Cheeses

Romano

A cheese that is similar to Parmesan but softer a grating in texture. It was first made in the vicinity of Rome from sheep milk.

Ricotta.

A creamy fresh cheese that looks similar to cottage cheese but is made from the whey of other cheeses instead of primarily from milk.

Brie.

A creamy, white soft cheese with a strong odor and a sharp taste. It originated in France but is now made in many countries.

Asiago

A grating cheese with a nutty, toastlike flavor. High-quality

Cheshire

A hard cheese and is the oldest of the English- named cheeses.

Provolone

A hard cheese with an elastic texture and a mild to sharp taste depending on the age

Havarti

a Danish, semisoft dry-rind cheese made from cow milk and has a buttery, somewhat sharp flavor. It is aged for approximately three months. During the aging process, it develops very small holes, similar to those of Swiss cheese, but smaller.

Processed Cheeses.

a blend of fresh and aged natural cheeses that are heated and melted together. The result is a cheese product that can be packaged in just about any shape or size and is uniform in flavor and texture.

Semisoft Cheeses

a cheese that is firmer than a soft cheese but not as hard as a hard cheese.

Cold-Pack Cheeses.

a creamy cheese product made by blending natural cheeses without the addition of heat.

hard cheese

a firm, somewhat pliable and supple cheese with a slightly dry texture and buttery flavor.

Chèvre.

a fresh cheese made from goat milk. available in textures ranging from soft to firm, the soft, fresh varieties are most popular.

Feta.

a fresh cheese of Greek origin made from sheep milk or goat milk. slightly cured for a period that can range from a few days to four weeks. It has a salty taste and, when aged for a long period, becomes very salty and dry.

Parmesan

a grating cheese that originated in Parma, Italy, is extremely hard, has a granular texture, and can keep indefinitely when produced properly.

Gruyère

a hard cheese that is similar in texture to Emmentaler but has a sharper flavor.

Manchego

a hard cheese with a tangy, slightly salty favor and is produced from sheep milk in the La Mancha region of Spain.

Grating Cheeses

a hard, crumbly, dry cheese grated or shaved onto food prior to service.

Bel paese

a lightly colored, semisoft dry-rind cheese with a buttery flavor that melts easily. It originated in Italy but is now produced in both Italy and the United States. It is allowed to mature for nearly eight weeks. It can be substituted for mozzarella.

Cottage Cheese.

a pebble-shaped fresh cheese with a mildly sour taste. marketed in different varieties including small curd, large curd, flake curd, home-style, and whipped.

Cheese Products

a processed food made of natural cheeses that may include additional ingredients such as emulsifiers.

Waxed-Rind Cheeses.

a semisoft cheese produced by dipping a wheel of frsh made cheese into a liquid wax and allowing the wax to harden. The cheese ripens while encased in the wax.

Monterey Jack

a semisoft dry-rind cheese that has a smooth texture, a creamy white color, and a mild taste. If it is aged for a long period of time becomes harder in texture and zestier in flavor.

Camembert.

a soft cheese made from cow milk and has a yellow color and a waxy, creamy consistency.

Neufchâtel.

a soft, fresh cheese made from whole or skim milk or a mixture of milk and cream. similar to cream cheese, but has more moisture and less fat.

Cream Cheese.

a soft, fresh cheese with a rich, mild flavor It is made from cream or a mixture of cream and milk.

Mozzarella.

a very tender fresh cheese with a soft, elastic-like curd. primarily made from cow milk.

Brick cheese

a washed-rind semisoft cheese made from cow milk. has a mild, sweet flavor and a texture that is firm, yet elastic, with many small holes.

Muenster

a washed-rind semisoft cheese with a flavor between that of brick cheese and Limburger. It was first produced in the vicinity of Munster, Germany.

Edam

a waxed-rind semisoft cheese made from cow milk and has a firm, crumbly texture.

Gouda.

a waxed-rind semisoft cheese that is similar to Edam but of contains more fat. It also originated in the Netherlands.

Soft Cheeses

also known as a rind-ripened cheese, is a cheese that has been sprayed with a harmless live mold to produce a thin skin or rind.

Stilton.

blue-veined cheese made from cow milk with a flavor that is milder than Roquefort or Gorgonzola.

Roquefort

blue-veined cheese made from sheep milk and is characterized by a sharp, tangy flavor.

Gorgonzola

blue-veined cheese that is mottled with blue-green veins.

blue-veined cheese

cheese produced by inserting harmless live mold spores into the center of the ripening cheese with a needle.

Mascarpone.

cream cheese of Italian origin that has a smooth texture, is white or pale yellow in color, and has a buttery, somewhat sweet flavor.

Cheddar

hard, aged cheese that is yellow or white and ranges in taste from mild to sharp.

Processed Cheese Food.

is a cheese-based product that may contain as little as 51 % cheese . The remaining 49 % is made of dairy or nondairy products, including emulsifiers.

Baker's Cheese.

is a fresh cheese made from skim milk that is like cottage cheese but softer and finer grained.

Dry-Rind Cheeses.

is a semisoft cheese that is allowed to ripen through exposure to air. The air dries out the exterior, producing a dry, almost woody rind. Although the rind becomes hard and dry, the interior of the cheese remains tender and smooth.

Washed-Rind cheese

is a semisoft cheese with an exterior rind that is washed with a brine, wine, olive oil, nut oil, or fruit juice.

Port Salut

is a washed-rind semisoft cheese that has a soft, smooth, orange-colored rind and a glossy, ivory-colored interior. Its flavor can range of the cheese. from mellow to robust, depending on the age

Limburger.

is a washed-rind semisoft cheese with a strong aroma and flavor. Limburger cheese was first marketed in Limburg, Belgium.

Swiss cheese

the name used to describe varieties of hard cheeses with large holes, also known as eyes.

Fontina.

waxed-rind semisoft cheese made from cow milk. It has been produced in the Alps since the 12th century.