Artisanal Cheese Guide

Argentine Cheeses

• Edam: Originally an imitation of Dutch Edam balls, Argentine "Magnasco" Edam has taken on an identity of its own. It is dryer and harder than Dutch Edam and good on crackers and with red wine.
• Provoleta: Similar to Italian Provolone.
• Reggianito: Similar to Italian Parmigiano Reggiano. Mostly used for grating. Shop

• Sardo: Another grating cheese, similar to Italian Romano.

Australian & New Zealand Cheeses

• Cheddar: Same characteristics as English Cheddar.
• Roaring Forties Blue: A uniquely creamy blue cheese made exclusively by King Island Dairy.

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Belgian & Austrian Cheeses

• Emmental: Same characteristics as Swiss Emmental.
• Gruyere: Same characteristics as Swiss Gruyere.
• Capra: A fresh goat cheese (chevre) available plain or flavored with honey or herbs.
• Chimay: Chimay produces several varieties of cheese, the most famous of which is their Trappiste with Beer. It is springy textured, slightly aromatic and has an enjoyable meaty flavor.
• Moosbacher: Part Emmental-style swiss and part washed-rind stinker, this Austrian classic is the only cheese that has a washed rind and large eyes (holes) in the paste, owing to a dual-ripening process. Named after one of the Styrian farmers who supply the milk for the cheese, this cheese is one for the bold! These generous-sized, pasteurized cows' milk wheels are wrapped in linen made just for this purpose, and the flavor has been described as a cross between Dutch Gouda and Alpine cheeses such as Appenzeller or Gruyere. Semi-firm and smooth, it tastes sweet and fruity with a creamy, melting mouthfeel, a bit of spice and pungency, and notes of toasted hazelnuts. While it makes a fine table cheese, it is also a superb melter. Shop

• Passendale: A sweet semi-soft cheese with many small holes.
• Wynendale: A decidedly spicy, ultra creamy cheese with a pronounced aroma.

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Canadian Cheeses

• Cheddar: Same characteristics as English Cheddar.
• Oka:Made in Quebec since 1893, Oka was first created by Benedictine Monks who emigrated from France. It is semi-soft, slightly aromatic and has a piquant flavor.
  
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Eastern European Cheeses

• Kurpianka: A salami-shaped cheese that is often smoked. Typically used as a snacking cheese. Shop
• Lubelski:A mild pale yellow cheese for sandwiches or melting. Shop
• Morski:A mild pale yellow cheese for slicing or snacking. Shop

• Podlaski: A flavorful yellow cheese for melting or snacking. Shop

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English Cheeses

• Caerphilly:Originally from Wales, most Caerphilly production has moved to England. A simple white cheese with a chalky texture when aged or a creamy texture when young. Shop
• Cheddar:Cheddar cheeses were originally made in England; however, today they are manufactured in quite a number of countries. Fully cured, Cheddar is a hard, natural cheese. The rind, if any, is artificial, most often times wax. The color of the wax used for coating does not indicate a level of quality. Normally, the color of Cheddar ranges from white to pale yellow. Some Cheddars however have a color added, giving the cheese a yellow-orange color. Cheddar is always made from cow's milk and has a slightly crumbly texture if properly cured. If the cheese is too young, the texture is smooth. Cheddar gets a sharper taste the longer it matures. The important thing in purchasing Cheddar is to consider the age of the cheese. Of course, the older it is, the more it will cost. Shop
• Cheshire:One of the oldest English cheeses, allegedly invented during the 12th century. Cheshire is firm in texture and a bit more crumbly than Cheddar. Cheshire is rich, mellow and slightly salty with an excellent aftertaste, its flavor sharpens as it ages.Shop
• Clotted Cream:Strawberry's famous partner, Clotted Cream has a much wider application than just strawberries and cream. It is thick and rich, and needs to be spooned. This product is served over fruit, hot scones, fish or vegetables.Shop
• Cornish Yarg:Made at Ulceby Grange in Lincolnshire by Simon Jones, this cheese is similar to cheddar but with less acidity and a slightly bitter quality upfront with a genuinely sweet aftertaste.
• Derby:Similar to Lancashire, it is most often sold as Sage Derby, a green cheese flavored with bits of sage.
• Double Gloucester:A natural hard cheese. Double Gloucester has a mild and rich flavor with a smooth texture and a creamy yellow color. This cheese is excellent with fruit and beer. Shop
• Lancashire: A white cheese with a firm chalky texture. It has a mild flavor with hints of egg yolk.
• Leicester: A natural hard cheese. Leicester has a rich, mild flavor with a flaky texture and a deep orange color. This cheese is excellent with fruit and beer. Shop
• Lincolnshire Poacher:Made at the Lynher Dairy in Cornwall, this cheese has a grey rind wrapped in large nettle leaves. Poacher has a grassy, creamy flavor and a firm texture.
• Shropshire Blue:Basically Stilton with orange food coloring.Shop
• Stilton:Historically referred to as "The King Of Cheeses," Stilton is a blue-mold cheese with a rich and mellow flavor and a piquant aftertaste. It has narrow blue-green veins and a wrinkled rind which is not edible. Stilton is milder than Roquefort or Gorgonzola and is equally excellent for crumbling over salads or as a dessert cheese served with a Port Wine. Shop
• Wensleydale:Traditionally blue, because the cheese is lightly pressed, allowing the mould to penetrate. While blue Wensleydale cheese are still available - today, the cheese referred to as "Wensleydale" is usually a creamy white, crumbly cheese, with a fine curd and minimal texturing, thus of a high moisture content. White Wensleydale is usually eaten young, at about a month old. Wensleydale is produced in Cheshire. Shop
• White Stilton:A white version of the famous British blue cheese, it is available plain or flavored with numerous candied or dried fruits. Shop

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French Cheeses

• Abondance:A firm, fruity and nutty cheese from the French Alps. Made in 20 pound wheels.
• Banon: A soft blended milk cheese from Provence with a creamy, slightly goaty character. Shop
• Beaufort:This giant 80 pound cheese is fruity and nutty. Hailing from the French Alps, it is a great melter and is often added to fondue.
• Bleu d'Auvergne:Similar to Roquefort but made from cow's milk and not quite as sharp. Shop
• Bleu de Gex:Unlike most blues, this one is not crumbly, but instead has a slightly springy texture. Made in the Haute Jura.
• Boursin:A soft, spreadable fresh cheese flavored with herbs, pepper or fig.Shop
• Brie:Brie is the best known French cheese and is aptly nicknamed "The Queen Of Cheeses". Several hundred years ago, Brie was one of the tributes which the subjects had to pay to the French kings. In France, Brie is very different from the cheese exported to the United States. "Real" French Brie is unstabilized and is at its peak of flavor when the surface turns slightly brown. As long as the cheese is still pure white, the cheese is not mature. Cutting unstabilized Brie before it is ripe will stop the maturing process and the cheese will never develop properly. Exported Brie, however, is stabilized and never matures. Stabilized Brie has a much longer shelf life and is not susceptible to bacteriological infections. Brie, one of the great dessert cheeses, comes as either a 1 or 2 kilogram wheel, and is packaged in a wooden box. In order to fully enjoy the experience, Brie must be served at room temperature. Shop
• Buche de Chevre:Also known as Bucheron, this 4 pound goat log has a bloomy white rind, a creamy ring of soft runny cheese just beneath it, and a chalky, tangy interior. Shop
• Camembert:Another soft-ripened white mold cheese from France, Camembert, like Brie, is soft and creamy with an edible crust. A wheel of Camembert, however, is only 8 ounces and comes in its own wooden box. Shop
• Cantal:Often referred to as French cheddar, Cantal is actually more mild and less acidic than cheddar. Shop
• Chaource:First created in the Champagne region in the 14th century, It is a runny, creamy, mild cheese with hints of mushroom. Shop
• Chevres:These cheeses are made from goat's milk. They come in many sizes and shapes such as round patties, log-shapes, drum-shapes, pyramids, round loaves, long loaves, etc.; their textures vary from soft, but firm like cream cheese, to extremely hard. Chevres are excellent dessert cheeses, often served as snacks, or with before dinner drinks. Goat cheese is often served as an ingredient in many fine dishes. Varieties include Chabichou, Crottin, Clochette, St. Maure, Selles sur Cher and Valencay. Shop
• Comte:Comte is a natural, hard cheese with similar characteristics to Switzerland Gruyere. Shop
• Coulommiers:Similar to Camembert, a wheel of Coulommiers is slightly larger (12 ounces) and the cheese has a nuttier flavor with a thicker crust. Shop
• Doux de Montagne:Shaped like a loaf of artisan bread, this semi-soft, extremely mild cheese is encased in a brown wax rind, making it appear even more bread-like.
• Emmental:Same characteristics as Swiss Emmental. Shop
• Epoisses:A small-form, pungent, washed-rind cheese from Burgundy with a creamy interior that become runny at room temperature. Its rind is rinsed with Marc de Bourgogne during affinage. Shop
• Fleur de Maquis:A Corsican cheese made from sheep's milk and coated with a variety of local herbs. It is firm textured and sweet with strong hints of rosemary.
• Fourme d'Ambert:A cylindrical raw cow's milk blue cheese from Auvergne. It has a creamy texture that is laced with blue eyes (not veins). Shop
• Langres:A small, creamy, washed-rind cheese from Champagne. It has a complex, spicy flavor that incorporates a special saltiness. Pair it with Champagne sparkling wine. Shop
• Livarot:This semi-soft, washed-rind cheese from Normandy has a pronounced flavor with a smooth, slightly spicy flavor and a firm body. Its interior is pale yellow in color and offers an edible crust that is encircled by straps of paper that maintain its shape during affinage. Shop
• Mimolette:A semi-hard cow's milk cheese produced in Flanders and Normandy. It comes in spheres of about 7-8 pounds, it has an orange rind and interior. A firm texture with some small holes and a mild favor. Shop
• Morbier:A semisoft cow's milk cheese from Franche-Comte. It has a creamy brown crust, the interior is two layers of glossy, yellowish-ivory paste separated by a thin flavorless layer of ash. This separates the morning milking from the evening milking. It is a creamy cheese with a flavor of nuts and fruit and an aroma of fresh hay. Shop
• Munster:French Munster is one of the few cheeses which ripen from the inside out. Munster is dark yellow with a strong flavor. It should be served with dark bread and beer. French Munster has nothing in common with Domestic Munster, which is a white, mild cheese. Shop
• Ossau-Iraty:A mellow sheep's milk cheese from the French Pyrenees characterized by herbal notes and a slightly oily texture. Shop
• Pont L'Eveque:This semisoft, soft-ripened cheese from the Normandy region has a pronounced flavor, although its taste is not as strong as its smell. It has a firm body, yellow color and an edible crust. The crust has ridges because it is cured on straw mats. Pont L'Eveque is an excellent dessert cheese that goes very well with a robust wine. Shop
• Pouligny-Saint-Pierre:An unpasturized goat's cheese from Berry, it is soft to hard depending on the age. Also depending on age its color runs from a very white, creamy and fragile to a hard dry interior surrounded by a dark beige crust. All have a piquant flavor and goaty aroma.
• Raclette: Similar to Swiss Raclette. Shop
• Reblochon:From the French Alps, Reblochon is a semisoft, pale yellow, creamy cheese with a nutty flavor. Reblochon is a dessert cheese that goes well with red wine. Shop
• Roquefort:The most famous blue-mold cheese in the world, authentic Roquefort comes from caves near the Spanish border and is made from sheep's milk. Roquefort is sharp, peppery, piquant and distinct. The blue mold is added to the curd by mixing it with powdered bread containing the Pennicillium Roqueforti mold. The French eat Roquefort as a dessert cheese, although most Americans prefer it in salads or dips. Shop
• Saint Marcellin:A soft, rindless cow's milk cheese from Dauphine, it is disk shaped wrapped in chestnut leaves and dipped in wine or eau-de-vie. It typically has a beige crust with blue mold and a soft beige creamy interior. It has an intensely rustic, nutty, fruity flavor.
• Saint Nectaire:A semi-soft cow's milk cheese, disk shaped from Auvergne. It has a smooth reddish rind, ivory to straw colored interior, soft and supple texture. It is an earthy cheese with a fruity flavor and a grassy aroma.
• Saint Paulin:St. Paulin (also known as Port Salut, a licensed name) is a mild and very pleasing dessert or table cheese originally made by Trappist Monks. St. Paulin is creamy and butter-like, yet firm enough for slicing. Genuine Port Salut has an edible, orange rind. However, beware imitations that use a plastic, inedible rind. St. Paulin goes well with fruit and light wine.
• Tomme de Savoie:A semi firm, dish shaped cow's milk cheese from Savoie in the French Alps. It has a distinct thick gray-brown rind with a beige or straw colored paste. It has a slightly salty, mild but savory taste with an aroma reminiscent of a cheese cellar.
• Triple Cremes:These milky, runny cheeses are a must for the dessert course. Varieties include Brillat Savarin, Pierre Robert, St. Andre and Explorateur. Triple cremes are only slightly more evolved than butter, bearing a thin rind and best served at the peak of freshness. Shop

• Vacherin Mont d'Or: A cheese that is soft enough to be spooned, it is made in both the French and Swiss Alps. Vacherin is held together during aging by a band of wood bark that remains on the cheese until you (the consumer) remove it.

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German Cheeses

• Bavarian Blue: Sold under brands like Paladin, Bavarian Blue is crumbly and lightly acidic and perfect for adding to salads. Shop

• Butterkase:A mild, creamy cheese perfect for sandwiches. Shop
• Emmental:Same characteristics as Swiss Emmental. Shop
• Harzer Käse :Translated as Hand Cheese, it is made from skimmed sour milk in tiny wheels. This product is sealed in a clear wrapper to display its freshness while keeping its strong odor from permeating your kitchen.
• Limburger:A soft-ripened cheese famous for its pungent odor, Limburger is a strong cheese that goes well with red wine or beer. Limburger has a thin crust, a soft texture, and is nearly white inside. During the two-month curing process, the cheese is constantly brushed with brine until it has absorbed all salt. Shop
• Munster:See French Munster
• Rauchkase:Simply German forSmoked Cheese, the most famous brand is Bruder Basil. This cheese is semi-soft with a smoky brown rind. Shop

• Tilsit: A natural semi-soft cheese, German Tilsit has a stronger flavor than its Scandinavian cousins. It has tiny hole formation and a firm texture suitable for slicing. Tilsit is an excellent sandwich cheese, good with robust wine or beer. Shop

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Greek Cheeses

• Feta: Genuine Greek Feta is made from sheep's milk, with a distinct strong, slightly acidic flavor. Feta is crumbly in texture and white in color. Feta is traditionally sold in glass jars, although modern packaging techniques have become more commonplace. Feta needs to be covered in brine at all times otherwise it will dry out and mold fast and needs to be refrigerated at all times. Feta is a true eating cheese, although most Americans think of it as a salad topping. Shop

• Graviera:Made on the island of Crete, this sheep's milk cheese (sometimes blended with goat's milk) is firm and oily in texture, with a sweet flavor offering hints of green olive. Shop
• Kasseri:Pale yellow in color, with a mild buttery flavor and a springy, kneaded texture. Kasseri is a versatile, multi-purpose cheese made from sheep's milk. Shop
• Kefalotyri:This hard, pale, golden yellow cheese has a tange flavor and a sharp aroma reminiscent of Italian Pecorino Romano. Harder and saltier than Kasseri, Kefalotyri is generally served grated over cooked dishes. Shop

• Mizithra:A cheese made from whey of Feta and Kefalotyri, Mizithra is available both fresh and aged. Fresh Mizithra is soft, similar to cottage cheese. Aged Mizithra is shaped like an ostrich egg, and is firm and pungent, rather like Italian Ricotta Salata. The aged variety makes an excellent grating cheese. Shop
  
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Irish Cheeses

• Ardrahan: A washed-rind specialty from the Burns family farm in Duhallow. An aromatic cheese with a creamy, flavorful interior.
• Boilie:Hand rolls balls of fresh cheese - made from either cow's of goat's milk - preserved in sunflower oil. Flavored with fresh herbs.
• Carrigaline:A semi-soft, mild and creamy cheese dotted with small holes.
• Cashel Blue:A soft and creamy blue cheese from Beechmount Farm in Tipperary. Among the most mild and palatable blues, it is best enjoyed at a young age. Shop
• Cheddar: Similar to English Cheddar. Shop
• Coolea:The hills of Collea give their name to the Williams family's acclaimed raw milk gouda-style cheese. Young, mild Coolea is 6-8 weeks old; some is flavored with nettles or herbs and garlic. Long-matured Coolea, piquant with a lingering finish, is becoming more and more sought-after.
• Dunbarra:A soft cheese with an edible white rind, firmer than Brie yet distictively creamy. Hand-made by Dubliner Barra McFeely, this new cheese has already won three first prizes.
• Gubbeen:Gubbeen's gentle flavors reflect the great care taken by Tom and Gina Ferguson in farming their herd of cows and curing the cheese. A fresh tasting, pliant textured cheese with a peach pink washed rind.
• Knockalara:Knockalara is a fresh feta-style cheese made on the Waterford farm by Wolfgang and Agnes Schliebitz. Its light tang marries beatifully with fruity olive oil, so it's ideal in salads. Knockalara comes either plain or preserved in herb-flavored olive oil.

• Orla:On the Manch estate in Co Cork, Iris Diebrok and Oliver Jungwirth farm an organic flock of dairy sheep. Iris uses the milk for her award-winning semi-hard rind-washed cheese. Orla is matured for 2-6 months.
  
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Italian Cheeses

• Asiago: From the high plateau of the same name, Asiago comes in two varieties: d'Allevo is made from whole unpasteurized milk and is firm, sharp and nutty whereas Pressato is made from part-skim pasteurized milk and is soft and mild. Shop
• Baita Friuli:A tasty, firm-textured cheese that is aged for about 5 months. Rich, fruity, and spicy, Baita's flavor is reminiscent of Swiss Gruyere.
• Bitto della Valtellina:A rare cheese that is produced in alpine pastures often inaccessible to mechanized transport. Made from a blend of 90% cow and 10% goat's milk, its flavor and texture are similar to Fontina, yet with a more earthy character. Shop
• Bra:A pale yellow cheese from the Piedmont region that can be hard enough to grate if aged. Often used in baking as well as being a flavorful table cheese.
• Burrata:A modern cheese by Italian standards, it was first created in the 1920s. A fresh cheese, it is essentially a sack of Mozzarella filled with cream and tied at the top. Shop
• Cacio di Fossa:Its name literally means "cheese of the pit." Fossa is a 3-pound odd-shaped Pecorino that is placed in a burlap sack and buried underground during aging.
• Caciocavallo:Similar to Provolone, a drawn-curd cheese typical of southern Italy. Legend has it that originally this cheese was made from mare's milk by nomadic Mongolians. Shop
• Canestrato Pugliese:Owes its name to the baskets in which it is set to ripen. Pure sheep's milk cheese made only from milk taken from Merino or Apulian Gentile breeds that graze naturally.
• Castelmagno:A semi-soft cheese with a chalky to creamy texture made from cow's milk mixed with a touch of goat's milk. Its production, based around Cuneo (Piedmont), dates back to ancient times. Shop
• Fiore Sardo: A pure sheep's milk cheese from Sardinia. Firm textured with a slightly oily texture. Its flavor has hints of green olive, wild herbs and grasses. Shop
• Fontina:Genuine Fontina comes from the Val d'Aosta region of Italy, in the Alps near the French and Swiss borders. One of the few cheeses imported into America that is made from raw (unpasteurized) milk, it is a smooth, straw-colored cheese with a brown rind. Fontina has a delicate, nutty, buttery sweet flavor. Fontina is the primary ingredient in Italianfonduta and is a pristine table or dessert cheese. Shop
• Formai de Mut:Literally translated as "mountain cheese", Formai de Mut is a straw-colored, firm textured cheese made in Alta Val Brembana (the Italian Alps). The cows that produce its milk only graze outdoors on high Alpine pastures.
• Gorgonzola:A blue-veined cheese made of cows milk, Gorgonzola is a soft table cheese. It is an antique cheese of great popular tradition with a compact, rough, hard, reddish crust and a firm but mellow paste interior which melts on the tongue. Its color ranges from white to straw-yellow with an unmistakable marbled green or bluish-green mold. The taste ranges from mild to sharp, depending on age. Gorgonzola is also excellent in salads and dips. Shop
• Grana Padano:A very hard natural cheese, a full wheel of Grana Padano weighs over 75 lbs. Grana Padano has an unmistakably savory flavor that cannot be imitated by lesser wannabees. Often used as a grating cheese, Grana is an excellent topping for steamed vegetables, soups, pasta dishes, veal, chicken, or salads. First created by monks in the 10th century, it is truly one of the world's great cheeses. Shop
• Mascarpone:This cheese is virtually solidified cream, mildly coagulated and whipped into a velvety consistency. It hails from the Lombardy region and is served with fresh fruit or sweetened with sugar and used as a pastry ingredient, such as for Tiramisu. Shop
• Montasio:From Friuli, this mountain cheese has a firm texture and a smooth, nutty flavor with hints of grass and honey.
• Monte Veronese:As its name implies, this cheese comes from the mountains north of Verona. It has a distinctive milky flavor that intensifies greatly with age. Whereas the young varieties are shy and mild, an aged Monte Veronese is brash and bursts with flavor.
• Mozzarella di Bufala:"Buffalo" Mozzarella is made in the South of Italy from pure water buffalo milk. This cheese is pure white, hand-formed into small balls. It is soft and rubbery and stored in a whey brine. It is best served with sliced tomatoes and fresh basil, drizzled with extra virgin olive oil and sprinkled with salt and pepper. Shop
• Parmigiano Reggiano:Made from the same recipe as Grana Padano, it too is a very hard natural cheese. A full wheel of Parmigiano Reggiano weighs 75 lbs. and must be cut by a saw. Parmigiano Reggiano's flavor is unmistakably piquant and true cheese connoisseurs know when they are served an inferior imitation. Often used as a grating cheese, Parmigiano Reggiano is a great topping for soups, pasta dishes, veal, chicken, or salads. Buy this cheese as a wedge and grate it yourself so you know you are getting the real thing. Shop