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Aligot
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(Tomme Fraîche) A rindless fresh cheese with a
white, spongy, elastic, non-salted pâte. It is
often used in cooking. |
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Alpkäse
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The 'Alp' refers to the German/Austrian Alps
where this cheese originated. It's a kind of
Emmenthal, and when it matures it develops tiny
holes called 'teardrops'. As with most hard or
semi-hard cheeses, the older it gets, the more
flavoursome it becomes. |
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AOC
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(See PDO) Appellation d'Origine Controlee
(France). AOC has recently been replaced by AOP. |
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AOP
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(See PDO) Appellation d'Origine Protégé (France)
- replaces the former system of AOC. |
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Appenzell
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A Swiss cheese with a golden-brown rind made
from unpasteurised cow's milk (45% fat content).
This compressed cooked cheese has holes and is
very firm without being hard or brittle. It must
be full-flavoured and tangy, but never pungent.
It can replace Gruyère in cooking. |
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Asiago
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Made in the Italian province of Vicenza, it is a
DOP cheese made from unpasteurised cow's milk
(although ewe's milk was originally used). There
are 3 types of Asiago: Asiago d'Allevo, which is
matured for 2-6 months and is hard, sharp and
primarily used for grating; Asiago Grasso Monte,
a medium, tangy cheese; and Asiago Pressato
which is a more common and commercial type of
Asiago made from pasteurised cow's milk and only
ripened for 20-40 days. The texture is rather
rubbery and the flavour is very mild. Asiago
loaves are often mistaken for American Cheddar
in appearance. |
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Bagnes
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A Swiss cheese made from cow's milk (45% fat
content); it is a cooked, pressed cheese with a
slightly rough brushed crust. Firm but springy
to the touch, it has a fruity flavour and is a
flat, round cheese. It is usually matured for 3
months but can be matured for 6 months which
makes it quite a strong cheese. |
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Banon
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A French cheese made from cow's, goat's or ewe's
milk (45% fat content), it has a soft texture a
natural crust and is a squat round shape. It is
presented wrapped in chestnut leaves steeped in
brandy and tied up with raffia. |
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Beaufort
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A French AOP cheese made from unpasteurised
cow's milk (at least 48% fat content) in the
province of Savoie in the French Alps. It is
cooked and then pressed until it is firm and
ivory-coloured with a natural brushed crust. It
is a round cheese without holes and has a
concave base and a fine fruity flavour. The best
cheeses are labeled Beaufort d'Alpage. |
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Bel Paese
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This unpressed, cooked and ripened cheese in
Melzo, Lombardy. It is creamy white or pale
yellow and is soft, buttery and elastic. It has
no holes and has a pleasant, tangy flavour. The
name means 'beautiful country'. Bel Paese is
matured for about 50 days and contains 48%-50%
fat. |
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Blue Cheese
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(Legally referred to as 'Blue Vein' in South
Africa) A good blue cheese is ivory or cream
coloured, firm and springy and rather fatty,
with evenly distributed light or dark green-blue
veins. The naturally formed crust may be rough
or smooth. Most distinguished are the French
ewe's-milk Roquefort, English Blue Stilton and
Italian Gorgonzola. |
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Bocconcini
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'little balls' of mozzarella. |
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Bougon
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A goat's milk cheese (46% fat content), soft
with a red-tinged crust. Made exclusively by the
cooperative of La Mothe-Bougon in Poitou,
Bourgon is a boxed round cheese. |
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Boulette d'Asvesnes
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A French cow's milk cheese (50% fat content)
made by mixing Maroilles (see below) cheese with
parsley, tarragon and spices. Its reddish crust
is washed in beer and the cheese is shaped into
a cone. It has a very strong piquant flavour. |
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Boulette de Cambrai
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A French cow's milk cheese with a soft smooth
pâte (45% fat content) shaped into a small ball.
It is not matured and has a milder flavour than
Boulette d'Avesnes. |
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Boursin
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Boursin is a double crème cheese due to its fat
content of at least 70%. It originates from
Normandie and is a fresh, soft, creamy cheese
with no rind. Garlic, herbs or black pepper are
often added, and they are sold in small boxes. |
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Bouton-de-Culotte
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A French goat's milk cheese that is classified
as a soft pâte cheese (40-45% fat content), but
is eaten when it is very dry and brittle. Shaped
like a truncated cone, with a greyish-brown
crust, it has a strong piquant flavour. |
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Brebiou
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Brebiou is a soft cheese with mixed rind, made
from sheep's milk. It has a characteristic
half-round form with an irregular surface that
is the result of traditional production
utilising large linen cloths. |
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Brick
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A cow's milk cheese (45% fat content) which
originated in Wisconsin in the United States. It
is made by pressing the cheese between 2 bricks
to give it a firmer texture. It has a natural
reddish rind (hopefully not from the bricks!)
and a firm but supple texture with numerous
small holes. The flavour is fairly pungent. |
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Bricquebec
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A French cow's milk cheese (45% fat content),
moulded uncooked and with a washed crust. It is
a flat disc and has a sweetish taste. |
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Brie
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A cow's milk cheese (45% fat content)
originating in the Île-de-France, which has a
soft texture and a crust that is springy to the
touch, covered in white down and tinted with
red. It is made in the shape of a disc - the
thinnest part of which is the most matured. The
body of the cheese is light yellow or golden
with a delicate flavour. The cheese ripens
quickly, and must be eaten before the flavour
and aroma become offensive. |
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Brillat-Savarin
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A cow's milk cheese from Normandy named after
the French author who said that 'a meal without
cheese is like a beautiful woman with only one
eye.' It has a soft triple crème pâte due to a
minimum of 75% fat content (great for the
hips!), a white downy crust and a mild flavour.
It is a disc-shaped cheese. |
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Broccio
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(Brocciu/Brucciu) A Corsican cheese made from
ewe's milk or goat's milk, with an oily texture
(45% fat content). It is generally eaten fresh,
but can be matured (demi-sec). |
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Brousse
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A French curd cheese (45% fat content) made in
Provence from either goat's or ewe's milk. It is
white, mild and creamy, unmatured and has no
crust. |
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Burrini
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A specialty from the very south of Italy - the
regions of Puglia and Calabria in particular.
Small, pear shaped cheeses of mild and
distinctive flavour are carefully molded around
a pat of sweet butter, which later will be
spread on bread and eaten with the cheese. These
cheeses are ripened for just a few weeks and for
export are usually dipped in wax or specially
packaged. This cheese is also sometimes called
Butirri, Burielli or Provole. |
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Cabécou
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A small soft French cheese (45% fat content)
from Quercy and Rouergue, made from a mixture of
ewe's milk and cow's milk. It is a fairly firm
ivory-white cheese with a fine bluish crust and
a nutty flavour. |
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Cabrales
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This DOP handmade blue cheese (45-48% fat
content) from northern Spain is made from a
mixture of unpastuerised goat's, ewe's or cow's
milk. It is produced in wheels and wrapped in
green foil. The pâte has intense purple veining
with a robust flavour and salty tang. |
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Cacetti
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These small cheeses are very similar to Burrini
but without the heart of butter. They are spun
curd cheeses, dipped in wax and hung by raffia
strands to ripen for about ten days. |
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Caciocavallo
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From southern Italy, today's caciocavallo comes
from cow's milk (as opposed to the original
mare's milk!) and has a mild, slightly salty
flavour and firm, smooth texture when young
(about 2 months). As it ages, the flavour
becomes more pungent and the texture more
granular, making it ideal for grating. It may be
purchased plain or smoked and comes in
string-tied gourd or spindle shapes. |
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Caciotta
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In Italy there are dozens of cheeses with this
name and they can be made from cow's, goat's or
sheep's milk. They are similar to the stracchino
cheeses: soft, white, mild and usually eaten
when very young. |
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Caerphilly
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A semi-hard pressed cow's milk cheese
traditionally made in Wales. The best cheeses
are farm-made (fermier) from unpasteurised milk.
The flavour is delicate but subtle, with a
lightly salty quality. |
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Caillebotte
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A cream cheese made from cow's milk (in Aunis
and Saintonge) or goat's milk (in Saintonge and
Poitou). |
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Camembert
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A very famous French cheese dating back to the
18th century. Camembert is a soft cheese (45-50%
fat content) made from cow's milk, pale yellow
in colour with a white furry skin speckled with
brown flecks. At the beginning of its ripening
Camembert is crumbly but it gets softer and
creamier over time (usually 2-3 weeks).
Mass-produced Camembert is made from pasteurised
skimmed milk to which pasteurised cream is
added. |
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Canestrato
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Traditionally made in central and southern Italy
from ewe's milk or a mixture of cow's and ewe's
milk. It is a semi-hard cheese and may be known
as Pecorino Canestrato or Pecorino Siciliana
(see 'Pecorino'). |
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Cantal
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(See Salers) A high-fat (45% fat content) cow's
milk cheese from the Auvergne region of France.
It is ivory in colour with a naturally darker
crust, a flexible finely granulated texture and
a sweet nutty flavour. Riper cheeses are a
little firmer and more highly flavoured. |
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Carré de l'est
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This cheese, which originates from Champagne and
Lorraine has a moist, sticky rind and an
uncooked, unpressed, soft and salty pâte. It is
sold in square boxes and is a mild cheese with a
white downy crust. |
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Cendré
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A cow's milk cheese produced in various French
regions. They are soft-centred and yellow in
colour, disk shaped and fairly firm to the
touch. They are matured in wooden boxes or pots
lined with ash and have a fairly strong flavour. |
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Chabichou (du Poitou)
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An AOP goat's milk cheese from Poitou - the most
important goat-breeding region in France. It has
a thin rind of white, yellow or blue mould and a
soft, even-textured pâte which becomes hard and
brittle when mature. They are usually in the
shape of a truncated cone but can be
cylindrical. Chabichou may be eaten fresh
(delicate and slightly sweet flavour) or mature
(fairly pronounced flavour and strong smell). |
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Chambarand
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An unpasteurised soft cow's milk cheese (45%
fat) from Dauphiné, lightly pressed and with a
natural washed crust. It is a small round cheese
with a light ochre colour and a mild, creamy
flavour. |
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Chaource
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A French cheese with 50% fat content made in the
Champagne and Burgundy regions from cow's milk.
It is an uncooked, unpressed cheese with a soft,
white, creamy pâte and a whitened crust. It is
cylindrical in shape. |
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Charolais
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A soft goat's milk cheese (45% fat content) from
Burgundy with a bluish natural crust. It is
cylindrical in shape and has a nutty flavour
more or less pronounced according to its
maturity. |
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Cheddar
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The most widely purchased and eaten cheese in
the world, Cheddar is an English cow's milk
cheese (45% butterfat) that originates from
Cheddar in Somerset. It has a compressed pâte
and a natural oily rind, wrapped in cloth. It is
firm to the touch and varies in colour from
white-yellow to orange-yellow. Young cheddar is
mild but it strengthens in flavour as it
matures. |
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Chèvre
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This is the French term for goat's milk cheeses.
The Loire Valley is the starting point in the
history of goat's milk cheeses in France, and
remains the most important area of production.
Within the Loire, Poitou is the most important
goat-breeding region and produces many different
goats milk cheeses. In France cheeses prepared
exclusively from goat's milk contain at least
45% butterfat. Mi-chèvre cheeses are made from a
mixture of cow's milk and goat's milk. |
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Chevrotin
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Meaning "little goat" it is related to Reblochon.
Chevrotin is produced in Savoy from raw goat's
milk and has a unique herbal flavour, which is
distinguishes it from goat cheeses of the Loire.
The cheese is produced by hand and ripened for
at least 3 weeks. It has recently been accepted
as an AOP cheese. |
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Coeur de Neufchâtel
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A soft cow's milk cheese (45% fat) from Normandy
with a red-tinged crust, white and downy. It is
a smooth, heart-shaped cheese with an
astringent, fruity flavour. |
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Colby
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An American hard pressed cow's milk cheese (45%
fat content) that is dyed a deep orange-yellow
as for American Cheddar, but is softer and more
open, with a mild flavour. Colby must be
consumed shortly after purchase or it will dry
out and lose its flavour. |
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Comté
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A cheese made from cow's milk (min 45% fat),
which is cooked and pressed. It is ivory-coloured
or pale yellow and has a natural brushed rind,
varying from golden yellow to brown. It is
matured for 3-6 months. Traditionally it should
have small 'eyes' or holes, a fruity flavour and
a strong bouquet. |
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Cottage Cheese
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A fresh cow's milk cheese with a soft, granular
consistency and an acid taste. It has a fat
content of between 4 and 8% and is therefore
synonymous with diets, celery sticks and general
deprivation. |
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Coulommiers
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A French cow's milk cheese (40-50% fat content)
with a soft pâte and a whitish rind. |
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Cremoulin
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A creamy soft cheese with a mixed rind. In both
taste and consistency, this cheese from the
Périgord is similar to Vacherin - but differs
from its relative from the Franche Comté as it
is available year-round. |
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Crescenza
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A rich, creamy, fresh cheese - also known as
Crescenza Stracchino - that is widely made in
Italy's regions of Lombardy, Piedmont and
Veneto. Its texture and flavour are similar to
that of a mild cream cheese, and it becomes very
soft and spreadable at room temperature.
Crescenza is made from uncooked cow's milk and
is sometimes blended with herbs. It doesn't age
well and, although not widely imported, can be
found in some specialty cheese shops. |
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Crottin de Chavignol
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(Chavignol) An AOP goat's milk cheese from the
Loire region. It is ready to eat after 2 weeks
of maturation, when the rind has a blueish hue
and the pâte becomes glossy. After 5 weeks the
cheese is dry and has shrunk, the smell is
strong and the pâte has a meaty texture with a
robust flavour. This is a ripe Crottin. |
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Curd
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When it coagulates, milk separates into a
semi-solid portion (curd) and a watery liquid
(whey - see below). Cheese is made from the
curd. |
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Danish Blue
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A Danish cow's milk cheese, blue with a whitish
rind. It has a strong and slightly piquant
flavour. |
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Demi-sel
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A soft French cheese made from pasteurised cow's
milk (40-45% fat content), with a mild flavour
and less than 2% added salt. It is sold in small
squares wrapped in foil and used as a cheese
spread. |
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Derby
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An English cheese made with cow's milk (45% fat
content). It is a firm, pressed, mild cheese
which resembles Cheddar, but is slightly flakier
and more moist. |
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DO
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(See PDO) Denominacion de Origen (Spain) |
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DOC
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(See PDO) Denominazione di Origine Controllata
(Italy) - has been replaced by DOP |
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Dolcelatte
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This is a smooth, creamy blue cheese, milder
than gorgonzola, and a registered trade name
meaning "sweet milk". It is a semi-soft cheese
(50% fat) that is made from cow's milk and
matured for about 40 days. |
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DOP
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(See PDO) Denominazione di Origine Protetta
(Italy) |
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Edam
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A Dutch cow's milk cheese (30-40% fat content)
in the shape of a large ball with a yellow or
red waxed coating. It is a semi-hard pressed
cheese, firm but elastic and free of holes.The
pâte is light yellow with a sweet nutty flavour,
to yellow-ochre and stronger in flavour
depending on the degree of maturity. |
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Edelpilz
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A German cow's milk cheese (55% fat content),
pale yellow and blue-veined with a natural
crust. It has a sweet flavour and a slight tang. |
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Emmental
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(Emmenthal) A Swiss unpasteurised cheese (45%
fat content) which is hard and ivory-coloured
with lots of large holes and a golden-yellow to
brown rind. It is matured for 6-12 months. |
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Époisses
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A soft French AOP unpasteurised cow's milk
cheese (45% fat content) with an orange washed
crust and a soft creamy inside. It has a very
strong flavour. |
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Esrom
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A semi-hard Danish cow's milk cheese made in
flat rectangular shapes and sold wrapped in
foil. The pale yellow pâte is supple with small
irregular holes. The flavour is quite rich and
aromatic and the mature cheese is quite spicy. |
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Excelsior
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A cow's milk cheese from Normandy (72% fat
content). The skin is white with brown markings
and the ivory-coloured pâte is soft, fine and
dense in texture, with a mellow, slightly nutty
flavour. |
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Explorateur
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Triple crème (75% fat content) soft cheese from
the Île-de-France made from enriched
unpasteurised cow's milk. It has a firm, very
creamy texture. |
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Feta
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The most famous of Greek cheeses. Salty and
sharp, Feta was originally made with either
ewe's milk or a mixture of ewe's and goat's
milk, but is now being mass-produced with
primarily cow's milk (although recent trends
have seen the return of goat's milk feta). The
drained curd is cut and salted, washed and
placed in barrels. The cheese is soaked in
brine, and ripens for 15-30 days. The harder,
crumbly version of Feta common in supermarkets
is aged for up to 3 months. |
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Fontainebleau
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A soft fresh cow's milk cheese (60-75% fat
content). It is not matured or salted, but
wrapped in muslin and sold in a small waxed
cardboard container. |
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Fontina
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Genuine Fontina comes from the Valle d'Aosta in
the most north west corner of Italy, it is a
cow's milk cheese (45% fat content), with a
pressed cooked centre and a brushed, sometimes
oiled crust. Elastic to the touch and with a few
small holes, it has a light yellow pâte and
tastes delicately nutty. It is ripened for about
3 months and each cheese is marked with a
picture of the Matterhorn. |
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Forme d'Ambert
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A semi-hard blue cheese (45% fat content) from
the Auvergne with a firm ivory pâte and a good
fruity flavour. It is cylindrical in shape and
has AOP status. |
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Fougeru
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A soft cow's milk cheese from Brie (45% fat
content) with a reddish crust. |
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Fourme
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Any of various cow's milk cheeses from central
France that usually contain parsley and are used
in the same way as blue cheese. Examples are
Fourme d'Amert (AOP) and Fourme du Mézenc. |
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Fromage Frais
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The French term for unripened fresh cheese. It
is made from whole or skimmed milk and has a
thick creamy consistency. Depending on its fat
content, it can be rich and creamy or very light
and slightly tangy in flavour. |
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Gammelöst
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A Norwegian semi-soft, yellowish-brown cheese
made from cow's or goat's milk. Its rind is
brown and becomes darker as it ages and it has a
strong, aromatic flavour. |
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Gaperon
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(Gapron) A cheese from the Auvergne region of
France made of skimmed cow's milk or buttermilk,
shaped like a ball flattened at one end. It is
compressed and flavoured with garlic and pepper. |
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Géromé
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A cow's milk cheese (45-50% fat content) made in
the Vosges and very similar to Munster. It is a
soft cheese with a washed reddish rind, it is
pliable to the touch and has a strong smell and
highly seasoned taste. It may be flavoured with
caraway seeds. |
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Gloucester
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There are two types of this hard English cheese:
Single Gloucester which is ripened in two
months, and Double Gloucester which is marketed
in six months and is the more flavourful and
prestigious of the two. |
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Gorgonzola
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(See 'Blue Cheese') A DOP Italian cow's milk
cheese (48% fat content), white or light yellow
and streaked with blue. Gorgonzola should be
delicate and creamy with a natural grey rind,
pitted with red. It is wrapped in silver paper. |
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Gouda
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A DOP Dutch cow's milk cheese (30-40% fat
content) with a compressed pâte. Firm to the
touch, it is light yellow to yellow ochre and is
matured for 2 or 3 months (waxed rind, tinged
with yellow or colourless), has been semi-oven
dried (golden rind) or oven dried (yellow rind).
Its flavour can be mellow or pronounced. |
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Grana Padano
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Cooked pressed DOP Italian cheese from the Po
Valley made from partly skimmed cow's milk (32%
fat content). It is similar to Parmigiano
Reggiano with a natural crust coated with oil.
It has a very hard, granular texture (hence the
name 'grana') and a smoky, slightly rancid
taste. It is often used grated in cooking. |
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Gratte Paille
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A rich cow's milk cheese (70% fat content) made
with both pasteurised and unpasteurised milk in
the Île-de-France. Made in brick shapes, the
cheese has a beige mottled rind and an oily
texture. The flavour is very rich and creamy. |
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Gris de Lille
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A soft cow's milk cheese from Flanders (45% fat
content), also called Puant Macéré and Vieux
Lille. It has a pale pinkish-grey washed rind,
and is matured by soaking in brine and washing
with beer. It has a highly seasoned, salty taste
and a very strong smell. |
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Gruviera/Groviera
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This Italian version of the Swiss Gruyère has a
sweet, nutty flavour that is very like the
original. It can be used in any manner suitable
for Gruyère. |
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Gruyère
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A Swiss or French cow's milk cheese (45% fat
content) with a firm but pliable texture and a
brushed and washed rind. It takes about 6 months
to mature and has a nutty flavour. It is
ivory-yellow or golden-brown in colour. |
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Haloumi
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(Halloumi/y) A Cyprian cooked cheese that is
matured in brine. Traditionally the cheese was
kneaded, rolled out and layered with mint leaves
or other herbs. It has a rubbery texture and
very mild, salty flavour (similar to feta) and
is usually sold in vacuum packed blocks. Haloumi
is good in salads and is often served deep-fried
as a starter. |
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Havarti
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Very close to the German Tilsit cheese in style. |
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Herve
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A Belgian AOP cow's milk cheese (45% fat
content). It is soft, close-textured, pliable
and cream-coloured, with a smooth pinkish-yellow
washed rind. It tastes mild and creamy after 6
weeks of ripening, but after 8 weeks the taste
becomes more pronounced. |
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Idiazabal
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Unpasteurised DOP sheep's milk cheese from the
Basque region of Spain. A cooked pressed cheese
(45-50% fat content) with a firm yellow-beige
pâte, tiny holes and a rich buttery flavour. Can
be smoked in natural wood smoke. |
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Jack
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A soft, mild American cheese which is matured
for 1 week. Dry Jack is aged for 7-10 months to
give a much sharper, nutty flavour. |
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Kefalotiri
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A well-flavoured ewe's milk cheese made
throughout Greece and Cyprus. A similar cheese
sold outside Greece is often made with cow's
milk and has a milder flavour. |
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Laguiole
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Similar in production and shape to Cantal and
Salers, Laguiole originates from Aubrac in
France. The cheese is uncooked and pressed
twice; it has a firm, yellow, semi-hard pâte and
a thick orange and white rind which darkens with
aging. |
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Lancashire
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An English cow's milk cheese (45% fat content)
which is pressed, uncooked and soft-bodied. |
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Langres
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An AOP cow's milk cheese (45% fat content) from
the Champagne area of France. It is a soft
cheese with a reddish-brown rind, a creamy
yellow pâte and a strong aroma and flavour. |
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Le Brouère
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Essentially a variation of French Gruyère, this
new cheese (45% fat content) is made in Alsace.
It has a light brown rind with a bright yellow
pâte; the flavour is sweet and buttery, with
nutty tones. |
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Leicester
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This brightly coloured English hard cheese used
to be made from surplus milk from the production
of Stilton Cheese. Leicester is made in a
similar fashion to Cheddar, and comes covered in
a hard, dry rind. As with Lancashire, the
factory version is mild, while homemade
Leicester is rich and deep in taste. |
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Leiden
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A Dutch cow's milk cheese (40% fat content)
flavoured with cumin seeds or cloves and with a
brushed, washed, waxy rind. It's mild flavour is
dominated by the spice used. |
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Levroux
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A French goat's milk cheese (45% fat content)
shaped like a truncated pyramid. It is similar
to Valençay in characteristics. |
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Limburg
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Originally a Belgian cow's milk cheese although
production has now largely been taken over by
German cheese makers. |
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Livarot
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Sounds like an alcohol induced disease, but is
actually a cow's milk cheese (40-45% fat
content) from Normandy. It has a soft, smooth
pâte and a washed, brownish-red rind,
traditionally tinted with annatto. It is left to
mature for 3-4 months in a damp cellar. It has a
distinctive but not overwhelming aroma, and a
full-bodied flavour. |
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Mâconnais
|
|
An unpasteurised goat's milk cheese from
Burgundy (40-45% fat content), with a fresh body
and natural bluish crust. It has a mildly goaty,
nutty flavour. |
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Mahon
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This semi-hard, pressed DOP cheese (40-45% fat
content) from Majorca is made from cow's milk.
They have a tangy, nutty flavour. |
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Manchego
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A DO Spanish cheese made from ewe's milk (40-45%
fat content), it is cylindrical and sold either
fresh or matured (2/3 months; 1 year or 2
years). It is a white cheese with small, evenly
distributed holes. The flavour is fairly mild
and nutty even when mature. |
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Maquèe
|
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Uncooked soft cream cheese from the Walloon area
of Belgium made from cow's milk. |
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Maredsous
|
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Pressed uncooked cow's milk cheese (45% fat
content) with a washed crust. It has a supple,
dense texture and a sweetish taste. |
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Mascableu
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Mascarpone and blue cheese combined in equal
quantities. |
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Mascarpone
|
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A soft, white fresh cream cheese from the
Lombardy region of southern Italy. It is made
from cream separated from milk, accounting for
its high fat content. The cream is heated,
citric acid is added, and the curd is stirred.
The clumps of curd are drained in cloth for 24
hours, then the cheese is whipped and packed in
tubs. |
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Mimolette Français
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A cow's milk cheese (45% fat content),
characterised by its orange colour and shaped
like a flattened ball. It is a compressed cheese
with a dry, hard grey or brown rind. It can be
matured up to 18 months, and depending on it's
maturity may be supple, dry or hard and flaky;
the nutty flavour of the young cheese gradually
becomes more piquant. |
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Montasio
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A DOP cheese from Italy's Veneto, it is made
from partially skimmed unpasteurised cow's milk.
It is cooked and pressed to give a firm pâte
with small holes throughout. It has a mild and
nutty flavour with a light tang. |
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Mont-d'Or
|
|
A French cheese made from goat's milk and/or
cow's milk (45% fat content). It is a soft
cheese with a crust which is slightly blue with
a hint of red. It is sold in small discs and has
a delicate flavour. |
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Morbier
|
|
A cow's milk cheese (45% fat content) with a
layer of ash (lovely!). The cheese is semi-soft
with a natural brushed rind and sweet flavour. |
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Mozzarella
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I'm sure this one needs little explanation but
some interesting facts nonetheless: It
originated in Latium and Campania in Italy and
is still made with buffalo's milk in these areas
but with cow's milk (40-45% fat content) in the
rest of Italy. Buffalo mozzarella has a more
delicate flavour. The ability to 'tear'
mozzarella indicates a high quality cheese. |
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Munster
|
|
An Alsatian cheese made from cow's milk (40-45%
fat content); it has a soft yellow pâte and a
washed straw/orange coloured rind. After
maturing for 2-3 months it has a strong smell
and a full-bodied flavour. |
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Nantais
|
|
A Breton cow's milk cheese made with pressed
curds (40% fat content). It has a smooth washed
rind. The pâte is springy to the touch, pale to
deep yellow and has a pronounced flavour. |
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Neufchâtel
|
|
A cow's milk cheese (45% fat content) with a
white, downy rind mottled with red and a soft,
smooth, creamy golden-yellow pâte. It has a mild
flavour and is sold in various shapes:
rectangular, square, cylindrical or
heart-shaped. |
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Niolo
|
|
A Corsican cheese made either from ewe's milk or
a mixture of ewe's and goat's milk (at least 45%
fat content). Niolo has a soft texture and a
natural greyish-white rind. |
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Olivet
|
|
A small, soft French cow's milk cheese (40% fat
content). The skin is either bluish or
ash-covered, and the cheese is straw-coloured,
with a fruity or spicy taste. |
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Olivet Cendré
|
|
Soft cow's milk cheese (40% fat content) with a
natural crust covered in ashes after being
ripened for 3 months in a container filled with
wood ash. It has a more pronounced, soapier
taste than Olivet. |
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Ossau-Iraty
|
|
A French ewe's milk cheese (at least 50% fat
content) with a creamy, yellow, lightly pressed
curd, a smooth orange-yellow to grey rind, and a
pronounced flavour. |
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Pannerone
|
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Panera is Italian for "cream," and Pannerone is
one of the creamiest cheeses available. It has a
smooth taste with a hint of bitter bite and is
sometimes mistaken for Gorgonzola due to its
shape; however, Pannerone does not have blue
veins. |
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Parmesan
|
|
Parmigiano Reggiano is the DOP Parmesan cheese.
It is made from skimmed cow's milk (28-32%
butterfat content) and is a hard cheese with a
granular consistency. It has a very fruity, even
piquant flavour. |
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Pasta Filata
|
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These types of cheeses have been stretched and
shaped by hand which accounts for their fine,
elastic texture. Examples are Provolone,
Mozzarella and Caciocavallo. |
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Pâte
|
|
(Paste) A French word that refers to all that is
within the rind or crust of a cheese. |
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PDO
|
|
The new Protection of Designated Origin for
cheese replaces systems such as AOC (France) and
DOC (Italy) |
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Pecorino
|
|
An Italian ewe's milk cheese. Pecorino is
hard-pressed with a yellow crust when mature.
Pecorino Romano is from Rome and is the best
known cheese. Pecorino Sardo is from Sardinia
and Pecorino Siciliano from Sicily. These
cheeses are generally aged up to a year, and
develop a brittle, hard texture and a yellowish
rind. Pecorino has a strong, salty flavour and
is used in the same way as Parmesan. Younger
cheeses are softer and whiter. |
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Pélardon
|
|
A small, goat's milk cheese from Cévennes (45%
fat content), with a soft white centre and a
very fine natural crust. |
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Persillé des Aravis
|
|
A soft cow's milk cheese (45% fat content) from
Savoie, with green veining and a natural crust.
It is a cylindrical cheese and has a spicy
flavour. |
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Petit-Suisse
|
|
A French cheese made with cow's milk enriched
with cream (60-70% fat content). It is a fresh
cheese, unsalted, smooth and soft. |
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Picodon
|
|
An AOP goat's milk cheese (45% fat content) with
a soft centre and a fine natural crust that is
bluish, golden or reddish, depending on the
ripeness of the cheese. Picodon has a strong or
nutty flavour. |
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Pierre-Qui-Vire
|
|
A soft cow's milk cheese (45% fat content) from
Burgundy with a reddish, washed crust. It tastes
similar to Époisses. |
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Pigouille
|
|
A soft cheese from Poitou made from sheep's,
goat's or cow's milk (45% fat content), lightly
crusted with mould. It is a small round cheese
with a mild, creamy flavour like Caillebotte. |
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Pithiviers
|
|
A cow's milk cheese from the Orléans area
(40-45% fat content) with a soft texture and a
greyish-white, furry crust. Ripened under a thin
layer of hay, it is a supple creamy-yellow
cheese when ripe with a strong flavour. |
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Pont-l'Évêque
|
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This is a real stinker but tastes milder than it
smells. Named after a town in Normandy, France
Pont-l'Évêque is a soft cow's milk cheese
(45-50% fat content). It has a slightly moldy
brown/pinkish rind; a soft, supple pâte (which
should not be runny); and is square or heart
shaped. It is also known as Moyaux cheese. |
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Port-Salut
|
|
Originally made by monks in Entrammes, France,
it is a cow's milk (45-50% fat content) cheese
which is pressed but not cooked and has a washed
crust. It has a soft, creamy texture and the
lactic bacteria used in its production gives the
cheese an acidity to complement its mild taste. |
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Pouligny-Saint-Pierre
|
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Also called Pyramid/e or Eiffel Tower because of
its pyramid shape. After 4 weeks of ripening the
brownish rind is dry with a natural, blue mould.
The pâte is very white and is fine-textured,
moist, soft and crumbly. It smells of goat's
milk and straw. |
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Pouligny-Saint-Pierre
|
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A goat's milk cheese from Berry (45% fat
content) with a smooth curd and a fine natural
rind with a bluish tinge. It is firm but smooth,
with a pronounced flavour, and is shaped like an
elongated pyramid. |
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Pourly
|
|
A goat's milk cheese from Burgundy (45% fat
content) with a soft curd and a natural rind,
which is fine and bluish. It is fairly smooth
with a flavour of hazelnuts and a goaty smell. |
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Provolone
|
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This southern Italian cow's milk-cheese has a
firm texture and a mild, smoky flavour. It has a
golden-brown rind and comes in various forms,
though the squat pear shape is most
recognizable. Most provolone is aged for 2 to 3
months and has a pale-yellow colour. However,
some are aged for 6 months to a year or more. As
the cheese ripens, the colour becomes a richer
yellow and the flavour more pronounced. It is an
excellent cooking cheese and aged provolones can
be used for grating. |
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Raclette
|
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This Savoie cheese may be either round or
square. The name derives from 'racler' meaning
to scrape, and describes the way in which it is
traditionallly prepared in the mountains (see
Culinary Glossary). Its pâte is slightly hard,
but melts well, with a light smell of mould when
warm and a full, milky flavour. It is aged for
at least eight weeks. |
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Reblochon
|
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A cow's milk cheese made in Savoy (50% fat
content), with a pressed uncooked curd and a
washed rind, yellow, pink or orange in colour.
It is very pliable, creamy and fine-textured,
with a sweet nutty taste. Reblochon means
"second milking": cow herdsmen would use the
last milk drawn from the cow (which is very rich
in fat) for their cheese making. This makes
Reblochon a more expensive cheese. |
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Remoudou
|
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A Belgian cow's milk cheese (45% fat content).
It has a soft curd and a very strong flavour. |
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Ricotta
|
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An Italian curd cheese made from the whey
produced as a by-product in the manufacture of
various cow's and ewe's milk cheeses. Soft and
rindless, with a crumbly texture and a mild
flavour, Ricotta is used mainly in cooking. |
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Robiola
|
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The general name given to creamy fresh cheeses
(50% fat content) made in the Asti region of
Piedmont in Italy. Cow's, ewe's or goat's milk
is used. One of the best known, with AOP status,
comes from the town of Roccaverano. The cheeses
are shaped into rough rounds and wrapped in
paper. The pâte is very white and soft, and the
flavour is milky with a sour tang. |
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Rocamadour
|
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A soft AOP goat's cheese from Quercy with a
natural bluish crust. It has a lactic flavour,
sweet and nutty, which sharpens and strengthens
as the cheese matures. |
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Rollot
|
|
A soft, highly flavoured cow's milk cheese from
the Picardy region (45% fat content), with a
washed reddish or orange-yellow rind. It is
either heart-shaped or wheel-shaped. |
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Roncal
|
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Ewe's milk DO cheese from Navarre in northern
Spain. This hard cheese is pressed and aged for
a minimum of 3 months, during which it forms a
hard, inedible rind. The pâte is beige in colour,
becoming amber as it ages, and the flavour is
rich and nutty. |
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Roquefort
|
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(See Blue Cheese) A French ewe's milk cheese
(45% fat content) made in the Rouerge district.
Only the milk of specially bred sheep is used,
and is ripened in limestone caverns. The cheese
is blue-veined, smooth and creamy, with a
naturally formed rind, and has a strong smell
and a pronounced flavour. It is one of the
oldest known cheeses: in 1411 the inhabitants of
Roquefort-sur-Soulzon, a village in the Aveyron,
were granted sole rights to the maturing of this
soft cheese. |
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Saingorlon
|
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A French blue cheese from Bresse made from
pasteurised cow's milk (50% fat content) with a
natural crust. It was created at the beginning
of World War II to replace Gorgonzola, which the
Italians no longer exported. It is smooth with a
pronounced flavour. |
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Sainte-Maure
|
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A French goat's milk AOP cheese from Touraine
(45% fat content), with a soft curd and a thin
natural bluish rind, sometimes marked with pink
or coated in ash. It is firm and creamy with a
fairly pronounced goaty smell and a
well-developed bouquet. |
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Saint-Félicien
|
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A soft, French cow's milk cheese (60% fat
content), with a natural bluish crust. It is
sold as a small flat disc and has a slightly
nutty taste. |
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Saint-Florentin
|
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A French cow's milk cheese (45% fat content)
with a soft curd and a smooth reddish-brown
washed rind. It is wheel-shaped and has a fairly
strong flavour. However, it is often sold
unmatured as a soft cheese which tastes very
sweet and milky. |
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Saint-Marcellin
|
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A French cow's milk cheese (50% fat content)
with a soft curd and a thin natural rind which
is bluish-grey. It has a sweet but slightly
acidic taste. |
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Saint-Nectaire
|
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A French cow's milk cheese (45% fat content)
from Auvergne, with a pressed curd and a natural
rind; it is matured for 8 weeks on a bed of rye
straw. It is soft but not flabby, with a musty
smell and an earthy flavour, giving it a
pronounced flavour. |
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Salers
|
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Similar to Cantal, this French cheese is also
produced in the mountains of Auvergne but AOP
regulations stipulate that it must be made with
milk from cows that grazed on mountain pastures
in summer (Cantal is made from the milk of other
seasons). They are uncooked but pressed twice,
and have a greyish-brown natural brushed rind.
The cylindrical cheese has a firm texture and a
strong flavour. |
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Samsoë
|
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A Danish cow's milk cheese (45% fat content). It
has a pressed curd and a golden yellow rind
coated with paraffin wax. Mild and firm, with a
few round holes, it acquires a nutty flavour
after a few months of maturing. |
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Sbrinz
|
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A Swiss unpasteurised cow's milk cheese (45% fat
content) with a cooked, pressed centre and a
washed, brushed, smooth crust which is dark
yellow or brown. Hard, brittle and with a strong
flavour, this cheese is marketed in wheel
shapes. |
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Scamorze
|
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An Italian cheese (44% fat content), originally
made from buffalo's milk but now made from cow's
or goat's milk. It is a pressed cheese with a
natural crust, a white or cream colour and a
nutty flavour. It is often eaten fresh and can
be used in the same way as Mozzarella. |
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Schabzieger
|
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A Swiss cheese made of skimmed cow's milk, which
is very hard and has no rind. It is sharp and
strong and flavoured with dried sweet clover
which gives it a greenish colour. When
completely dry it is used like Parmesan cheese. |
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Selles-sur-Cher
|
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An AOP goat's milk cheese from the Loire Valley
defined my its lingering scent and aftertaste.
The small disc-shaped cheeses are coated in
charcoal and after 4 weeks the surface is very
knobbly and covered in grey mould. The pâte is
characteristic of a true goat's milk cheese:
slightly hard at first then moist, heavy and
clay-like as it melts in the mouth. The taste is
slightly sour and salty, with some sweetness. |
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Serra-da-estrela
|
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This soft Portuguese DOP ewe's milk cheese
(45-60% fat content) has a washed crust and a
sweet flavour when young which becomes piquant
after more than 6 weeks of maturing. |
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Shropshire Blue
|
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A British blue cheese invented in Scotland. It
is made in a very similar way to Stilton and the
end result is a bright red cheese with blue
veining. It has a sharper taste than Stilton. |
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Soumaintrain
|
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A French soft-textured cow's milk cheese (45%
fat content) with a washed, reddish, damp rind.
It has a penetrating odour and a spicy flavour. |
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Sovietski
|
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A Russian cow's milk cheese (50% fat content)
which is pasteurised and pressed, is elastic in
consistency and has a rather piquant taste. |
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Stilton
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(See Blue Cheese) An English cheese made from
cow's milk (48-55% fat content). One month into
the maturing process the surfaces of the cheeses
are punctured to bring about increased veining.
It is firm and cream-coloured, uniformly mottled
with bluish veins and has a natural brushed
rind. Stilton is considered one of the finest
cheeses in the world and is traditionally
accompanied by a glass of Port or Burgundy.
There are two types of Stilton: Blue and White. |
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Stracchino
|
|
A fresh, cow's-milk cheese from Italy's Lombardy
region with a washed rind and a soft centre.
Stracchino contains about 50 percent milk fat.
Its flavour is mild and delicate - similar to
but slightly more acidic than cream cheese.
Stracchino Crescenza has a somewhat higher milk
fat content, which results in a slightly
creamier texture. |
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Stravecchio
|
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Italian term for a cheese matured for 2 years. |
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Surati
|
|
An Indian cheese made from buffalo milk or
sometimes cow's milk, with a soft whitish centre
and a slightly sour yet salty flavour. |
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Taleggio
|
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[tahl-EH-zhee-oh] Hailing from Italy's Lombardy
region, this rich (48% fat), semi soft cheese is
made from whole cow's milk. Its flavour can
range from mild to pungent, depending on its
age. When young, Taleggio's colour is pale
yellow and its texture semi soft. As it ages it
darkens to deep yellow and becomes rather runny.
Taleggio is sold in flat blocks or cylinders and
is covered either with a wax coating or a thin
mold. It's excellent with salad greens or served
with fruit for dessert. |
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Tamié
|
|
A cow's milk cheese from Savoy (40-45% fat
content). It is a pressed, uncooked cheese with
a soft and elastic texture and a washed, smooth,
clear rind. It has a fairly pronounced lactic
taste. |
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Téte-de-Moine
|
|
A Swiss cow's milk cheese (40% fat content)
which is pressed and uncooked. It is a firm yet
pliable cheese with a washed brownish-yellow
rather sticky rind, a spicy flavour and a
pronounced aroma. The cheese is creamy yellow
and becomes reddish as it matures. |
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Tetilla
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|
This conical cow's milk cheese (45% fat content)
from northern Spain has a thin, yellow rind and
a pale yellow pâte with some small holes. The
elastic pâte has a milky flavour with a lemon
tang. It is served with Serano ham and Fino
sherry. |
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Tomme
|
|
(Tome) The generic name of two large families of
cheeses: one made from goat's or ewe's milk,
especially in south-eastern France and the
Dauphiné and sometimes in Savoy; the other from
cow's milk, pressed and uncooked, typical of
Savoy and Switzerland. |
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Vacherin Cheeses
|
|
The name given to several cow's milk cheeses
(45% fat content) from Switzerland or France
(Savoy or Franche-Compté), that have a soft
texture and a washed rind. |
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Vacqueyras
|
|
A goat's milk cheese from Berry (45% fat
content), also made in Touraine and the Carentes.
It has a soft texture and a natural rind that is
either dusted with charcoal or has a bloomed
surface. It is made in the shape of a truncated
pyramid, is firm to the touch and has a musty
smell and a nutty flavour. |
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Valençay
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|
A truncated pyramid shaped goats milk cheese
from Loire, which is covered with salted
charcoal ashes before ripening for 3 weeks. The
rind is of natural mould and the uncooked,
unpressed pâte is soft, firm and moist. |
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Vecchio
|
|
Italian term for a cheese matured for 9 months. |
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Venaco
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A Corsican cheese made from goat's or ewe's milk
(45% content) with a soft texture and a greyish,
scraped natural rind. It is a whitish, fatty
cheese, firm to the touch with a strong smell
and sometimes a piquant flavour. |
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Vieux Pané
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A soft cow's milk cheese (50% fat content) with
a washed crust. It has an earthy flavour. |
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Weisslacker
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A German cow's milk cheese produced in
foil-wrapped blocks. Golden-yellow right
through, with a dense texture and a washed rind,
it has a pronounced flavour and smell. |
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Wensleydale
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Originally made from ewe's milk and now from
cow's milk, this English cheese from the
Yorkshire dales is uncooked and pressed into
small or medium-sized drum shapes. It has a
thin, dry natural rind and a firm but crumbly
pâte. The taste is sweet and milky with a tangy
finish. There are also blue and smoked versions. |
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Whey
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The watery liquid that separates from the solids
(curds - see above) in cheese making. Whey is
sometimes further processed into whey cheese. It
can be separated another step, with butter being
made from the fattier share. Whey is also used
in processed foods such as crackers. However,
whey is more often used as livestock feed than
it is in the human diet. |
