Different Types of CheeseThere are different types of cheese all over the world. Hereis more information about the types of cheese.

Enlarge ImageCheese is one of the most used ingredients for breakfast around the world. It is a milk based solid food. Cheese can be prepared from cow, sheep, goat and other mammal milk.

The basic procedure of preparing cheese is by curdling milk and further acidification. Rennet or other rennet substitutes are used for the curdling of milk.

Hundreds of types of cheese exist all over the world. The types of cheese exist due to the usage of the milk from different mammals, specific species of molds and bacteria and also varying the aging length. Other processes are also used to prepare different types of cheese. Other factors which determine the type of cheese is the diet of the animalthe milk is taken from. The diet can include herbs, spices and wood smoke.

Cheese cannot be categorized on a single categorization concept. Therefore, there various systems used for the categorization of cheese. Some factors taken into consideration while classifying cheese are the length of aging, the methods of making it, the curd and the various processes relating to the curd, the kind of milk, the fat content and the whether the texture of the cheese is hard orsoft.

The most common type of cheese is Fresh Cheese. To prepare fresh cheese, milk is curdled and drained. There is little other processing involved in preparing Fresh Cheese. Some examples of Fresh Cheese are chevre, Cas and cottage cheese.

Cheese is also classified according to its firmness. The various classifications are soft, semisoft, semihard and hard. However, this type of categorization is not exact. Cheddar is a type of hard or semi hard cheese.

Semi hard cheese is created with the cutting of the curd, heating gently, piling and then stirred before pressed into forms. The most common semi hard cheese are the cheddar cheese like Gloucester and Chesire.

Milder cheese, like the Colby and Monterey Jack are preparedby having curd rinsed and then pressed. This washes away theacidity and calcium in the cheese. This procedure is also used to create the Edam and Gouda cheese.

Gruyere and Emmetal, swiss type of cheese are quite firm. They have a texture of holes, which add to their sharp flavors and aroma. Parmesan, Romano and Pecorino are the hardest cheese, also known as grating cheese.Some cheese areprepared by allowing Penicillin Candida to grow on the outside ot the soft cheese for a preset time. THe mold adds to the runny and gooey textures of the cheese and also intensifies the flavors of these cheese. The mold forms a white crust on the cheese.

Molds are of two types, blue and white. The white molds are generally used while preparing cheese from goat's milk. Bluemold cheese is commonly called blue cheese. Stilton, Gorgonzola and Roquefort are some of these types of cheese. They are prepared by injecting Penicillum roqueforti molds into the cheese. This mold then grows within the cheese, as opposed to Brie and Carmembert, where the mold is allowed to

grow on the outside of the cheese. Blue cheese can be of soft or firm texture and have assertive flavours.

Processed cheese is another type of cheese. Processed cheeseis prepared by adding emulsifying agents, milk, preservatives, more salt and food coloring to traditional cheese. Velveeta and yellow American cheese are the most popular types of processed cheese.

Washing Rind is also a major type pf cheese. These cheese are bathed in saltwater brine while they age. This makes their surface available for bacteria. These bacteria are responsible for the flavors and odors of washing rind cheese.

Other than these major types, there are hundred if not thousands of types of cheese created in all parts of the world. Africa, Asia, Europe, North and South America and Australia have various ways of preparing cheese.

ACID or ACIDIC

A term used to describe a cheese with a lightly sourish flavor.

AFFINAGE and AFFINEUR

The aging of cheese to its optimum maturity. Affinage is an expertise separate from cheesemaking. Itis an analogous division of labor to the agriculturalist who grows the grapes and the winemaker who creates the wine. The affineur managesthe cave* in which the cheeses are

 

Daphne Zepos, Director of Affinage at Artisanal Cheese in New York City, where she tends to the aging and careof more than 300 cheeses.

aged. Fine restaurants noted for their cheeses and which offer manydifferent cheeses, like Picholine and Artisanal in NewYork City, have a full-time affineur to ensure the cheeses offered to diners are atpeak development(“a point”) for their enjoyment.

*In the industry the French pronunciation, cahve, is used. While some farmstead cheeses in Europe areaged in the same rock caves used

1,000 years ago to acquire the bacteria and other environmental elements that provide their distinctive qualities, today’s agingcaves are state-of-the-art units that allow for different temperaturezones and other settings that accommodate the needs of different types of cheese.

AGED CHEESEExcept for the fresh cheese group, all cheeses are aged, or ripened. The longer they are aged, the harderthe paste becomes (that’s the main edible portion under the rind) and

 

Aged cheeses: Gruyère, Emmenthaler, Grana Padano and Cheddar. Photo courtesy

the more pronounced (sharp) the flavor. Some cheeses are madeto age for two years or longer—Asiago, Cheddar,Gouda and Parmigiano-Reggiano, for example. Others age for just a few weeks to several months before they are ready to enjoy. See maturation.

AMMONIATED

Certain cheeses past their primeand overripe,

Wisconsin MilkMarketing Board.

particularly soft cheeses such as Brie andCamembert, can smell and often taste of ammonia. They are still safe to eat.

ANNATTO or ACHIOTE

A natural food coloring derivedfrom the ground seed pods (achiote) of theannatto tree (Bixa orellana), native to Central and South America. Cheese is

 

Annatto seeds,also called achiote. Photocourtesy Wikimedia

naturally the color of the milk from which it is made. Sometraditional cheeses once hada natural orangehue caused by the vitamin D that cows ingested from grazing on greenplants. But commercial cheeses are madefrom milk from cows that aren’tpermitted to graze. Even withfine cheese, winter milk comes from cows that are fed

Commons.

silage (forage plants that are stored in a silo); the cheeses that result from thismilk are white. This variation persuaded some cheesemakers to color their cheeses so they would look uniformly nutritious. The earliest colorings were carrot juice andmarigold petals.For the last century at least, cheesemakers who

wish to use color have used annatto instead.

AOC (APPELLATION d’ORIGINE CONTRÔLÉE)

Controlled designation of origin, the AOC mark guarantees,among other things, that thecheese originates from a specific region of Franceand has been produced in a traditional way.There are 35 types of cheese carrying the AOC

 

Selles-sur-Cher was the first chèvre to be designated AOC, in 1975. It is made of raw goat’s milk. Photo courtesy

mark, which guarantees that:(1) The cheese was produced within a specific geographical area, from milk from specific herds of animalsin the same areaand partly matured there. (2) The cheese was made using strictly definedmethods that have been handed-down overseveral centuries. (3) The characteristics

ArtisanalCheese.com.

of the cheese that have been precisely defined—its size, type of rind, texture and minimum fat content—are adhered to strictly. (4) The producers submit themselves to review by a public control commission, which guaranteesthe authenticityand quality of the products. See also D.O. and D.O.P.

A POINT

Pronounced ah-PWAN in French, the term refers to a cheese which is at the peak (the “point”) of its development, at the perfect stage tobe consumed. In English, say “at peak” instead of “at point.”

AROMA

A cheese’s scent, which can vary from faint and milky (fresh cheeses), to lightly aromatic, to pungent and overpowering. While moststrong-smelling cheeses will also bestrong-tasting, this is not a hard and fast rule: Limburger, Brick and Liederkranz have distinctive aromas,but are not overly strong-tasting cheeses unless well-aged.

ARTISAN CHEESE

Artisan cheese refers to cheese thatis produced in small batches, with

particular attention paid to the traditional cheesemaker’s art. As little mechanization as possible is used in the production of the cheese. Artisan cheeses may be made from any type of milk; flavorings and inclusions (nuts, fruits, herbs,flowers, etc.) may be added. See also farmstead cheese for the difference between artisan cheese and farmstead cheese.

ASH-COVERED

After they are molded into shape,some goat cheeses are dusted with a fine powder of charcoal ash, traditionally fromoak but today often vegetable ash. These are

 

Valençay, namedafter a town in

known as ash-covered goat cheeses (or chèvres). Originally, the ash was used to protect the delicate cheeses during transport. While some people think it is now decorative in these days of modern transportation andrefrigeration, theash actually makesthe cheese ripen more quickly. Withthe Valençay goat cheese at the right, the ash-covered variety is

France’s Loire Valley where itis made, is shaped like a pyramid with the top cut off(in fact, it issometimes called Pyramide). Thisclassic French chèvre is available plainor coated with wood ash. You can buy it fromArtisanalCheese.com.

a bit creamier than the plain cheese of the exact same age; ingeneral, the cheese gets creamier with age.

ASIAGO

One of the most common Italian cheeses, Asiago isa grana-type cheese, made from cow’s milk. It is a sweet curd, semi-cooked cheesein the grana group, a group that also includesGrana Padano and Parmigiano Romano.

 

Asiago cheese with figs. Photo courtesy Wisconsin Milk

(Grana is the Italian word for grain; it refers to a coarse-grained cheese.) Typically pale yellow in color, Asiago has a mild,cheddary, nutty flavor; it gets more flavorful andmore crumbly as itages. See a comparison of Asiago, Grana Padano and Parmigiano-Romano.

BANDAGE-WRAPPED or BANDAGED

A cheese that has been wrapped in cloth, generally instead of wax.  After the curds are removed from thepress, the pressed cheese is wrappedwith a sterile cloth “bandage”; the cloth becomes an indeible part of the rind. This is a technique used with fine Cheddar. See the photo of

Fiscalini Bandage-Wrapped Cheddar onthe next page.

BARNYARDY

A term often used to describe a cheese’s aroma and sometimes its taste: Aged goat cheeses are often barnyardy. It is considered a positive characteristic of the cheese.

BLEU CHEESE

Bleu is the French spelling of blue.See blue mold cheeses.

BLOOMY RIND or WHITE RIND CHEESES

This class or category of cheese comprisesthe white cheeses with soft creamy interiors. The

 

Produced in

rind is composedof one of the greatest cheese molds, Penicillium candidum, which grows naturally as the cheese ages. The mold grows on the outside of the cheese, breakingdown the proteinand fat inside, making it soft, runny, and more complex. Bloomy rind cheeses areusually made of cow’s milk, resulting in a very creamy and very soft paste.They are aged

the Normandy region of France, Camembert and Brie are the world’s most famous bloomy rind cheeses. Read about thedifference between Brie and Camembert.The Camembert above is available fromiGourmet.com.

quickly, resulting in mild and subtle flavors. The most popular cheeses in the world—Brie and Camembert—fall into this category.

Other bloomy-rinded favoritesinclude triple crèmes such as Brillat-Savarin and Pierre Robert, with 75%butterfat. Bloomy rind cheeses are generally aged for two weeks, which produces a

mild flavor and subtle aroma.

 

BLUE CHEESE, BLUE MOLD or BLUE VEINED CHEESES

A class of cheese unto itself, simply for the mold it carries inside. Penicillium roqueforti, a relative of bloomy mold—but dark blue in color rather than the pristine white—is sharp and powerful. Penicilliu

 

Roquefort is made from sheep’s milk in the caves of Combalou insouthern France. It is one of the

m roqueforti, Penicillium gorgonzola or Penicillium glaucum spores are injected into the cheese, which provide the blue-green colors and piquant flavor (although some blues are mild).The mold will not thrive untiloxygen comes into contact with it, so the cheeses are pierced with pins. Then air is injected, which causes the

oldest-known cheeses, celebrated by Roquefort was discovered forits rich aromain 79 C.E. by Pliny the Elder. This Roquefort is available at iGourmet.com.

cheeses to develop a very high acid content and crumb-like texture. Blues can range from high-moisture tofirm and well-aged; the commonthread is the addition of the mold spores intothe milk during the cheesemakingprocess.

Blue cheeses are found in all categories of cheese with the exception of fresh cheeses, since the mold needs time to develop. Roquefort, Stilton and Gorgonzola are the big three, with Danish Blue

the fourth best-known blue. Blues are typically aged for 90 days, which enables them to become more solid. Read more about blue cheese.

BREBIS

The French term for a cheese made from sheep’s milk.

BRILLAT SAVARIN

One of the most famous triple-crème cheeses, from France (photo at right). It is a great pairing with Champagne.

 

This Brillat Savarin is available at iGourmet.com.

BÛCHE

The French word for log, a popular shape for goat cheese (chèvre), shown in the photo at right. It is made in whole logs (generally 8 ounces) and half logs. Pronounced as a cross between “boosh” and “beesh.”

BUFFALO MOZZARELLA

Mozzarella cheese made fromthe milk of the water buffalo,

 

Pink peppercorn logof fresh chèvre from Vermont Butter& Cheese Company. Read our review.

rather than cow’s milk. See mozzarella di bufala.

 

 

BURRATA

A ball of mozzarella di bufala, filled with scraps of mozzarella and fresh cream, andwrapped in the leaves of asphodel, which indicate the cheese’s freshness. A specialty of the

 

Burrata available at iGourmet.com.

Murgia area of Puglia, Italy, it can be servedas mozzarella isserved, althoughthe creamy insides beg for fresh, crusty bread or crostini. With avery short shelflife, it is flown to specialty cheeseshops in the U.S., but can behard to find. Some U.S. cheesemakers have begun to make it, including Mozzarella

Company, which makes the burrata shown inthe photo.

 

BRIE & CAMEMBERT

These popular cheeses are essentially the same cheese (therecipe is the same), differingonly in the locales in whichthey are made and the sizes inwhich they are created: Camembert, namedafter the village in

 

Brie availableat iGourmet.com. This Brie is not yet a point.

northwestern France where it is made, is madein 4.5-inch wheels, while Brie is made in much larger formats, 11 to 11.8 inches (28 to 30 cm). The paste is straw-colored and flavor is buttery and mushroomy. The soft, bloomy rind, made of Penicillium candidum, is fully edible. Asa result of the terroir, and of the faster

evaporation in asmaller-size cheese, there are nuances of flavor difference. Readour full articleon the difference between Brie andCamembert.

Brie, named for the province in northern France where it originated,is made from raw cow’s milk cheese. While it is made in many locales today, only two Bries are AOC-protected: Brie de Meaux and Brie deMelun. The Melun Brie has very ancient origins—manuscripts suggest that it predates the Roman invasion.At the Vienna Congress of 1815, Briewas declared the “king of cheeses”

during a diplomatic banquet; it has also been called the “queen of cheeses,” and fights Roquefort and Parmigiano-Reggiano for the king’s crown.

 

BRINE CURED

Many types of cheese are washed with, or submerged into, a brine bath as part of the cheese making process. The brining solution provides cheese with a slightly salty flavor and helps to limit the growth of unwanted bacteria that canproduce a foul taste in the cheese (in other stages of the cheese making process, beneficial bacteria are necessary for producing the positive, character-giving qualitiesof the cheese). Appenzeller, Feta Gouda and Parmigiano-Reggiano are examples of brine-cured cheeses.

BRUSHED RIND CHEESE

Certain types ofnatural rind cheeses, both cooked and uncooked varieties, have their rinds brushed during the period they spend ripening. This brushing, done by hand or machine, helps the interior of the cheese to keep moist during the ripening period.It also has an effect on the final flavor of

 

Etivaz is available at iGourmet.com.

the cheese: Etivaz, an AOC-protected Swiss cheese shown in the photo at right, is brushed with salt.

 

CAMEMBERT

Why are Brie and Camembert virtually the samecheese? In 1791, during the French Revolution, a priest from the village of Brie (where the cheese was made) arrived in the village of Camembert, and washidden there by Marie Harel, a farmer. Following

 

In Normandy, Camembert is served with Calvados. It isexcellent with light reds (such as those from the Loire

his direction, shecreated the bloomy-rind cheesethat came to be known as Camembert. Her children and grandchildren continued the cheesemaking, and Camembert became famous worldwide. Camembert’s round wooden box first appeared in 1880, developed to protect the cheeseduring transportation by rail. Brie and Camembert are two of the few cheesesthat stand up to

Valley) or Champagne, and can also stand up to red Burgundy, Bordeaux and Côtes du Rhone.This Camembert is available atiGourmet.

the structured, tannic red Bordeaux. They also pair well with red Burgundies and Côtes du Rhone. See Brie, and readthe difference between Brie and Camembert.

CASEIN

The element of milk which solidifieswhen coagulation takes place. Caseins are insoluble milk proteins which form suspended masses in milk,and thus create emulsions.

CELLAR

A room, sometimes underground, wherecheeses are left to ripen. Some

cheeses, like Roquefort, are ripenedin caves from which they pick up bacteria that give them their distinctive flavors.

CHEDDAR

Cheddar is a hard, sharp cheese, with a paste that ranges from paleyellow to deep orange. Originating in the Somerset County village of Cheddar in southwest England around 1170 C.E. or earlier, Cheddaris the most popular type of

 

Keen’s Farmhouse Cheddar, produced in Somerset, England since 1899, has a golden paste. Named Best Mature Traditional

cheese in the U.K. and accounts for more than half of English cheese production. The cheese is now made worldwide, and only one producer remainsin the village of Cheddar itself. The nameis not protected, so cheese made anywhere can be called Cheddar. However, West Country Farmhouse Cheddar has a

Cheddar in theWorld. Available at iGourmet.com.

PDO (Protected domain of Origin) that covers Cheddars made in the traditional manner (raw milk, calf rennet and a cloth wrapping) in the southwestEngland countiesof Somerset, Devon, Dorset, Cornwall and Somerset. Strong, extra-mature Cheddar, sometimes calledvintage, needs to be matured for up to 15 months.

CHEDDARING

A cheese production technique where the curd is cut into blocks, which are turned and stacked at the bottom of thecheese vat at intervals of ten to fifteen minutes for aboutone-and-a-half hours. This is anadditional step in the productionof Cheddar-style cheeses, and one of the most complex techniques in

 

From Oregon, Tillamook Extra-sharp Cheddar has an orange paste (from annatto). Available at iGourmet.com. See the award-winning macaroniand cheese recipes made with Tillamook cheddar.

cheesemaking. (Other cheeses, in addition to Cheddar, are madethis way.) The milk is set, cut,cooked lightly and allowed to mat at a warm temperature. The matting and stacking of blocks of curd allow for the bacteria to consume the lactose in the milk and convert it to lactic acid. This acidifies the cheese and creates the sharp

flavor. The curdsbecome stringy, and are then shredded, salted and pressed into drums for about 24 hours. Examples include Cheddar, Cantal and Salers.

CHEESE

Cheese is a solid food made from the curdledmilk of various quadruped mammals—cheese can be made fromthe milk of the yak, water buffalo,

 

Photo by K. Connors,

reindeer and thehorse, as well as the cow, goatand sheep commonto American and European cultures. The word cheese comesfrom Latin caseusand, later, WestGermanic kasjus (in modern German it is Käse). Cheese was created to store excess milk in a form that would not spoil as rapidlyas fresh milk; in a sense, cheese is a controlled

courtesy of MorgueFile.com.

spoilage of milk. There are hundreds of types of cheese,based on different breedsof cow, goat andsheep, species of bacteria and molds, differentlevels of milk fat, variations in length of aging, and different processing treatments (cheddaring, pulling, brining, mold wash). Other factors include milk, animal

diet and the addition of herbs and spicesthat flavor somecheeses.

The first step in cheesemaking is tocoagulate the milk into curds with an acid (vinegar, lemon juice, Cynara cardunculus [a proteinase], or the enzyme rennet, which comes from bovine calf stomach). When rennet isused to set the milk, it can result in a very un-cheeselike cheese such as fromage blanc, skyr or quark—all of which have the consistency of yogurt. Yogurt, not made with rennetor other acid, is simply cultured milk (milk with bacteria cultures added) and thus is not a cheese, no matter how similar in taste and appearance it is to the other three products. In cheesemaking, bacteria

are added to reduce the pH, alter texture and develop flavor. Some cheeses also have mold, either on the outer skin, the interior or throughout. In some parts of the world (including Wisconsin), where the milk fat is low in beta-carotene, annatto plant dye is used to make the cheese less pale.

CHEESE TYPES There are eight basic types or styles of cheese, and a cheese can belong to more than one category. From the least aged to the most aged, the groups are:

Fresh Cheeses. These cheesesare unaged: mild and milky and tangy. Examples include mascarpone,

 

Mozzarella is a fresh

mozzarella, ricotta and queso blanco.Read more about fresh cheeses.

Semisoft Cheeses. These cheeseshave a smooth, generally creamy interior withlittle or no rind. They are generallyhigh in moisture content and range from very mild in flavor to

(unaged) cheesePhoto by Melody Lan | THE NIBBLE.

very pungent.Mild semisoftcheeses ripened by bacteria or yeast includeColby, Fontina, Havarti and Monterey Jack. Pungentsemi-soft cheeses including many of the Washed Rind group, such as Epoisses, Livarot and Taleggio. Blue veined cheeses are also semisoft

cheeses.

Soft-Ripened Cheeses. Buttery and creamy, thesemild to medium-strongcheese include the popular Brie and Camembert.

Surface-Ripened Cheeses. Creamy, earthy, rich and runny, these cheesesare mild to medium-strongand include Brie and

 

A creamy,

Camembert as well as triple-crèmessuch as Brillat Savarin and Gratte Pailleand double-crèmes like Chaource. St.Maure, Selles-Sur-Cher, Rocamadour, Valençay are also part of this group, as are Italian cheeses Robiola, Rocchetta andLa Tur.

surface-ripened cheeselike Brillat Savarin goes best with Champagne. Photo courtesyNicolas Feuilatte.

Semihard Cheeses. These cheesesare longer-lasting. The group includes medium-strongcheeses that have buttery,earthy and fruity flavors—favorites such as Cheddar, Fontina, Gouda and Gruyère. Other familiar names are Baby Swiss,

some blues, Colby, Emmentaler and other Swiss cheeses, Monterey Jack, Queso Blanco and some Tilsits.

Hard Cheeses.These are aged for the longest period—from one year to more than four years. They have grainy textures and are primarilyintended for

 

The Hard Cheese group is best for grating. Above, Grana

grating. Theyare salty, nutty and sharp, medium-strongto very strong cheeses. Examples include Examples include Asiago, GranaPadano, Parmigiano-Reggiano and Pecorino Romano.

Blue Veined Cheeses. Delightfully earthy, saltyand pungent,

Padano from iGourmet.

blue-veined cheeses are medium-strongto very strong and include Gorgonzola and Stilton, ripened by Penicillium molds. This group includes Danish Blue (ripened by Penicillium roqueforti), Gorgonzola (Penicillium gorgonzola), Roquefort (Penicillium roqueforti), and

Stilton (Penicillium glaucum).

  In addition to the blue veins,these molds provide a distinctflavor profile to the cheese, which ranges from fairly mild to assertive and pungent. Someblue veined cheeses can be found in the other categories as well, except for fresh cheeses. Washed Rind Cheeses. Savory, nutty and salty, these strong to very strong cheeses are distinguished by their strong aroma and pinkish or orange-colored rinds, and typically semi-soft texture. Examples include Epoisses, Muenster and Taleggio.

CHEESEMAKINGCheesemaking requires extensive

training; it is both an art and a science. While the basic steps are similar for most types of cheese types, many factors determine the final product, including milk type and quality, environment, particularrecipe, and decision-making on the part of the individual cheesemaker such as that of a chef. Here are thesix basic steps common to all cheesemaking:

Starter cultures are added to the milk to beginacidificationor “souring.”

Rennet is added, which curdles the milk and creates solids, or

 

Adding starterculture to themilk is the firststep in cheesemaking. Both

curds, which have the consistency of custard.

The curds arecut with knives, called harps.This releasesthe liquid, whey.

The whey is drained; the extent of thedrainage depends on consistency of the cheese(e.g., the harder the finished cheese, the more whey is

photos courtesy of Wisconsin MilkMarketing Board.

drained). The curds areplaced into molds and further drained. To make hard cheeses, the curds are pressed underweights to maximize the amount of whey that is pressed out.

Fresh cheese,which is not aged, is ready to be packaged and shipped to market. Othertypes of

 

The whey is drained from the curds; then the curdsare placed into molds to shape the cheese.

cheese begin aging, for a period that ranges from days to years.

CHEESEMONGERA person who sells cheese. A monger is a broker or dealer. The word monger is usually used in combination with another word, such as in fishmonger.

CHÈVRE or GOAT CHEESE

Chèvre (the French word forgoat and goat cheese) is characterized by its whiteness and tangy, distinctive

 

Puligny Saint Pierre, a

flavor. It is unprocessed and(with the exception of fresh chèvres, meant to be eaten within a few days of production) aged for two weeks or more, and often has an edible whiterind. The pastevaries from creamy to semi-firm. Chèvres are made in a variety of shapes, including cylinders, cones, discs,

classic pyramid-shaped chèvre. Photo courtesy of Fromagerie-Jacquin.com.

crottins, logs (bûches) and pyramids. Examples include Crottinand Le Chevrot.

 

CLOSE

Used to describe a cheese’s texture:A close-textured cheese is one whichis smooth, unblemished and devoid ofholes or cracks. See also open.

COAGULATION

The transformation of milk into curd, which is the first step in cheese production. The milk is brought to a temperature of

 

The first stepin

64°-66°F and a lactic fermenting agent, or starter culture, is added. Rennet is then added to allow the gentle coagulation of the milk over 1 to 2 days (lactic curd). In some cheeses, such as Camembert, three times as much rennet is used so that the milk coagulates more rapidly—in as little as one hour (mixed curd).

cheesemaking: mixing the milk, starter,rennet, and inthe case of Stilton, blue cheese mold, to coagulate the curd. Photograph copyright 1997-2004, Stilton Cheesemakers’ Association. All Rights Reserved.

COOKED CURD CHEESES or COOKED PRESSED CHEESES

A step in the cheesemaking process when the cheese curd is heated, sometimes in the surplus whey. Cooked cheeses are all hard cheeses and other Swiss types—traditionally the biggest wheels of cheese from the mountains: Gruyère, Beaufort and the “cheeses with eyes” like Swiss Emmentaler, the cheese most Americans think ofas “Swiss cheese.”(This technique also makes semi-

 

Emmenthaler, also spelled Emmentaler. Made from the milk of high alpine pasture cows and aged in caves at those same altitudes. Thischeese is available at iGourmet.

hard cheeses.) Thedifference betweenthe pressed cookedand uncooked cheeses is (of course) the heating/cooking ofthe curds before wheels are formed.It is easy to detect those that have been cooked: the paste has a heated, cooked-milk aroma unique to this family of cheese.

 

CREAM

The fatty element of milk.

CREAM CHEESE

A soft, fresh, sweet, mild tasting cheese. Cream cheese has ahigh fat content, at least 33%. The earliest-known references to the style of cheese date back to the mid-1600s, in France. America’s most prominent brand got its namenot because it wascreated in Philadelphia; it was first made in

 

Photo of Philadelphia cream cheese byClaire Freierman | THENIBBLE.

New York in 1872, by a dairyman named William Lawrence. In 1880,he adopted the brand name “Philadelphia” because that city was known at the time as a center of fine food. CREAMY

A term used to describe the taste, and sometimes the texture, of certain cheeses.

CRÈME FRAÎCHE

Crème fraîche is cultured cream, a

 

Crème fraîche from Vermont

thickened cream with a slightly tangy, nutty flavor and velvety, creamy texture. The freshcream is set asideto let the naturallactic bacteria take over. The bacteria thicken the cream to a consistency and richness almost like sour cream, though with a moredelicate texture and tartness. Crème fraîche doesnot separate or curdle when cookedwith wine or at high temperatures,

Butter & CheeseCompany. Read our review. Photo by ClaireFreierman | THENIBBLE.

so is perfect for thickening sauces and soups, and imparting rich flavor and texture—it is a staple ofFrench cuisine. The French make crème fraîche withunpasteurized cream; in the U.S., all fresh diary products (aged fewer than than 60 days) mustbe made with pasteurized milk or cream.

CROTTIN

A goat cheese shaped like a drum, but some claim the name means something earthier: Crottin means “dropping” or horse dung in French. The cheeseis so-named because as the cheese ages, it becomes dark and hard and bears a resemblance to theanimal dropping. See photo at right. Crottin is the signature goatcheese shape of the Loire Valley; Crottin di

 

These crottins are made in European fashion by Vermont Butter & Cheese Company. Read our review. Photo by ClaireFreierman | THENIBBLE.

Chavignol, an AOC-designated cheese,has been produced in and around the village of Chavignol since the 16th century. Crottins, where are small in shape, are often served with a salad.

CRUMBLY

A term referring to a cheese that has portions that breaks off when the cheese is cut.Blue-veined cheeses are particularly

crumbly.

 

CRYSTALSSee tyrosines.

CURD

Cheese is made of curds. Curd comes from the Latin word coagulare, meaning to thickenor to clot. Curds are obtained by curdling (coagulating) milkwith rennet (an enzyme) or an acidsuch as lemon juice or vinegar; then draining off the whey. Whey is

 

Photo of curds and whey courtesy of Vella Cheese.

the liquid portionof milk, after thesolids (protein and fat) have beenextracted. The solids become curds when an acid(vinegar, lemon juice) or enzymes are added. The curds are broken down in a vat to separate them fromthe whey. As larger curds contain more waterthan small curds, a large curd is prepared for soft cheeses, a medium-sized curd for firmer cheeses, and a small curd

for hard cheeses. The curds are cut up into lumps, andthe curd mass is constantly stirredto prevent it fromclumping together again.

A draining board or ladles are used to remove the curds from the whey. With pressed cheeses, the whey filters through strong cloth bags which retain the curds. The curds themselves are made up of caseins (large molecules of milk protein) and fat.

CURDING

Refers to the temperature at which the cheese is prepared. Raw cheeses are cookedat temperatures that do not exceed100°F; semi-cookedcheeses from 100°Fto 120°F, and wholly cooked at temperatures over 120°F.

CURDLING

An early stage in cheesemaking when milk coagulates after the introduction of rennet.

 

 

Fontina, a semi-cooked cheese. Available at iGourmet.

 

CURD MOLDING

The stage of cheesemaking in which the cheese curd is ladled into molds that determine the final shape of thecheese: round, rectangular, cylindrical etc. This process is also known as “hooping the curd.”

CURING or MATURINGor AGING

The stage in the cheesemaking process when a

 

cheese is left to ripen.

D.O. or DENOMINACIÓN DE ORIGEN

In Spain, the Denomination of Origin is a regulated and controlled qualification managed by a council that is responsible for controlling the characteristics and authenticity of food products to protect their

 

Cabrales, from Asturias, Spain,is an exquisite blue cheese agedin humid caves that enable the development of

agricultural heritage: wines, cheeses, olive oils and other products. It reports to the Ministry of Agriculture. Thereare analogous bureaus in France (A.O.C.) and Italy(D.O.P.).

D.O.P. or DENOMINAZIONEd’ORIGINE PROTETTADenominazione d’Origine Protettais the Italian certification of authenticity of origin. Some othercountries in the European Union

penicillium molds. Like Gorgonzola and Roquefort, it isoften imitated, and requires origin protection. Cabrales available at iGourmet.com.

also use D.O.P. now, including Portugal. See also A.O.C. and D.O.

DOUBLE GLOUCESTER

This English Cheddar-style cheese from Gloucestershire insouthwest England has bold orange paste (from annatto) and a sharp flavor. The milk come from theGloucester cow, a handsome black animal with a broad white striperunning down her

 

Butler’s Farmhouse DoubleGloucester. Available at iGourmet.

back, and the ability to producethe creamy, rich milk from which this cheese is made. Double Gloucester is the cheese used for the annual spring Cooper’s Hill Cheese Rolling andWake on Gloucestershire’s Cooper’s Hill. Competitors chase a wheel of Double Gloucester down a hillside; the winner is expectedto catch the 80-pound wheel. However, as the wheel rolls in

excess of 70mph, it might not be possible (or advisable).

 

D.P.O.The English translation of DOP (see above), Designated Protected Origin.

DRAINING

The stage of cheesemaking when the whey is drained from the curd. This can take 24 to 48 hours, depending on the size of thecheese. This stageis followed by further drying

 

Cheese wheels rest in molds overnight to drain excess whey and become firmer. Photo

procedures, such as scalding. Thesetwo stages are critical to successful maturation.

courtesy of SproutCreekFarm.org.

DRYING

The stage of cheesemaking when lactic cheeses are leftfor one to threedays in a well-ventilated room,to allow the water to evaporate.

DRY MATTER

The part of the cheese that remains after

 

New cheese begins to form a rind within aday of drying. Photo courtesy of SproutCreekFarm.org.

all moisture is removed. Soft cheeses, such asBrie and Camembert, will contain on average about 50% dry matter and 50% water. Aged cheeses like Parmigiano-Reggiano are mostly dry matter with verylittle water.

 

EARTHY

A descriptive term often used to describe the nature of monastery cheeses.

 

 

Continue To Page5: Terms BeginningWith F & G

Return To The Article Index Above

 

 

Trappe De Bricquebec, a traditional monastery cheese, is made in the Normandy region of northwest France from pasteurized cow’s milk andaged for a minimum of 6 weeks. It’s slightly nuttypaste has a

spicy finish, which goes well with Belgian-style ales and English cider.Add some bread, fruit and nuts for alight lunch. The cheese is available at iGourmet.

FETA CHEESE

Feta is Greece’s most famous cheese, a pure white, aged curd cheese that crumbles easily.

 

Authentic feta is a sheep’s milk cheese, or a mixture of sheep’sand goat’s milks. Outside of the EU,where it is protected, it can also be made of cow’s milk. It is formed into bricksand salted and cured in a brine solution. The cheese is semi-hard, with a flavor that can range from mild and milky to saltywith a very tangy acidity. If too salty, it can be soaked in water or

Crumbly feta, available at iGourmet.com.

milk to remove some of the saltiness. While the cheese has been made since antiquity, the current name came into the Greek language in the 17th century, fromthe Italian word fetta, slice, referring to slicing the cheesefrom the brick.

FIRM CHEESES or HARD CHEESES

Firm or hard cheeses are a broad group that be very mild to very sharp. Firm cheeses generally have a texture profile that is elastic, at room temperature, like Emmenthaler and Gruyère); some aremore rigid, like Cheddar. Others, like Gouda, can beflexible to start,but age to a hard cheese that can begrated. Other hardcheeses are hard at the time of their release, such as Asiago,

 

Parmigiano-Reggiano and Grana Padano are examples ofhard cheeses. Available at iGourmet.com.

Grana Padano, Parmigiano-Reggiano (Parmesan) and Pecorino. Read about this group of Italian gratingcheeses.

 

FRESH CHEESES or SOFT, UNRIPENED CHEESES or FROMAGE FRAIS

A high-moisture-content, unaged cheese, intended tobe eaten within days of its production. While the cheese has not been aged, some, like feta, may be very slightly

 

Queso fresco.

cured. Fresh cheeseis drained, coagulated milk (simple lactic set curd) or lightly renneted milk, served young and lightly salted, that does not undergo a ripening period. These cheeses have a creamy, soft texture and fresh, sweet flavor, although the pasteurized-milk cheeses of the U.S.are less flavorful than fresh cheeses made in other countries from unpasteurized milk

Read our review of Mexican and Latin Americancheeses.

(U.S. law requires all cheeses aged fewer than 60 days to be made of pasteurized milk toeliminate potentially harmfulbacteria). The cheeses can be madefrom any type of milk. Uncomplicatedin flavor, fresh cheeses are often used in cooking, for breakfast or with fruit for dessert.

Examples of fresh cheese include many goat cheeses, plus burrata, caciotta, cottage cheese, cream cheese, feta, fromage blanc, hoop cheese, mascarpone, mozzarella,

ricotta, string cheese, quark, quesoblanco and queso fresco.

FROMAGE

The French word for cheese.

FROMAGE BLANC

Fromage blanc is acow’s milk cheeserelated to quark.It is totally fatfree and allprotein. (Quark isnot fat free).Many people eat itfor dessert,either plain orwith sugar and/orfruit. Fromageblanc is also usedin uncooked savorydishes. Since it

 

Fromage blanc from Vermont Butter & CheeseCompany. Read our review.

has no butterfat,it will separateif cooked. Whilefromage blanclooks like yogurt(see photo atright), it is aproper cheese,beginning withrennet and astarter cultureadded to the milk.However, the curdsare not allowed tocoagulate as theywould with atraditionalcheese. Instead,they are stirredto the consistencyof yogurt. Someproducers addcream to achieve

more richness,which can producea product with upto 8% fat. Readthe label! Withoutthe cream, it’s acaloric bargain,like nonfat plainyogurt.

FROMAGER

The French word for cheesemonger or cheese expert.

FROMAGERIE

The French word for cheese store.

FRUITIÈRE

Specific to the French region of Savoie, the word for a small cheese producer or cooperative that collects milk.

GOAT CHEESE

Also called chèvre, the Frenchword for goat and goat cheese. Goat cheese, as a category, may be considered a continuation of the fresh cheese category. In many cases, these are cheeses best consumed after a brief aging period(4 to 6 weeks). While they are no longer “fresh,” (i.e. there is rind development, and the flavors have developed in

 

Chevrot, a classic goat tome.

length and complexity), they do not qualify as bloomy, washed or pressed cheeses. Examples of goat cheeses are classic Loire styles such as Selles sur Cher, Ste. Maure, Chevrot and new American classics like Humboldt Fog.

GORGONZOLA

One of the world’sgreat blue cheeses, Gorgonzola comes from the Lombardy region of Italy; the actual town isoutside of Milan. A stracchino-type cow’s milk cheese,* it dates to 879 C.E., although the neighboring town of Pasturo claims the cheese originated there. The cheese was originally made without its famousblue-green veiningand piquant flavor, which

 

Mountain Gorgonzola, available at iGourmet.com.

happened sometime in the 11th century and come from Penicillium gorgonzola mold spores that are injected into the cheese. Gorgonzolais made in two varieties: Mountain Gorgonzola, the sharper and firmerversion, and Dolce(sweet) Gorgonzola, a spreadable and elegant version that lacks the sharpness of the Mountain Gorgonzola. Both types are a

wonderful dessert when served with adrizzle of honey.*Goat’s milk Gorgonzola is alsomade.GRUYÈRE

Gruyère is both the name of one ofthe best-known Swiss cheeses and a general name forlarge cheeses madein France, such asBeaufort, Emmentaler and Gruyère de Comté.

 

Continue To Page 6: Terms Beginning

 

Gruyère available at iGourmet.com.

WithH To L

Return To The Article Index Above

 

HÂLOIRThe cheese drying room, where cheeses are laid out during their maturation period.Some cheeses age for just a few weeks, others age for 24 months or longer.

 

A cheese drying room, or hâloir.Photo courtesy of FromagesdeChevre.com.

HARD CHEESE or HARD PASTE CHEESE

Also known as firm cheese. These have a dry, granular paste and are the hardest ofall cheeses, solid andheavy. Hard cheeses typically are aged more than two years, during which the waterand moisture evaporateto make the paste hard(to be classified as ahard cheese, the watercontent must be less than 40%). Hard paste cheeses vary tremendously: They canbe pungent, sharp, aromatic or piquant; cooked, semi-cooked oruncooked; and range incolor from stark whiteto deep yellow, orange

 

Tête de moine cheeses aging.

or brown.

The cheeses are covered with a very hard rind, which solidifies as they age. Examples include Asiago, Manchego, mimolette, Parmesan (Parmigiano-Reggiano), pecorino, Romano and tête de moine (shown at right).

HAVARTI or CREAM HAVARTI A Danish cow’s milk cheese, Havarti is a semisoft, washed curd cheese, interior-ripened and rindless, with small eyes (see photo at top of page). It is popular as a table cheese and a melting cheese. Havartiwas created by Hanne Nielsen, who operated an experimental farm calledHavarthigaard in the mid-19th century. The cheese has a buttery aroma and flavor; as the cheese agesit becomes saltier and nutty. Havarti can be found in a variety of

flavors (caraway, cranberry, dill, garlic and more). It pairs well withChardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc and light-bodied Pinot Noir.

HOLES or EYESThe openings in the body of Swiss-type cheeses such as Emmentaler and Gruyère. The holes are spherical, equally-spaced and about the size ofcherry pits. They are caused by bacterial activity which generates prioponic acid, causing gas to expand within the curd and create the pockets, or holes. See Swiss cheese.

HOMOGENIZATION

Milk that comes straight from the cow will separate into a cream layer at the

 

top. In the old days, cooks would get cream for recipes or tea by skimming it off the top of the milk. The development of homogenization enabledmilk and cream to be sold separately, and also gave a longer shelf life to the product. The process is simply the emulsifying of the fatglobules in milk into suspended form by spraying the milk at very high pressure against a flat surface. Homogenized milk denatures many ofthe necessary proteins, making for

Homogenization keeps themilk supply safe, although it removes tasty bacteria andenzymes along with any harmful bacteria. Photo courtesy of National Dairy Council.

inconsistent curd development.

LACTICReferring to the milk aroma, and sometimes flavor, of some cheeses.

MASCARPONE

This ultra-rich, extremely smooth, slightly sweet fresh cheese is called “Italian cream cheese.” However, the distinction is only half correct:While mascarpone

 

Mascarpone from

is made from the cream of cow’s milk, no cheese starter or rennet is used in its production. Mascarpone is madeby draining the moisture from heavy cream using a small amount of citric acid and finely woven cloth. The result is similar to Devon Cream or Clotted Cream. Mascarpone is native to the Lombardy region ofItaly, which is also home to the town of

Vermont Butter &Cheese Company. Read our full review.

Gorgonzola. Incorporated into recipes as an ingredient (tiramisu is one of the most famous), it also makes simple yet luscious desserts,served with fruit and biscuits like gingersnaps and strawberries, or as a topping for fresh berries, poached fruit or compote. Use it tostuff figs, dates or dried apricots (sprinkle with chopped pistachios), or asthe filling for

cookie sandwiches.

Or, fill tart shells and top the mascarpone with fresh or dried fruit. The name is said to date backto the 16th century, when a visitingSpanish dignitary tasted it and declared it “mas que bueno,” better than good. He was correct!MATURATION or RIPENING

Although some cheeses, once drained, are consumed fresh, others require some time to mature. To do this, they are placed on racks inthe hâloir, a cold room which is wellventilated, with humidity of 80%.

 

Photo courtesy of MorgueFile.com.

The cheeses are then regularly turned by hand. The curd slowly develops a rind, which, depending on what bacteria have been used, develops a fine layer of surface mould, which may be white, yellow or brown. The temperature of theair inside the hâloir influences the taste of the cheeses. The cheesemaker monitors their maturation by touch, sight, smell and taste.

Maturation can last from several days to several weeks to several years, in the case of hard aged cheeses like Parmesan and Pecorino. Maturity is distinguished externallyby the color and the aspect of the cheese rind. Internally, the paste becomes more dry and compacted.

MAYTAG BLUE CHEESE

Handmade in central Iowa, Maytag Blue was one of the first great American farmstead cheeses.It is ripened in caves dug into therolling hills of the Iowa countryside, just as Roquefort is ripened in caves

 

You can buy Maytag Blue at stores nationwide and at iGourmet.com.

(though naturally-occurring) in southwest France. However, Maytag isa cow’s milk cheese, while Roquefort is made from sheep’s milk.Maytag Blue Cheeseis made by the same family that produces washing machines. Fritz Maytag, son of Frederick Louis Maytag, founded the Maytag Dairy, and also owns the Anchor Brewing Company. Perhaps not coincidentally, the cheese pairs

well with a medium-bodied ale or lager, or a glass of sweet wine.

MICROORGANISMSYeasts and other fermenting agents present in milk and milk curd. They can be wild and naturally occurring or cultured and introduced.

MOLDMold is a member of the fungus family. It can be on the surface of cheese (such as the fluffy white bloomy rind cheeses—which are somewhat reminiscent of mushrooms) or can be developed internally. Surface molds are the result of cheese being treated with the Penicillium candidum or Penicillium camemberti spore. Internal molds are

very different, and are created by the introduction of Penicillium glaucum or Penicillium roqueforti spores, both used to create blue-veined cheeses. Certain French goat milk cheeses develop a natural bluish surface mold, and some of the newer double crème cheeses like Blue Castello, Bavarian Blue and Duet have both a surface mold and an internal mold. Originally, the molds that made these cheeses were naturally occurring, as in the Roquefort caves. Today, much of the mold is manually introduced by the cheesemaker to guarantee success.MOLD-RIPENED CHEESES

Thesearesoftcheeses,not

 

BriefromiGourmet

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MONASTERY CHEESES or TRAPPIST CHEESESCertain cheeses were originally developed by monks and are known as monastery cheeses. The majority are of the washed rind variety. Port Salut, Saint Paulin, Esrom and Havarti are examples, as well as several mountain cheeses including Beaumont and Reblochon.

MOZZARELLA or MOZZARELLA DI BUFALA

Legally, in Italy, mozzarellais made from the milk of the waterbuffalo, and is mozzarella di bufala; cow’s milk

 

mozzarella is known as fior di latte, “the flower of the milk.” Water buffalo, native to Asia, were brought to Italy in the 1400s. Water buffalo’s milk ishigher in both fat and protein than cow’s, yielding 1.6 times more cheese. It also lacks the yellow pigment, carotene, found in cow’s milk, somozzarella di bufala is pure white. Almost all

Black Truffle Mozzarella from iGourmet.

American-made mozzarella is from cow’s milk. Mozzarella is a pasta filata, a spun paste. Like othercheeses, it begins with a rennet-curdled milk.

But unlike other cheeses, whose curds are then gathered and molded, mozzarella curds are plunged into hot whey or lightly salted water, kneaded and pulled to develop the familiar stretchy strings (pasta filata), then shaped into the desired form (mozzarella, provolone, scamorza).

MUSHROOMYA description of the flavor and aroma of certain soft and semi-soft

cheeses, particularly members of theBrie and Camembert family.NATURAL RIND CHEESES

These cheeses haverinds that self-form during the aging process. Generally, no molds or microflora are added, nor is washing used to create the exterior rinds. Those that do exhibit molds and microflora in their rinds get them naturally from the environment. Most natural rind cheeses are aged

 

Mimolette, a  natural rind cheese with an extraordinarily beautiful color to match its fine flavor, is available at iGourmet.

for many weeks to develop their flavor as well as the rinds, and many are made fromraw milk. Examplesinclude many “tomme” style cheeses such as tomme de Savoie and mimolette, Stilton and Lancashire.NUTTYOften referring tohazelnut, a flavorthat occurs naturally in some cheeses.

PANIR or PANEER

Panir is an Indianfresh curd cheese that looks like ricotta, although it is very different and actually similar to the Latin American queso blanco. It is usedin sweet and

 

Cooked cubes of panird. Photo courtesy of Wisconsin Milk

savory dishes. Allcheese starts off by the addition ofa coagulant (curdling agent) to milk that has been brought to a boiling point. With many cheeses,an enzyme, rennet,is used to coagulate the milkproteins, but the whey proteins (albuminous proteins) don’t coagulate. They are drained, and can be used to make ricotta. Panir is made by adding an acid reagent tothe milk (vinegar,

Marketing Board.

lemon juice, yogurt, citric acid or cultured buttermilk) ratherthan rennet. When the milk curdles, both the milk proteins and the whey proteins coagulate.

The cheese is usually pressed until firm, and, like ricotta, can be eaten fresh and raw. But unlike ricotta, panir holds its shape and can also be grilled, pan-fried, barbecued or deep-fried.

PARAFFIN

Many cheeses, particularly those destined for export markets, are coated with a paraffin wax to protect the cheese. Edam, covered in

bright red wax, is probably the bestknown.

PARMIGIANO REGGIANO or PARMESAN CHEESE

Parmigiano-Reggiano is a hard-textured cheese that is cooked but not pressed. It has been described by connoisseurs as the King of Cheeses (and wine collectors enjoy it with big wines like Barolos and Barbarescos). It is made from raw cow’s milk that ispartially skimmed by gravity.

 

Aging wheels of Parmigiano Reggiano. Photo courtesy of Wikipedia.org.

Traditionally, cows have to be fed only on grass or hay. The cheeseis aged an averageof two years. The name is trademarked, and in Italy there is a legal exclusive control exercised by the Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese Consorzio over itsproduction and sales.

Each wheel of cheese must meet strict criteria early in the aging process, when the cheese is still soft and creamy, to merit the Consorzio’s official seal and be placed in storage for aging. Cheese

which fails to meet these criteria is removed. The whey, which is a by-product of cheese making, is fed to the pigs that produce Prosciutto di Parma. Parmigiano-Reggiano is a D.O.P. protected trade name. Parmigiano-style cheeses that are made outside of the Emilia-Romagna and Lombardy regions of Italy, and outside the jurisdiction of the Consorzio, anywhere in the world, are called Parmesan. Read more aboutParmigiano-Reggiano.

PASTA FILATA CHEESES

Pasta filata, or spun paste, refers toa family of cheeses, mostly Italian, that are cooked and kneaded, or

 

Mozzarella being“spun.” Photo courtesy of Wisconsin milk Marketing Board.

“spun.” The cheeses range fromvery fresh to hardgrating cheeses, and include mozzarella, provolone and scamorza. 

PASTE or PÂTÉ

The interior body (non-rind portion)of the cheese. It is described by its texture, density, and color. When milk is too low in betacarotene, producing pale cheese, the

 

vegetable dye annatto can be added to the curdsto give the paste more color.

Cowgirl Creamery’sMt. Tam has a light gold, semisoft paste with eyes.

PRESSED, UNCOOKED CHEESES

One of the largest groups of cheeses, pressed, uncooked cheesescomprise hard and semi-hard cheeses. Thus, the pastes are

 

Cheddar is an example of a pressed,

generally semi-firm to firm.The most commonly recognized namesin this categoryare Cheddar and Colby in hard cheese and Double-Gloucester, Edamand Gouda in semi-hard cheese. The curds are pressed to dispel the maximum amount of whey and lengthen the cheeses’ shelf life, since, before

uncooked cheese. This English TuftonCheddar is available at iGourmet.

refrigeration and easy transport, the cheese needed tobe sturdy enoughto travel to market.

PROCESSED CHEESES

These are cheese by-products made from a combinationof natural cheese and added ingredients, such as stabilizers, emulsifiers and flavor enhancers. The objective is not to create artisan cheese,

 

American cheesephotocourtesy of BuyCheeses.com.

but a consistent and shelf-stable product for mass market consumption. Cheeses in this category include American cheese, processed cheese spreads and “cheese flavored” spreads. Velveeta,a popular product for nachos, doesn’t even have enough cheese by-product to qualityas a processed cheese: It is a “cheese food.”

PRONOUNCED

A descriptive term for a cheese’s aroma or flavor.

PROVOLONE

A spun cheese of the Italian pasta filata group, which also includes mozzarella and scamorza. It is often found on antipasto plates. Provolone, meaninglarge provola, is a semi-hard cow’s milk cheese that varies in flavor from mild Provolone Dolce toaged, sharp Provolone Piccante.

 

Provolone. Photo courtesy Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board.

Provolone is made in unusual shapes.the most common isthe salami shape shown at right, but it is also made in the shape of a watermelon, bottle pear and cone.

QUARKQuark is a soft, unripened (fresh) cow’s milk cheese with a consistency and flavor similar to triple-strained Greek yogurt. It has approximately the same amount of calories, but a richer flavor, thanlowfat sour cream. Quark is the Germanword for curds; curds are coagulated milk. Some definitions translate it as “cottage cheese”; however, American and German quark donot resemble what

 

Quark from Vermont Butter& Cheese Company. Read our full review.

Americans known as cottage cheese, which has recognizable curds.As the curd for each type of cheeseis a different shape, size and texture (the curd for Gouda is much different than the curd Cheddar or that for cottage cheese, for example), with quark, the curd consistency is smooth, like curdled milk. Quark, which is produced all over Central Europe, is whipped

before packaging. In the U.S. it is made by a handful of artisan dairies and can be found inwhole milk, 2% and fat-free versions.

Quark can be eaten like yogurt, plain or blended with fruit or jam; in Germany it is mixed with chives as a bread spread. It is also a common ingredient in filled pastries, savory and sweet sauces, spreads, soufflés, cheesecakes and mousses. Quark is so popular in Germany that it accounts for almost half of that country’s total cheese production—the average German eats about 10 pounds of quark a year. If you’re confused because quark seems similar to fromage blanc, the two are virtually identical. In

different parts of Europe, quark is also known as koarg, kwark, qwark, quarg, twarog, saurmilchquark, speisequark and fromage frais.

RAW MILK CHEESES

Pasteurization kills many of the natural enzymes and good bacteria in the milk which create flavor complexity, which is why many connoisseurs prefer raw milk (unpasteurized) cheeses. However, despite modern sanitation, raw milk may still harbor a host of disease-causing

 

Jasper Hill Farm’s raw milk cheeses are aged

60 days or more,enabling them tobe sold in the U.S.

organisms (pathogens), including listeriaand salmonella. A small number Americans become ill each year fromraw milk-related causes (and in thepast, there have been periodic related fatalitiesin Europe). Thus, the sale of raw milk cheeses is not allowed in theU.S., except thosewhich have been aged 60 days or longer.

Many small farmers feel that fresh milk from healthy animals, handled

in a responsible manner and used immediately, does not require pasteurization. They drink their ownmilk raw, because it is far more flavorful, as do their customers, who purchase it at the farm (while it is not legal to distribute raw milk in the U.S., it is possible to purchase raw milk if you bring your own container to the dairy). The decision to drink raw milk or eat raw milk cheese is a personal one, analogous to eating any potentially microbe-carrying raw food, like sushi or steak tartare.

RENNET

Rennet is a coagulating enzymethat is added to milk as the first step in making cheese. Used to

 

The traditional source of

curdle milk, it causes clumps (curds) to form and separate from the liquid (whey).Rennet is added after the culturesand is also integral to the final flavor of the cheese, including the release of peptides, which play an important role in cheese maturation. The traditional sourceof rennet is the abomasum (fourth stomach or rennet stomach) of slaughtered, milk-

rennet, calf stomachs, has been largely replaced by rennet made frommodified yeast or bacteria.

fed new-born calves or other young ruminants. It is also possible to produce rennet from fungi.

Today, most commercial rennet is made from genetically modified yeastor bacteria, allowing the productionof cheese that is considered vegetarian. This rennet is both lessexpensive and thought to yield greater consistency in cheese quality than traditional animal rennet.

rBST or rBGH

Recombinant bovine somatotropin (rBST), also called rBGH (recombinant bovine growth hormone), is a growth hormone used

to increase milk production in cows. It has been sold in the United States since 1994 and is controversial because it can cause health problems in cows. According to a 2002 survey by the Department of Agriculture, rBST is used in 22%of the nation’s dairy cows. Many health-conscious consumers prefer not to consume dairy products from rBST-treated cows. Currently there is no test that can distinguish between milk from rBST-treated and untreated cows. Controlling the source of the milk is the key to guaranteeing that dairy products are rBST-free. Farmers who do not treat their herds generally label their products ”rBST-free.”

RICOTTAActually not a cheese but a by-product of cheese-making. With many cheeses, an enzyme, rennet, isused to coagulate the milk, but the whey proteins (albuminous proteins) don’t coagulate. This milky-colored wheyis drained and then heated a second time and curdled with vinegar; ricotta is produced from the curds that precipitate from those proteins.

 

Ricotta from Mozzarella Fresca, a NIBBLETop Pick Of The Week. Photo by Claire Freierman| THE NIBBLE.

Ricotta means “re-cooked,” referringto the second boiling of the milk. Read more about ricotta.

RINDThe protective external surface of acheese. Rinds can be natural or artificially created, thick or thin,hard or soft, washed, oiled, brushedor paraffinned. Its prime role is toprotect the cheese’s interior and allow it to ripen and develop harmoniously. Its presence affects the final flavor of the interior of the cheese.

RIPENING

Except for fresh cheeses, the majority of cheeses are ripened in a ripening cellar orspecial storage room. Cheesemakersoften put their cheeses in a drying room to speed up the maturation. The ripening cellar may be humid and warm or relativelycool: temperature,humidity, and the natural movement of air are all critical to the ripening process. While temperatures

 

Cheeses ripening at Farmersville Cheeses in New Jersey.

can range from 32°F to 77°F, mostcheeses are ripened between 46°F and 60°F withvery high humidity—often close to 100%. During maturation, the cheese dispels liquids; and flavor components develop more complexity. Some cheeses get washedevery two to threedays to inspire surface bacteria; some grow molds onthe outside; others, like cloth-bound cheeses, simply

get turned and wiped down every few days.

SEMI-HARD CHEESE

A classification of cheese based upon body. The descriptions semi-hard and hard refer mainly to moisture content, not to texture. The cheeses in this category actually include abroad range of textures, from semi-firm to very firm and from cheeses that are only weeks old to those aged up to several months or more. Because these cheeses contain less moisture than the

 

Semi-soft cheeses. Photo courtesy Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board.

soft and soft-ripened types, they hold their shape much better.Examples include young Asiago, Cheddar, Colby, Edam, Fontinella, aged Gouda, Manchego, Provolone and Queso Blanco. The difference betweensemi-hard and semi-soft cheese is one of moisture: Semi-soft cheese contains more than45% water, while semi-hard cheeses contain 30% to 45%. A cheese can

start as semi-soft, then move tosemi-hard via aging, which evaporates the moisture.  

SEMI-SOFT CHEESE Semi-soft cheeses include Asadero, brick, Butter Käse, some crottins, Edam, some Fontina, Gorgonzola, young Gouda, Havarti, Limburger, some Monterey Jack, Muenster, young  Provolone, Teleme,some Tilsit and Roquefort. Both

 

Semi-soft cheeses. Photo courtesy Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board.

semi-hard and semi-soft cheeses can also belong toother categories; for example, Bloomy Rind cheeseor Surface Ripenedcheese.

SHARPSharp is a descriptive flavorterm, referring tothe fully developed flavor of aged cheeses, such as traditional Cheddar and Parmigiano-Reggiano. The flavor is actuallysharp and biting, but not

excessively so. The more the cheese is aged, the sharper the flavor becomes.

 

SILKY or SATINY These texture descriptors refer to the mouthfeel of soft cheeses. They can be spreadable or sliced cheeses like a ripe Brie or Camembert.

SKIMMINGThe removal of fat content from the milk. When part or all of the cream has been removed from milk, the milkis referred to as skimmed (although the more popular consumer term is now fat free). Cheeses made from skimmed milk generally have less fat; some (but not all) remain quiteflavorful. Skimmed milk cheeses have

less than 20% fat, semi-fat cheeses have 20% to 41% fat, and whole milk fat cheeses have 42% or more fat content.

SOFT-FRESH CHEESE Also called fresh cheese, a categoryof cheeses with high moisture content that are typically direct set with the addition of lactic acidcultures. Cheeses in this category include Cottage Cheese, Cream Cheese, Feta, Mascarpone, and Neufchatel, Ricotta and Queso Blanco. These cheeses must be consumed quickly; they are not made to age.

SOFT-RIPENED CHEESE or SEMI-SOFT CHEESE

Cheeses in this category span a wide variety, all made with whole milk, and melt well when cooked. They include Blue Cheeses, Brick, Fontina, Havarti, Monterey Jack and Muenster. Bloomy-rind examples include Brie, Camembert, St. Andre and Teleme. Soft-ripened cheeses are uncooked, unpressed cheese, which, as a result, are creamyor even runny whenfully ripe. They

 

Soft-ripened cheeses. Photo courtesy Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board.

ripen from the outside in, and have been allowed to mature to various degrees. Some soft-ripened cheeses ripen (or age) inside of a fluffy white rind (see bloomy rind cheeses) and become softer and creamier as they age. The rind is edible and is produced by spraying the surface of the cheese with Penicillium candidum. Other soft cheeses may have a reddish

washed rind or no rind. All cheeses in this category have a high moisture content. Mild when young, they usually develop a fuller, more mature flavor as they age.

SMOKED CHEESE Cheeses can be placed in a smokerto add a layer of smoked flavor. Examples include Gouda, Idiazabal, a handmade, unpasteurized sheep's milk cheese from the Spanish Pyrenees; and Rauchkäse, a smoked cheese fromBavaria. Any cheese can be smoked—from a

 

Regular Gouda (red wax)and smoked Gouda. Photo courtesy Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board.

fresh cheese like mozzarella, a Cheddar or a blue cheese. One of ourfavorite smoked cheeses is Rogue Creamery’s Smokey Blue, a smoked version of its Oregon Blue.

STARTER CULTUREAlso called a “friendly” culture, starter cultures are addedto milk at the start of the cheesemaking process. The cultures change the lactose or milk sugar, the carbohydrate in

milk, into lactic acid. This equalizes the pH so the milk protein will form curds when the rennet is added. The cultures used by the cheesemakerare a closely guarded secret as they contribute tothe distinct qualities of each cheese.

 

STRACCHINOStracchino is a type of Italian cow’s-milk cheese, about 50% milkfat, found in the Italian regionof Lombardy. (Stracchino Crescenza has a somewhat higher milk fat

content and a slightly creamier texture.) Eaten very young (i.e., minimally aged), it has a soft, creamy texture and a mild and delicate flavor—not unlike American cream cheese, but slightly more acidic. It is sold in a square or rectangular form. Stracchino can be used on pizza, in risotto, on focaccia, baked, or drizzled with honey for dessert. The name derives from the Italian word stracca, which means “tired.” The belief is that the milk from tired cows is richer in fats and more acidic; according to legend, these qualities were discovered in the milk of “tired” cows that were moved up and down theAlps to different pastures. Gorgonzola is in the stracchino family, but aged.

STRONGA cheese with a penetrating aroma and flavor.

SUPPLEA descriptive termdescribing a cheese’s texture, e.g., firm but nothard; pliable and resilient. Fontinais an example.

SURFACE RIPENEDA cheese that ripens from the exterior when a special bacteria, mold or yeast is applied to the surface. Bloomy-rind cheeses, likeBrie and Camembert, and washed-rind cheeses, such as Pont L’Eveque and Taleggio, are

 

Surface-ripenedcheeses. Photo courtesy Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board.

surface-ripened.

SWISS CHEESE

Swiss cheese is the generic name used in the UnitedStates for severalrelated varieties of cheese, originally made inSwitzerland. Emmentaler is the cheese Americans think of as the generic Swiss cheese. While Americans believe that Swiss cheese has holes, properly known as eyes, not all kinds of Swiss

 

Tilsiter is a semi-hard Swisscheese. This Tilsiter is available at iGourmet.

cheese do.* There are 450 known Swiss cheeses, classified into five categories: extra-hard, hard, semi-hard, semi-soft and soft. Cow’s milk is usedin 99% of the cheeses produced. The categories of Swiss cheese include:

Extra-Hard: Sbrinz Hard: Emmentaler (or Emmenthaler or Emmental), Gruyère/Greyerzer, Sapsago, Vacherin Fribourgeois

Semi-Hard: Appenzeller, Bündner Bergkäse, Mutschli, Raclette cheese, Tête de Moine, Tilsiter

Semi-Soft: Vacherin Mont d’Or Soft: Gala

*Three types of bacteria are used inthe production of Emmentaler cheese:Streptococcus thermophilis, Lactobacillus, and Propionibacter shermani. In a late stage of cheese production, P. shermani consumes the lactic acid excreted bythe other bacteria, and releases carbon dioxide gas. This forms the bubbles that appear to be “holes” when the cheese is sliced. The cheese industry calls these holes ortunnels “eyes.” Swiss cheese withouteyes is known as “blind.”

TOME or TOMME

A name for a small or medium-size rustic wheel or mountain cheese. Theterm originated in the Haute Savoie region of France (the French Alps). Tommes are typicallyproduced from the skimmed milk left over after the creamhas been removed to produce butter and richer cheeses (or when there is too little milk to produce a regular cheese). As a result, they are generally lower in fat than other cheeses. Tommes are

The best-knowntomme is Tommede Savoie, a simple and robust cheese known for its exceptional quality. the Savoie (Savoy)department in the French Alps. Enjoy itwith sausages,fruit, bread and Rhone wine. Available at iGourmet.com.

usually identified by their place of origin: Tomme de Beaujolais, Tomme deSavoie etc. In the Haute Savoie, the word tomme also implies that a cheese is made from the milk of more than one herd.

TRIPLE-CRÈME CHEESES

Cream is added to the milk to create the richest, most buttery group of cheeses. Triple crèmes are a type ofbloomy rind cheese and also are aged about two weeks. In

You can taste the creaminessof this

order to qualify as a triple-créme, the cheeses must have more than 72% butterfat content, which provides the smooth texture. As with other cheeses that have short aging periods, the flavors are mild andthe aromas are subtle. Examples include Brillat-Savarin, Explorateurand St. André. This group of cheeses pairs well with Champagne and other sparkling wines.

Brillat-Savarin, just by looking at the photo. It’s great with Champagne. Available at iGourmet.com.

TYROSINESThese small, crunchy white crystals are a crystallization of the amino acid, tyrosine, a result of the breakdown of casein (the main protein in milk) as the cheese ripens. They’re perfectly fine to consume—in fact, some people purchase tyrosine supplements, whichare believed to reduce stress and help sleep. Certain aged cheeses, like Gouda, Gruyère, Parmigiano-Reggiano and Piave Vecchio, will have a preponderance of them. Most cheese lovers consider the crunchy texture one of the delights of the cheese.  

TUROPHILEA lover of cheese. The word comes from the Greek words for cheese, tyros, and lover, philos. The love of cheese is turophilia.

ULTRA-PASTEURIZEDThe process of super-heating milk or cream to 275°F for 4 to15 seconds. Also referred to as UHT. While this keeps the product fresher for a longer period of time, ultra-pasteurized cream is not best for whipping.

VEGETARIAN CHEESE A cheese that is not made with rennet. Rennet, a dried extract of the rennet membrane of a calf, is used to curdle the milk inthe cheese making process. Animal products are not eaten by vegetarians. Vegetarian cheeseslike paneer are curdled with lemonjuice, other food acids or vegetable“rennets.”

WASHED CURDDuring the cookingprocess, half of

 

Gouda, a washed curd cheese, is available at iGourmet.

the whey is removed and replaced with water at the same temperature to speed up the shrinking process (syneresis).  Examples include Edam and Gouda.

WASHED RIND CHEESESWashed rind cheeses are surface-ripened bywashing and brushing the cheese throughout the ripening/agingprocess with brine, beer, wine,brandy, a mixture

 

Epoisses, a divinely creamy and pungent cheese. If you like this style,also try Stinking Bishop.

of these ingredients or anyother interesting liquid that will impart flavor and create a differentchemical balance for the growth of the bacteria, Breyibacterium linens, which ripens from the outside in by breaking down the proteins and fats inside. The rind is cleaned and brushed off, whichcauses the cheese to age more quickly, enhancingthe flavor and acidity of the cheese and

Both are available at iGourmet.

creating a bolder,more noticeable tang.

Washed rind cheeses also are called red surface bacteria cheeses, thoughthe colors range from light pink to orange to brown. The tint is from the B. linens, which covers the cheese,but the color also can be faked withannatto. The longer the cheeses are left to ripen, the stronger the aroma, which is the inspiration behind the phrase, “It is not cheesethat smells of feet, it is feet thatsmell of cheese.” Most of the aromatics will ripen into soft, pungent cheeses; however, some aromatics are firm cheeses that willnever go soft. The most infamous of this group is the brandy-washed French classic, Epoisses (see photo above). Other examples include

Livarot, Munster, Prattigau, Pont L’Eveque, Saint Nectaire, Stinking Bishop and Taleggio. The aging period usually ranges from 6 to 8 weeks, and the cheeses have a shelf life of 5 to 6 weeks.

WHEY

Whey is the liquidportion of milk, after the solids (protein and fat) have been extracted. The solids become curds when an acid(vinegar, lemon juice) or enzymes are added. Whey isa high acidity by-product; the more whey that is removed during

 

Whey. Photo courtesy of Oregon State University.

production, the drier the cheese will be. Whey is reheated to make ricotta cheese (ricotta means re-cooked) and is used to make the Norwegian goat cheese, gjetost. The by-product is used to add nutrients to animal feed, make high protein drinks, infant formula, and bakery products.

When Little Miss Muffet was sitting on her tuffet eating her curds and whey, she was eating cottage cheese,which contains a good deal of whey.

A hard, dry cheese like Parmesan, onthe other hand, contains very littlewhey. See also curds.  

WHEY CHEESEWhen milk is renneted and sets, it becomes curds, the solids; and whey becomes the liquid.  This liquid contains a percentage of the albuminous proteinsthat were in the milk from the startbut which the rennet didn’t capture in the curd. The method ofcapturing this leftover protein is

 

Fresh ricotta from Mozzarella Fresca, a NIBBLETop Pick Of The Week. Read our review.

with high heat and an acid, like vinegar. The protein coagulates at about 175°F withthe addition of acid (vinegar or other), into a verylight mass creatingthe great fresh cheese, ricotta. Examples include ricotta and gjetost.