Guide to Cheese

There are literally hundreds of different types of cheese,  all varying in style, flavour and texture - who would have ever thought that there would be so many ways to classify a bacterial process?  The variety of cheese created depends not only on the origin of the milk used (for example cow, sheep or goat), the animal's diet and whether or not the milk was pasteurized, but also on butterfat content, the species of bacteria and the processing and aging - and that's not even taking flavoured versions into account!  Cheese has certainly become a way of life for some, but if you don't yet fit into that elite group, there is still time to learn!

Cheese is usually made by souring milk and adding rennet (digestive enzymes that are usually extracted from the fourth stomach chamber of calves) to separate the milk into solid curds and liquid whey.  Unless you're like Little Miss Muffet and on a soft cheese  aficionado, the whey is drained and the curd can be heated, stretched, cheddared or washed to produce different types of cheese.  Certain varieties also require an aging period that can last from a few days to several years.  This period causes the cheese's texture to change and the flavours to intensify.

Types of Cheese

Fresh and Mild Cheese These are the unripened cheeses resulting after the initial separation of curds and whey.  Since they are so mild, fruit or spices are often added; this helps preserve and neutralize the cheese as well as adds flavour. Mozzarella  Chèvre  Robiola	Blue Cheese Blue cheese can be made from cow, sheep or goat milk; moulds are then added to produce the characteristically blue veins.  Cheeses are then pierced with needles to allow air inside for maximum bluing.  Beware: you'll love it or hate it. Fourme d'Ambert  Roquefort  Gorgonzola	Stinky Cheese Epoisses de Bourgogne  may have been banned from the French public transport system, but Pont l'Evêque  and Camembert de Normandie  are still fair game for now.  Remember: their bark is so much worse than their bite. Langres  Livarot  Morbier	Soft Cheese Soft cheeses are only a month or two old - at this time, evaporation of water is at a minimum so the cheese is not hard, but the ripening process has imparted all sorts of tastiness.  The best of both worlds! Brie  Crottin  Saint Marcellin	Hard Cheese Hard cheese should be worthy of so much more than just grating.  These are usually aged for a number of years and therefore are intensely flavoured.  The next time you prepare a tasty plate, make sure to have one of these: Berkswell  Isle of Mull Cheddar  Pecorino

World Cheeses

United Kingdom British cheeses  have seen resurgence in recent years and fine versions can now be found here and abroad. Cheddar  Stilton  Wensleydale	France France has produced more types of cheese  than any other country.  Here's some fromage to get you started: Chaource  Emmental  Neufchâtel	Spain Variations in climate and geography mean there are a number of wonderful Spanish cheeses  to sample. Manchego  Tetilla  Valdeon	Italy Italian cheeses  are world-renowned for enhancing dishes, but they hold up superbly on their own too. Caprino  Fontina  Stracchino	The Netherlands  As the world's largest exporter of cheese, there's a good reason the Dutch  are called Cheese-heads. Edam  Gouda  Maasdam

 

Vegetarian and Vegan Alternatives

Vegetarian cheeses are not made with animal-produced rennet but with a fungal-based substitute.  Vegan cheeses use no animal by-product whatsoever and are usually soy- or almond-based.  See the external links below for links to informational pages.

Vegan/Dairy-free Sheese  Vegerella	Vegetarian/Rennetless Quark  Babybel

Related Guides

Mozzarella di Bufala Guide	Red Wine Guide	White Wine Guide	Food and Wine Matching Guide	Graters Guide

 

External Links

• Wikipedia.org: All about cheese and its history.
• Cheese.com: The self-proclaimed #1 resource for cheese.
• ArtisanalCheese.com: A guide to the different types of cheeses.
• JoyousLiving.com: A list of vegetarian cheeses.
• VegProductsGuide.com: Vegan cheese alternatives.