Cheese Platter Delights: Exploring Varieties And Flavors

There are over 1800 types of cheese worldwide, so choosing which to include on a cheese platter can be daunting. A good rule of thumb is to select three to five cheeses with different flavours and textures. A familiar option like gouda or brie is always a safe bet, but you can also include more unusual options like blue cheese or goat's cheese. For a well-rounded platter, opt for a mix of soft, semi-hard, and hard cheeses. Soft cheeses include goat's cheese, brie, and camembert, while cheddar, gouda, and havarti are semi-hard. Finally, hard cheeses like parmesan, manchego, or pecorino will round out your platter.

Soft cheeses: goat's cheese, cottage cheese, cream cheese, feta, mascarpone, burrata, and ricotta

Soft cheeses are a delicious addition to any cheese platter, offering a variety of flavours and textures to delight your guests. Here are some popular soft cheeses that you can include:

Goat's Cheese

Goat's cheese, made from goat's milk, is a tangy and pungent soft cheese. It has a unique flavour due to the presence of fatty acids, making it stand out from cow's milk cheese. Goat's cheese often comes in a white log or roll and is commonly served on charcuterie boards with jams or mixed into salads.

Cottage Cheese

Cottage cheese is a versatile and healthy option for cheese platters. It is made from curdled milk without cream, resulting in a milky and slightly tangy taste. Cottage cheese has a lumpy and creamy texture with small curds, providing a unique mouthfeel. It is also an excellent source of protein and calcium.

Cream Cheese

Cream cheese is a soft, spreadable cheese used in many cuisines worldwide. It has a gentle, slightly tangy, and sweet flavour with a smooth and creamy texture. Cream cheese is a versatile ingredient that can be used in both sweet and savoury dishes.

Feta

Feta is a famous Mediterranean cheese made from sheep or goat milk. It has a crumbly texture and a slightly sour taste, adding a delicious salty kick to any dish. Feta can be easily crumbled or mixed with other ingredients to create a unique taste and texture.

Mascarpone

Mascarpone is a creamy and rich Italian cheese made from cow's milk. It has a smooth and silky texture, similar to cream cheese, and a sweet, delicate, and slightly sour flavour. Mascarpone is perfect for both sweet and savoury dishes and is best known for its use in the iconic Italian dessert, tiramisu.

Burrata

Burrata is a complex Italian cheese made similarly to mozzarella. It has a creamy, stringy texture and a rich, luxurious flavour. When cut, burrata releases a creamy interior, making it a delightful addition to any cheese platter. Burrata is best served on its own or with a drizzle of olive oil, sea salt, and crusty bread.

Ricotta

Ricotta is a creamy and fresh Italian cheese made from the whey left over from producing other cheeses. It has a slightly grainy texture, a mild and sweet flavour, and a lower fat content compared to other soft cheeses. Ricotta is a versatile cheese used in pizzas, pasta, salads, and desserts like cannoli.

Semi-hard cheeses: gouda, cheddar, colby, edam, and emmental

When crafting a cheese platter, it's important to include a variety of cheeses to cater to different tastes and preferences. Semi-hard cheeses, such as gouda, cheddar, colby, edam, and emmental, offer a range of flavours and textures that can appeal to a wide audience.

Gouda, named after the city of Gouda in the Netherlands, is a versatile and popular cheese worldwide. It has a rich, creamy flavour that can range from mild to very strong depending on its ripening time. Younger goudas are mild and creamy, while aged goudas develop a deeper, nuttier, and buttery flavour, along with a crystallised appearance. Gouda is easily recognisable by its flat, round shape and yellow wax coating.

Cheddar, originating from the village of Cheddar in Somerset, England, is characterised by its unique "cheddaring" process, which gives it a distinct texture and flavour. Young cheddars are typically mild and creamy, while aged cheddars become more complex in flavour and crumbly in texture. Cheddar is a widely consumed and beloved cheese, making it a classic choice for cheese platters.

Colby, originating in the US, is a mild-flavoured cheese with an elastic texture. It is based on the Swiss style of cheese-making and is known for its versatility, making it a suitable addition to cheese platters.

Edam, named after the Dutch town of Edam, is a semi-hard cheese with a mild, salty taste. It is famous for its round shape and characteristic red wax coating. Edam is loved for its ability to mature well without losing firmness, making it desirable in both young and aged forms. Its versatility extends from cheese boards to melted dishes.

Emmental, a Swiss, cooked, hard cheese, is known for its characteristic holes. Younger emmentals have a milder, slightly salty taste, while more mature versions develop a fuller savoury flavour.

When selecting cheeses for your platter, it's advisable to include at least one familiar cheese, such as gouda or cheddar, to accommodate guests who prefer classic options. Adding a variety of semi-hard cheeses, such as gouda, cheddar, colby, edam, and emmental, will provide a range of flavours and textures to suit different palates.

Hard cheeses: Parmigiano Reggiano, pecorino, and manchego

Hard cheeses are a staple of any cheese platter, and Parmigiano Reggiano, pecorino, and manchego are three excellent choices. Each has its own distinct characteristics, flavour profile, and production method, making them unique and popular additions to a cheese platter.

Parmigiano Reggiano, often simply called Parmesan, is an Italian hard cheese made from cow's milk. It has a granular texture and a complex, nutty flavour that intensifies with age. Parmigiano Reggiano is a versatile cheese with a rich history, having been in existence for over 1000 years. It is aged for a minimum of 12 months, with some varieties aged for up to 36 months or more. It can be grated over pasta dishes, risottos, and salads, or used as an ingredient in dishes such as chicken parmesan and eggplant parmesan. Its rind can also be added to soups and stews for extra depth of flavour.

Pecorino, on the other hand, is the name given to any sheep's milk cheese produced in Italy, with "pecora" meaning "sheep" in Italian. While there is no name protection for pecorino on its own, several specific versions, such as Pecorino Romano, Pecorino Toscana, and Pecorino Sardo, have PDO status. Pecorino Romano, a traditional type of Romano cheese, has a crystalline texture and a sharp, salty flavour that becomes more intense with age. It is typically aged for a minimum of five months, with some varieties aged longer. It is often used as a grating cheese, similar to Parmigiano Reggiano, and pairs well with bold red wines.

Manchego, a Spanish cheese, is made from sheep's milk and has a firm, compact texture. Its flavour is buttery and slightly nutty with a hint of sweetness. Manchego is aged for a minimum of 60 days, with some varieties aged for up to two years or more. It is a popular choice for cheese boards, paired with quince paste, almonds, and olives. It also works well in sandwiches, salads, and tapas dishes, and pairs beautifully with Spanish red wines such as Rioja or Tempranillo.

When it comes to creating a well-rounded cheese platter, it is important to offer a variety of cheeses with different flavours and textures. Parmigiano Reggiano, pecorino, and manchego, as hard cheeses, provide a nice contrast to softer, brighter cheeses like goat cheese, or ripe and oozy cheeses like Brie. The salty and nutty flavours of these hard cheeses also complement fruits, nuts, crackers, and bread, making them versatile and enjoyable additions to any cheese platter.

Blue cheeses: gorgonzola, stilton, and roquefort

Blue cheeses are a type of cheese characterised by their blue or blue-green veins of mould. They are made by adding mould cultures to milk during the cheese-making process, then piercing the cheese with needles to allow air to flow through and promote the growth of the mould. Blue cheeses are often strong and salty, with a pungent and minerally aroma. They are a great choice for cheese lovers and pair well with fruits like apples, pears and figs, as well as honey.

Gorgonzola is an Italian blue cheese made from unskimmed cow's milk and named after the town of Gorgonzola in the Lombardy region. It is aged for three to six months and has a creamy texture and appearance, with blue-green veins of mould. Gorgonzola has a tangy, slightly sharp flavour that can range from mild to strong depending on the age of the cheese. It is often used in pasta dishes, salads and as a pizza topping, but can also be enjoyed on its own with crackers or wine. Gorgonzola comes in two varieties: dolce (sweet) and piccante (spicy). Dolce is soft, creamy and buttery, while piccante is firmer, crumbly and has a stronger flavour.

Stilton is an English blue cheese made from cow's milk. It has a milder flavour than other blue cheeses and a crumbly texture. It is often used as a dessert cheese or as a topping for crackers.

Roquefort is a French blue cheese made from sheep's milk. It is aged in natural caves and has a strong, tangy flavour and creamy texture. Roquefort is often crumbled and used as a topping for salads or mixed into dressings.

Blue cheeses like gorgonzola, stilton and roquefort are a great choice for a cheese platter, offering a range of flavours and textures to enjoy.

Firm cheeses: gouda, aged cheddar, manchego, and swiss cheese

Firm cheeses, such as gouda, aged cheddar, manchego, and swiss cheese, are a delightful addition to any cheese platter, offering a range of flavours and textures. Here are some details about these cheeses:

Gouda

Gouda is a semi-hard cheese that originated in the Netherlands and is one of the oldest cheeses on record, dating back to the 12th century. It is usually made from cow's milk and is known for its rich, caramelised flavour and springy texture. Younger gouda cheeses tend to be mild and creamy, while aged gouda develops a deeper, nuttier, and butterier flavour, along with a crystallised appearance. The ageing process can last anywhere from a few weeks to seven years, resulting in a diverse range of flavours and textures. Gouda is a versatile cheese that can be enjoyed on its own or paired with other foods, making it a popular choice worldwide.

Aged Cheddar

Cheddar, specifically the aged variety, is a well-known firm cheese that originated in the village of Cheddar in Somerset, England. The unique "cheddaring" process involves breaking up the curds to eliminate air and liquid before stacking and pressing them for ageing. This technique gives cheddar its distinctive texture and flavour. While young cheddars are mild and creamy, aged cheddars boast a more complex flavour profile and a crumbly texture. Cheddar is a versatile cheese that can be enjoyed on its own or melted in dishes.

Manchego

Manchego is a Spanish firm cheese made from sheep's milk. Named after the region of La Mancha, manchego is typically aged for at least two months, although some varieties mature for up to a year or more. This ageing process results in a delightful balance of buttery richness and a slightly tangy flavour, coupled with a firm yet creamy texture. Manchego is perfect for tapas and pairs well with olives or serrano ham. It also enhances dishes like soups, salads, and paellas.

Swiss Cheese

Swiss cheese, typically known for its holes, is a firm cheese produced in Switzerland. It has a mild, slightly sweet flavour and a creamy texture. Swiss cheese is an excellent melting cheese, making it a popular choice for grilled cheese sandwiches, fondues, and other dishes that require melted cheese. It pairs well with fruits and crackers, adding to its versatility.

When creating a cheese platter, it is essential to offer a variety of cheeses to cater to different tastes. Firm cheeses, such as gouda, aged cheddar, manchego, and swiss cheese, provide a delightful contrast in textures and flavours, making them excellent choices for a well-rounded and enticing cheese platter.

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