Cheese Exploration: Types, Taste, And Pairings For Beginners

It is a well-known trope that mice love cheese, but is it true? The answer is a little more complex than a simple yes or no. While mice will eat cheese, they are actually more likely to turn their noses up at it in favour of foods with higher calorie or carbohydrate content. So, if you're trying to catch a mouse, you might be better off setting a trap with something sweet like chocolate or fruit, or even peanut butter—a food that is loved by almost all rodents.

France produces between 300 and 1,600 varieties of cheese, including Camembert de Normandie, Maroilles, and Bleu de Gex

France is renowned for its cheese, with a diverse range of flavours, textures, and forms. Estimates suggest that there are between 300 and 1,600 distinct varieties of French cheese, and these can be broadly grouped into eight categories, known as 'les huit familles de fromage'. French cheese production is also classified under four categories, depending on the origin of the milk used and the scale of production. The four categories are: fermier (farmhouse cheese), artisanal (small-scale production using local milk), coopérative (local dairies producing together), and industriel (factory-made cheese).

Some of the most famous French cheeses include Camembert de Normandie, Maroilles, and Bleu de Gex. Camembert de Normandie is a popular cheese from Normandy, allegedly invented by Marie Harel in 1791. It is made from raw milk and is known for its strong flavour and creamy texture. It pairs well with a baguette, a common accompaniment to French cheeses.

Maroilles, also known as Marolles, is a cow's-milk cheese produced in the regions of Picardy and Nord-Pas-de-Calais in northern France. It is named after the village of Maroilles, where it is still manufactured. Maroilles has a strong smell and is sold in rectangular blocks with a distinctive orange-red rind. It has been a favourite of several French kings and is often used in Northern French cuisine.

Bleu de Gex, or Bleu du Haut-Jura, is a creamy, semi-soft blue cheese made from unpasteurized milk in the Jura region of France. It is named after the historical region of Pays de Gex, which spans parts of modern-day France and Switzerland. Bleu de Gex is aged for at least three weeks and is known for being milder and younger than most French blue cheeses.

These three cheeses represent just a small fraction of the vast array of cheeses produced in France, each with its own unique characteristics, history, and cultural significance.

Mozzarella is the most popular pizza cheese, but cheddar, fontina, gouda, and provolone are also good options

Mozzarella is a mild, milky, and fairly neutral cheese that acts as the perfect foil for spicy toppings such as pepperoni or hot peppers. However, it may not be the best match for gentler toppings like mushroom and bell pepper, black olives and onions, or other more delicate flavours.

Cheddar, fontina, gouda, and provolone are all good options for pizza cheese. They offer good meltability and can add depth of flavour to a pizza.

Cheddar has a bold, sharp flavour that can add complexity to a pizza, especially when paired with meat and vegetable toppings. It has a rich, nutty, and dense texture that adds a satisfying bite to the pizza.

Fontina has a mild flavour with a hint of sharpness. It melts smoothly and has moderate stretchiness, providing a satisfying cheese pull.

Gouda, especially the smoked variety, has a nutty and slightly sweet flavour profile. It melts evenly, forming a golden brown crust on top of the pizza while maintaining a creamy interior. It has moderate stretchiness and provides a luxurious mouthfeel.

Provolone has a smooth, creamy flavour with a hint of tanginess. It melts smoothly, creating a velvety layer of cheese with a golden brown hue. It offers moderate stretchiness and a satisfying cheese pull.

When choosing a pizza cheese, it is important to consider the desired flavour profile, meltability, stretchiness, and moisture content. The right cheese can elevate a simple pizza into an unforgettable culinary experience.

Goat's milk cheese can be soft and spreadable, a creamy log, or a hard, aged variety

Goat's milk is used to make cheese in many different varieties, from young and fresh to aged and fruity. Goat cheese can be soft and spreadable, a creamy log, or a hard, aged variety.

Soft goat's milk cheese is usually fresh and has a high moisture content, meaning it has a higher level of bacteria and must be kept refrigerated. It has a tangy, creamy, and slightly citrusy flavor, and a bright and clean palate. It is often sold in logs and can be spread on bread or crackers, or used in baking and cooking.

Goat's milk cheese can also be aged, which results in a harder cheese with a lower moisture content. Examples of aged goat's milk cheeses include gouda, cheddar, manchego, and blue cheese. Aged goat's milk cheese has a more complex flavor profile than fresh goat's milk cheese, ranging from nutty and earthy to rich and buttery. It often lacks the acidity of fresh goat's milk cheese and is therefore perceived as milder.

Goat's milk cheese has a distinct tang due to the presence of certain fatty acids, such as caproic and caprylic acid. It also has a lower lactose content than cow's milk cheese, making it a good option for those with lactose intolerance. Additionally, goat's milk cheese tends to remain white in color even when aged, due to the lower presence of beta carotene in goat's milk.

France is the world's third-largest producer of cheese, after the US and Germany

France is a country synonymous with cheese. With an estimated 1,200 varieties of cheese, it is one of the top cheese-producing and consuming countries in the world. The French are the world's leading consumers of cheese, with each person eating an average of 26kg of cheese per year.

French cheese is incredibly diverse, ranging from soft and creamy to hard and crumbly, blue cheeses, and runny cheeses. This variety is due to the different regions of France, each with its own unique climate, soil, and undersoil, as well as farming traditions.

French cheeses are often named after the town or region where they are made, and many have been awarded the Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée (AOC) designation. This means that the ingredients and expertise required to make the cheese are tied to a specific region, and only cheeses made in a traditional way or from that specific place can use the name. There are currently 63 AOC-designated French cheeses.

French cheeses can be categorised by their production method or the type of milk used:

• Pressed uncooked cheese: Produced by pressing the curd into a particular shape to remove moisture and speed up the ageing process without using heat. Examples include Morbier and Curé Nantais.
• Soft white mould cheese: These cheeses have a layer of white mould, often Penicillium camemberti, on the rind. Common examples include Brie and Camembert.
• Soft washed rind cheese: These cheeses are cured with saltwater brine or other mould-bearing agents during the ageing process. They usually have a firm rind, strong taste, and pungent smell. Examples include Munster, Époisses, Langres, and Mont d'Or.
• Blue cheese: Blue cheeses are made by introducing cultures of edible moulds, creating distinctive blue or green veins and a sharp, salty taste. Roquefort and Saint-Agur are popular examples.
• Uncooked pressed cheese: The curds are heated and then left to mature. Examples include Raclette, Edam, and Mimolette.
• Cooked pressed cheese: The curds are heated and then pressed during ageing to remove moisture. These cheeses typically have a mild taste and milky flavour. Examples include Cantal and Comté.

French cheese is so much a part of the country's culture and identity that former President Charles de Gaulle once asked, "How can you govern a country that has [so many] varieties of cheese?"

France is the world's leading exporter of cheese by value, while Germany exports the most by quantity

France and Germany are both major exporters of cheese, with a variety of cheeses produced in each country. France is the world's leading exporter of cheese by value, exporting $3.76 billion worth of cheese in 2022, while Germany exports the most by quantity, exporting 2.2 million tons of cheese in 2017.

France exported around 656,940 tons of cheese in 2023, with the volume slowly increasing from 2008 to a peak of 697,000 tons in 2013. France's main export destinations for cheese include Germany, Belgium, Spain, the United Kingdom, and Luxembourg.

Germany, on the other hand, exported $6.23 billion worth of cheese in 2022, making it the top exporter by volume. Germany's cheese exports have been steadily increasing over the years, with 1.31 million tons exported in 2020. The main export destinations for German cheese include Italy, the Netherlands, France, Austria, and Spain.

In terms of cheese varieties, France is known for its diverse range of cheeses, including popular varieties such as Brie, Camembert, and Roquefort. France has a rich tradition of cheese-making, with each region specializing in different types of cheese.

Germany also boasts over 600 types of cheese, with 75% produced in Bavaria. German cheeses include a wide range of textures and flavors, such as Hard Cheese (Hartkäse), Semi-Hard Cheese (Schnittkäse), Semi-Soft Cheese (Halbfester Schnittkäse), Soft Cheese (Weichkäse), and Fresh Cheese (Frischkäse). Some notable German cheeses are Limburger, known for its strong smell, and Allgäuer Emmentaler, a classic hard cheese with a mild, nutty taste.

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