CHEESE STYLES

Fresh or soft cheese

Fresh cheeses have not been aged and have had no time to develop a rind. They have high moisture content and are usually mild in flavor. They can be smooth and creamy or crumbly like feta cheese.

• cottage cheese
• ricotta cheese
• goat, chevre, and feta cheese
• mozzarella
• marscapone

Soft ripened cheeses

These cheeses are ripened from the outside in and have high moisture content. They are usually soft and creamy with a mild taste.

• Brie
• Camembert

Semi-soft cheese

These cheeses have a smooth interior with little or no rind and are generally not aged for a long period of time. They will also have high moisture content and can range from very mild in taste to pungent.

• Monterey jack
• Colby
• Havarti

Semi-hard cheeses

Semi-hard cheeses have less moisture because of the process of how the cheese is made. The curd is cut finely then heated in a large vat to drain off the whey. This method results in a drier product.

• Cheddar
• Gouda
• Gruyere

Hard cheeses

The exterior of this cheese is thick and dense. It is often waxed or oiled. As with semi-hard cheeses, these cheeses also drain off the whey to reduce moisture. They are aged for longer periods of time resulting in full flavored cheeses.

• Parmagiano-Reggiano

• Asiago

• Pecorino

Blue cheeses

The blue moulds, generally Penicillium roqueforti need oxygen to develop their color. This is achieved by piercing the cheese with rods. The blue grows along the tunnel, cracks, and then settles between the packed curd.

• Roquefort
• Gorgonzola
• Maytag Blue

Washed rind cheeses

Washed rind describes those cheeses that are surface-ripened by washing the cheese throughout the aging process usually with brine, which helps to maintain internal moisture and encourage the growth of special bacteria. This results in the orange rind and strong flavor.

• Aged brick
• Muenster
• Taleggio