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Types of Cheese
BLUE
There are two major types of Blue cheese: soft/white - mild, with a sweet
taste of herbs and firm/hard - crusty outside with a sharp, tangy taste and
smell . Blue cheese has a veined appearance within a white interior. This
cheese ripens from the center to the crust. It is desirable that the veins be
dispersed evenly throughout the cheese. Blue cheese continues maturing briefly
after being made; therefore, when storing this cheese, any cut surfaces should
be covered and a small opening should be left at the rind so the cheese is
able to breathe.
BRIE
Brie has a delicate and creamy texture and its rich, sweet taste can vary
from buttery to mushroomy. This cheese has a thin, edible crust and becomes
even more delicious with age, tasting best when served at room temperature.
Brie was first made in France and is usually made from cow's milk. Its quality
depends upon what milk (whole or skim) is used.
CAMEMBERT
Camembert has a soft texture with a buttery taste and mushroomy smell. It
tastes best when it's at room temperature and the center becomes soft.
CHEDDAR
Cheddar can have a diverse selection of tastes that range from mild to
sharp. This is dependent upon the age of the cheese. Mild Cheddar is perfect
for sandwiches because it has a mellow balance of flavors. Sharp Cheddar is
great for cooking because its flavor is released when heated and it shreds
well. This cheese tastes best when it reaches room temperature before eating
and also blends very well with other cheeses.
COLBY
Colby is similar to Cheddar, but it is a softer, milder cheese that
contains more moisture and has a shorter curing process. Colby has a mild and
slightly sweet taste, but it can also be sharp and tangy.
EDAM
Edam is a semi-soft to hard cheese that is similar to Gouda in its mild and
buttery to nutty taste. It has a firm, crumbly texture that is free of holes.
In the United States, Edam is covered with a tight red wax coating.
FETA
Feta is a soft, sharp and salty, crumbly cheese containing small holes. Since
it is ripened and stored in brine (water saturated with salt) it is called
"pickled" cheese. Feta also has a low fat content.
GOUDA
Gouda is a semi-soft to hard cured cheese that becomes spicier and more robust
as it ages. It is similar to Edam in its mild and nutty to buttery taste, but
Gouda is aged longer and has a richer flavor.
MONTEREY JACK
Monterey Jack is a member of the Cheddar family and is a mild, white
cheese aged only three to six weeks. The texture of Monterey Jack cheese
depends on the type of milk used. If whole milk is used, the cheese will be
semi-soft; if skim milk is used, it will be harder and can be used for
grating.
MOZZARELLA
Mozzarella has a mild, milky taste and is more of a cooking cheese than a
cheese board cheese due to its good binding properties, moist texture, and
ability to melt. It is a "stretched-cured" cheese meaning that during the
manufacturing process the curd is pulled, kneaded and shaped while it is still
pliable. Therefore, it absorbs the flavors and juices of the ingredients
surrounding it and is perfectly designed for cooking. Mozzarella is also low
in fat; therefore, it is ideal to use even when dieting.
MUENSTER
Muenster is a semi-soft, mild cheese that has an almost a sweet flavor. It
usually has an orange-yellow rind with a straw-yellow color inside and is
produced in a loaf shape.
SWISS
Swiss cheese, which is also known as Emmentaler or Schweizer, is a firm cheese
with a sweet, mildly nutty flavor. This cheese is known for the holes that
develop as it ripens. These holes or eyes range in diameter from 1/2 inch to 1
inch and begin forming when the cheese is about 3 weeks old.
PARMESAN
Parmesan is a hard, grainy textured cheese varying in shape and size. It's
used mainly as a grating cheese on many different types of foods and is a good
cooking cheese because it does not form threads as it melts. Parmesan cheese
will keep for years when it's whole and will continue improving with age. In
the United States, this cheese is produced primarily in Michigan and
Wisconsin.
PROVOLONE
Provolone is usually a smoked cheese, ranging in flavor from mild to sharp,
with a smooth texture. The mild ones are younger and used as table cheeses.
The sharp ones are older and harder; therefore, used in cooking.
Traditionally, it is pear-shaped and bound by cord.
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