner. Start fresh with a new package the next day.

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