Andy Montoya
There are thousands of types of cheese, each with its own unique shape, flavour and texture. From soft cheeses like Brie and cream cheese to hard varieties such as cheddar and Parmesan, there's a cheese for every dish or snack. Blue cheese, pasta filata, processed, semi-hard, semi-soft, and fresh and soft-ripened cheeses are also among the eight varieties.
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Soft cheeses
Brie is a soft cheese that is best served warm with crackers or crusty bread. It can also be baked in the oven. Cream cheese is another soft cheese that is often spread on bagels or used as a dip. Blue cheese is a soft cheese with a strong flavour that is often used in salads or as a topping for steak. Fresh cheese is a soft, day-old cheese that is typically made from goat's or sheep's milk. It has a mild flavour and is often used in salads or as a topping for toast.
Some soft cheeses, such as Brie and Camembert, have a bloomy rind. This is a thin layer of mould that forms on the surface of the cheese as it ripens. The mould helps to protect the cheese from bacteria and also contributes to its flavour and texture.
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Hard cheeses
There are over 2,000 types of cheese, which can be categorised into eight varieties: blue, hard, pasta filata, processed, semi-hard, semi-soft, soft and fresh, and soft-ripened.
Cheddar is one of the most popular cheeses in the UK, with around 750 different types of cheese made in the country. It is a versatile cheese that can be used in a variety of dishes, from grilled cheese sandwiches to cheese sauces. It has a sharp, tangy flavour that pairs well with other ingredients.
Parmesan is another classic hard cheese that is often used in Italian cuisine. It has a strong, nutty flavour and a grainy texture. It is often used as a topping for pasta dishes, such as spaghetti Bolognese or lasagne. Parmesan can also be used to add flavour to soups, salads, and risottos.
Other hard cheeses include Jack, which is similar to cheddar in terms of texture and flavour, and Colby, which is one of the cheeses used in American cheese blends. These cheeses are known for their meltability and versatility, making them popular choices for a variety of dishes.
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Blue cheeses
There are over 2,000 types of cheese, which can be categorised into eight varieties: blue, hard, pasta filata, processed, semi-hard, semi-soft, soft and fresh, and soft-ripened.
Blue cheese is made with cultures of the mould *Penicillium*, which can be either *Penicillium glaucum* or *Penicillium roqueforti*. The mould is either added to the cheese in powder form or allowed to grow naturally. Blue cheese is generally aged for three to six months, during which time the mould grows into the cheese, creating blue veins and a strong, tangy flavour.
- Roquefort: a French blue cheese made from sheep's milk, with a strong, tangy flavour
- Stilton: a traditional English blue cheese made from cow's milk, with a rich, creamy flavour
- Gorgonzola: an Italian blue cheese made from cow's milk, with a sweet, nutty flavour
- Danish Blue: a mild, creamy blue cheese made from cow's milk
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Pasta filata cheeses
There are eight varieties of cheese: blue, hard, pasta filata, processed, semi-hard, semi-soft, soft and fresh, and soft-ripened.
Mozzarella is the most well-known pasta filata cheese. It is a fresh cheese, which means it is not aged. It is usually made from buffalo milk, but can also be made from cow's milk. Fresh mozzarella is sold in balls and is often used in salads or on pizzas. It can also be smoked, which gives it a deeper flavour. Smoked mozzarella is often used in pasta dishes or sandwiches.
Provolone is another popular pasta filata cheese. It is a semi-hard cheese, which means it has been aged for a short time. It is usually made from cow's milk and has a mild, nutty flavour. Provolone is often used in sandwiches or melted on top of dishes like lasagne.
Caciocavallo is a less well-known pasta filata cheese, but it is popular in Southern Italy. It is a hard cheese, which means it has been aged for a long time. It is usually made from sheep's milk and has a strong, salty flavour. Caciocavallo is often used as a grating cheese, or it can be melted and used in dishes like pasta or polenta.
Scamorza is a smoked pasta filata cheese that is similar to mozzarella. It is a semi-soft cheese, which means it has been aged for a short time. It is usually made from cow's milk and has a mild, smoky flavour. Scamorza is often used in sandwiches or melted on top of dishes like pizza or pasta.
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Soft-ripened cheeses
Soft-ripened cheese is a type of cheese that has two distinctive characteristics: a creamy texture and a bloomy rind. The rind is created by adding mould (Penicillium candidum, camemberti or glaucum) to the milk or spraying it over the wheel of cheese. This mould also helps the cheese to ripen from the outside in, meaning that the cheese begins to ripen closest to the rind first, and the middle of the wheel of cheese is the last part to ripen. The rind is often flavourless, but if the cheese is overly ripe, it can have an unpleasant aroma and flavour that is like ammonia. The texture of a soft-ripened cheese is soft or semi-soft, often creamy and luscious, and sometimes even runny. The flavour of soft-ripened cheeses is typically described as buttery, mushroomy, creamy, grassy, and/or garlicky. This flavour grows stronger the longer the cheese matures, although this is not always the case. For example, while Brie has an earthy flavour, Saint-André triple cream cheese is butterier and more lactic. Notable soft-ripened cheeses include Brie, Camembert, and Saint-André triple cream cheese.
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Frequently asked questions
There are eight main types of cheese: blue, hard, pasta filata, processed, semi-hard, semi-soft, soft and fresh, and soft-ripened.
Soft cheeses include brie, cream cheese, and fresh cheeses.
Hard cheeses include cheddar, parmesan, and jack.
Cheese is made from milk (usually from cows, goats, or sheep), salt, bacteria, and rennet (an enzyme that separates the curds from the whey).
