Refrigeration is the best way to store many fresh foods, but that may not be the case with fresh mozzarella. The low-moisture mozzarella you can buy shredded or sliced is stringy and melty, but fresh mozzarella is creamy, moist, and delicate, and many fans say that refrigerating this cheese instead of eating it ASAP will ruin it completely.

La Cucina Italiana suggests keeping fresh mozzarella at room temperature so it can maintain its tender and milky consistency and slightly tangy taste. Food scientist Dave Arnold agrees, explaining that fresh mozzarella turns rubbery in the fridge, since the cold causes it to absorb more water and makes the texture tighten up.

Fresh artisanal mozzarella is also made without preservatives, so La Cucina Italiana recommends eating it as soon as possible' ideally, the same day you purchased it. They also suggest keeping the cheese submerged in its brine at temperatures between 64 Fahrenheit and 68 Fahrenheit until you're ready to eat or cook with it.