The World of Cheese Varieties Link to heading

Cheese is not just cheese! From creamy-soft to crumbly-firm, from mild to intense – the variety of cheese types is impressive. Here’s an overview of the main categories.

Fresh Cheese Link to heading

  • Color: Ivory white
  • Texture: Smooth and creamy
  • Examples: Feta, Brousse du Rove

Whey and Acidic Milk Cheeses Link to heading

  • Color: Snow white
  • Texture: Grainy to delicately melting
  • Examples: Brocciu, Ricotta Romana

Soft Cheese with Natural Rind Link to heading

  • Color: Cream to alabaster white
  • Texture: Soft, creamy, semi-dry
  • Examples: Sainte-Maure de Touraine, Bijou

Soft Cheese with Surface Mold Link to heading

  • Color: White to flaxen
  • Texture: Soft and creamy
  • Mold Culture: Penicillium camemberti
  • Examples: Camembert, Brie, Coeur de Neufchâtel

Soft Cheese with Washed Rind Link to heading

  • Color: Orange, bronze, reddish-brown
  • Texture: Soft, creamy to runny
  • Bacteria Culture: Brevibacterium linens
  • Examples: Langres, Weisslacker

Pressed-Curd Cheese Link to heading

  • Color: Light beige to ash gray
  • Texture: Smooth, firmer, drier or creamier curd
  • Examples: Raclette, Appenzeller, Pecorino

Burnt and Pressed-Curd Cheese Link to heading

  • Color: Ochre to reddish-brown rind, light yellow to cream-colored curd
  • Texture: Firm, melting, with or without holes
  • Specialty: Some varieties weigh up to 110 kg
  • Examples: Gruyère, Emmental, Parmigiano Reggiano

Cheese with Internal Mold Link to heading

  • Color: White with blue, green or black veins
  • Texture: Melting, grainy or runny
  • Mold Culture: Penicillium roqueforti, Penicillium glaucum
  • Examples: Roquefort, Gorgonzola

Pasta-Filata Cheese Link to heading

  • Color: White to cream-colored
  • Texture: Fibrous, elastic
  • Examples: Mozzarella, Burrata

Processed Cheese Link to heading

  • Color: Whitish, yellowish, or greenish
  • Texture: Melting
  • Examples: La Vache qui Rit, Cancoillotte

Cheese Preparations Link to heading

  • Color: Varies
  • Texture: Firm, crumbly or melting
  • Examples: Gaperon d’Auvergne, Janu Siers

Conclusion Link to heading

Whether mild or spicy, firm or creamy – the world of cheese is incredibly diverse. Next time you’re shopping, it’s worth trying a new variety and exploring the full range of flavors!