the mold itself. If it does, you drag spores straight into the clean cheese you were trying to rescue, which defeats the whole point. I usually slice a wide wedge off and clear of the spot entirely, then go back and trim if I need to. Cut once, generously, and be done.
Why does this work on cheddar when it wouldn’t on a soft cheese? Density. A hard, aged block has very little free moisture, so mold struggles to push beyond the surface. The one-inch buffer covers the small distance
