Mascarpone

Mascarpone is an Italian cheese from the Lombardy region, made by curdling milk cream with citric acid or acetic acid. It is a thick, double or triple cream, soft cheese with a very high fat content ranging from 60% to 75%. The resulting rich butterfat content makes the cheese an essential ingredient in Italian recipes like Tiramisu and cheesecakes.

The texture of Mascarpone ranges from smooth, creamy to buttery, depending on how it is processed during cheesemaking. The concise portrayal of Mascarpone really is just thickened cream that is on its way to becoming butter. Making the cheese is so simple that many people easily make their own Mascarpone at home.

Mascarpone is used in both sweet and savory dishes. It is added to enhance the flavour of the dish without overwhelming the original taste. The cheese tastes best with anchovies, mustard and spices, or mixed with cocoa or coffee. Tiramisu, a layered dish with espresso, brandy, chocolate and Mascarpone has brought the cheese to the forefront of Italian cooking. Another possible use of Mascarpone is to thicken puddings and dessert creams. It is also popular as a standalone dessert served with fruit or syrup.

Whether you buy Mascarpone or make it at home, it needs to be consumed within a few days or it can go bad. 

About

• Made from pasteurized cow's milk
• Country of origin: Italy
• Region: Lombardy
• Type: fresh soft, processed
• Fat content: 60-75%
• Texture: buttery, creamy, smooth and spreadable
• Rind: rindless
• Colour: white
• Flavour: buttery, creamy, mild, milky
• Aroma: fresh
• Vegetarian: yes

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Parmesan

The Parmigiano Reggiano or Parmesan cheese as it is called in English is considered to be among the top cheeses by cheese connoisseurs. Today, it is produced by various producers. However, PDO designation states that for a cheese to be called as Parmesan, it has to be produced from cows grazing on fresh grass and hay.

Cheeses mocking Parmigiano Reggiano are called as Parmesan or Italian hard cheese by producers to avoid legal issues. Parmigiano Reggiano cheese is named after the provinces in which it is made, namely Provinces of Parma, Reggio Emilia, Modena, Bologna and Mantua.

True Parmesan cheese has a hard, gritty texture and is fruity and nutty in taste. Cheeses mocking Parmesan or inferior Parmesan may have a bitter taste. Parmigiano Reggiano cheese is mostly grated over pastas, used in soups and risottos. It is also eaten on its own as a snack.

About

• Made from unpasteurized cow's milk
• Country of origin: Italy
• Region: Provinces of Parma, Reggio Emilia, Modena, Bologna , Mantua
• Family: Parmesan
• Type: hard, artisan
• Fat content: 25.83 g/100g
• Calcium content: 1184 mg/100g
• Texture: crystalline, dense and grainy
• Rind: natural
• Colour: straw
• Flavour: fruity, nutty, savory, sharp
• Aroma: strong
• Vegetarian: no
• Producers: Various
• Synonyms: Parmigiano Reggiano

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Babybel

Babybel, a French version of Dutch Edam cheese, is sold internationally by 'The Bel Group, France' since 1952. In 1977, the company introduced Babybel's smaller version 'Mini Babybel', a delightful snack packed with calcium that is ready-to-eat anytime and anywhere. Today nearly 75% of Mini Babybel is consumed outside of France.

Babybel, a semi-hard cheese is made from pasteurised cow milk. It comes in a net bag where each piece features a distinctive, red wax coating. As of now there are seven flavours offered in the US - Original, Sharp Original, Light, Bonbel, White Cheddar, Cheddar, and Gouda.

Babybel is marketed as a on-the-go snack and is available in various flavours. So, jazz up your snack routine and enjoy a sophisticated cheese on-the-go.

About

• Made from pasteurized cow's milk
• Country of origin: France
• Type: semi-hard
• Fat content: 69%
• Texture: smooth
• Rind: waxed
• Colour: white
• Flavour: salty, sweet
• Vegetarian: no
• Producers: The Laughing Cow

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Provolone

Provolone is an Italian cheese made from cow’s milk whose origins lie in Southern Italy. Today, the major production of Provolone takes place in Po valley region, particularly Lombardy and Veneto. Both Provolone Valpadana and Provolone del Monaco are granted DOP designation by the European Union to ensure that cheese is produced under strict supervision using specific methods to guarantee supreme quality.

Provolone cheese is also classified into two forms: Provolone Dolce, which is aged for 2-3 months, has a pale yellow to white colour and sweet taste. The other, Provolone Piccante is aged for more than four months and has a sharper taste. In South America, a similar cheese by the name of Provoleta is eaten with grilled meat. In America, Provolone produced is similar to the Dolce variety. The flavours of Provolone largely vary depending where it’s made. Mostly, it’s semi-hard in texture and made from cow’s milk.

Provolone contains high amounts of calcium and protein but on the other hand, it is also high in sodium. The cheese goes along with full-bodied and aged red wines. At the table, it could be served with hot chutneys, homemade breads and flat breads.

About

• Made from pasteurized or unpasteurized cow's milk
• Country of origin: Italy
• Region: Po valley region
• Family: Pasta filata
• Type: semi-hard, artisan
• Texture: firm, grainy and open
• Rind: waxed
• Colour: pale yellow
• Flavour: buttery, mild, sharp, spicy, sweet, tangy
• Aroma: pleasant

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Camembert

Marie Harel created the original cheese from raw milk Camembert in Normandy, France in 1791. Today, HOWEVER, a very small percentage of producteurs make cheese from raw milk with the process as Sami Marie Harel Would Have used. Those Who Produce cheese using Marie Harel's method, can call Legally Their Normandy Camembert cheese under the AOC guidelines. HOWEVER, the manufacture of Camembert cheese HAS now transcended the AOC designation.Very good varieties of Camembert cheese made from pasteurized milk can be found in Normandy today. The best of 'em is the Camembert Le Chatelain.

The fresh Camembert cheese is bland, hard and crumbly in texture. Young Camembert: has a milky and sweet taste. As the mature cheese it forms a smooth, runny interior bloomy rind and a white to Camenbert That Is typical cheese. It has a rich, buttery flavor. The bloomy rind is white Caused by a white fungus, called Expired penicillium rind candidum.The is Meant to Be eaten with the cheese.

This cheese is best paired with a light red wine Beaujolais Such As, Chenin Blanc, St Emilion, St Estephe gold traditionally a glass of Normandy cider.

About

• Made from unpasteurized cow's milk
• Country of origin: France
• Region: Normandy Camembert
• Family: Camembert
• Type: soft, artisan, soft-ripened
• Fat content: 45%
• Texture: chalky, runny, smooth, soft, soft-ripened and supple
• Rind: bloomy
• Colour: pale yellow
• Flavour: buttery, creamy, milky, sweet
• Aroma: earthy
• Vegetarian: no
• Synonyms: Le Chatelain Camembert, Camembert de Normandie PDO

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Smoked Gouda

Gouda, or "How-da" as the locals say, is a Dutch cheese named after the city of Gouda in the Netherlands. If truth be told, it is one of the most popular cheeses in the world, accounting for 50 to 60 percent of the world's cheese consumption. Smoked Gouda is a variant of this famous cheese wherein it is smoked in ancient brick ovens over flaming hickory chip embers. Sensational with beer, this hard cheese has an edible, brown rind and a creamy, yellow interior. It can also perfectly complement tasty snacks like fruits, nuts and dark chocolate. It forms a good combination with sandwiches and burgers.

About

• Made from pasteurized or unpasteurized cow's milk
• Country of origin: Holland and Netherlands
• Region: South Holland, Gouda
• Family: Gouda
• Type: hard, artisan
• Fat content: 7 g/100g
• Texture: buttery and crumbly
• Rind: waxed
• Colour: pale yellow
• Flavour: smokey
• Aroma: smokey
• Vegetarian: no

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Manchego Cheese

he Manchego is produced in the La Mancha region of Spain, which is also home to Don Quixote. It is made from unpasteurised sheep's milk. It is one of the popular cheeses from Spain, made from sheep's milk. It also comes under the PDO guidelines.

The traditional use of grass moulds leaves a distinctive, characteristic zigzag pattern on the Manchego cheese. Authentic Manchego is only made from the Manchego sheep's milk. Manchego cheese is made from both pasteurised and unpasteurised milk. The farmhouse version is produced from unpasteurised milk while the industrial version is produced from pasteurised milk.

The rind is inedible with a distinctive, traditional herringbone basket weave pattern, pressed on it. A typical ear wheat pattern is pressed onto the top and bottom wheels of the cheese. There are specific differences in Manchego cheeses, depending on their aging period.

Semi Curado - Young Manchego cheese is aged around 3 months are supple and moist. The flavour is fruity, grass, hay with a tangy note.

Curado - Manchego cheese aged for 6 months acquires a caramel and nutty flavour. It has distinct acidity.

Viejo - Manchego cheese aged for a year becomes crumbly in texture while the interior of the cheese acquires a butterscotch colour. It has a sweet, lingering taste.

Manchego cheeses are best paired with a sherry. Cheeses similar to Manchego are called 'Machego like cheeses', but the producers cannot legally name the cheese as Manchego.

This celebrated cheese has won gold and silver award at the 2014 World Cheese Awards.

About

• Made from unpasteurized sheep's milk
• Country of origin: Spain
• Region: La Mancha
• Type: semi-soft
• Fat content: 57%
• Texture: firm and supple
• Rind: waxed
• Colour: pale yellow
• Flavour: fruity, nutty, sweet, tangy
• Aroma: grassy, pleasant
• Vegetarian: no
• Producers: ALIMENTIAS EMC , Quesos la Vasco Navarra S.A.
• Alternative spellings: Manchego Curado, Manchego Semi Curado, Manchego Viejo

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Cheddar Cheese

During olden days, England was the only place where Cheddar cheeses were made. However, many countries all over the world manufacture Cheddar today.

Any cheese producing company or any of the artisan manufacturers in any corner of the world can label the cheese produced by them as 'Cheddar' since it is not protected like other cheese names or brands. 

Cheddar cheese, the most widely purchased and eaten cheese in the world is always made from cow's milk. It is a hard and natural cheese that has a slightly crumbly texture if properly cured and if it is too young, the texture is smooth. It gets a sharper taste as it matures, over a period of time between 9 to 24 months. Shaped like a drum, 15 inches in diameter, Cheddar cheese is natural rind bound in cloth while its colour generally ranges from white to pale yellow. However, some Cheddars may have a manually added yellow-orange colour.

Joseph Harding, the "father of Cheddar cheese" who invented modern cheese making techniques described the ideal quality of original Somerset Cheddar as "close and firm in texture, mellow in character or quality, rich with a tendency to melt in the mouth and has full and fine flavour somewhat like hazelnut!"

About

• Country of origin: England
• Region: Somerset
• Family: Cheddar
• Type: hard, artisan, processed
• Fat content: 9 g/100g
• Texture: compact and crumbly
• Colour: pale yellow
• Flavour: creamy, sharp
• Vegetarian: no
• Producers: Grafton Village Cheese Company, West Country Farmhouse Cheesemakers, Wexford Creamery, Williams Cheese Company , WSU Creamery

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Pecorino Romano

Pecorino is a term used to define Italian cheeses made from 100% sheep’s milk. However, the American counterpart of the cheese is made from cow’s milk. Of the four Pecorino cheeses that have received Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) status under European Union law, Pecorino Romano is one of the most ancient types of cheese as well as the most famous outside of Italy. As per legislation, production of Pecorino Romano is allowed only on the islands of Sardinia, Lazio and in the Tuscan Province of Grosseto. All these varieties differ from each other, depending on how much they have aged.

As the name suggests, the history of Pecorino Romano dates back to the Roman times when it was a part of the staple diet of soldiers at war. Roman authors, including Varro, Pliny the Elder, Hippocrates and Columella have mentioned about the cheese & its production technique, in their works. Even today, the cheese is made using only traditional methods in the unique areas of origin. Dry-salted by hand, the wheels get a salting numerous times, to deliver a fabulous taste. Its lengthy aging time from eight to 12 months results in a dry and granular texture and a strong taste. When young, the cheese has a soft and rubbery texture with sweet and aromatic flavour. The flavour becomes sharper and smokier when aged for eight months or longer.

Pecorino Romano is one of most widely used, sharper alternatives to Parmesan cheeses. Because of the hard texture and sharp & salty flavour, Pecorino Romano is an excellent grating cheese over pasta dishes, breads and baking casseroles. Although, the use of the cheese is limited because of its extreme saltiness. Pair it with a glass of big, bold Italian red wine or a light beer.

About

• Made from pasteurized or unpasteurized cow's or sheep's milk
• Country of origin: Italy
• Region: Lazio, Sardinia
• Family: Pecorino
• Type: hard
• Fat content: 50%
• Texture: crumbly, dense, flaky and grainy
• Rind: natural
• Colour: pale yellow
• Flavour: salty, sharp, smokey , spicy
• Aroma: nutty, strong
• Vegetarian: no

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American Cheese

American cheese is processed cheese made from a blend of milk, milk fats and solids, with other fats and whey protein concentrates. At first it was made from a mixture of cheeses, more often than not Colby and Cheddar. Since blended cheeses are no longer used, it cannot be legally called “cheese” and has to be labeled as “processed cheese”, “cheese product“, etc. Sometimes, instead of the word cheese, it is called as "American slices" or "American singles". Under the U.S. Code of Federal Regulations, American cheese is a type of pasteurised processed cheese.

Depending on the percentage of cheese versus additives, the taste and texture of American cheese may vary. Also, the colour may change from orange, yellow to white as decided by the food manufacturer.

Processed American cheese is sold in three varieties – individually wrapped cheese slices, small pre-sliced blocks and large blocks. Before cheese slices were invented, block American cheese was the only one available and hence is also considered "classic" or "traditional" American cheese.

American cheese though criticized for its high fat and sodium content is still used in regular cooking as it melts well and contains a good amount of calcium and protein.

About

• Made from pasteurized cow's milk
• Country of origin: United States
• Type: semi-soft, processed
• Texture: creamy and smooth
• Rind: rindless
• Colour: yellow
• Flavour: creamy, mild
• Vegetarian: no
• Producers: Kraft Foods Company

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Brie cheese

 Brie is the best French cheese and Known: has a nickname "The Queen of Cheeses". Brie is a soft cheese named after-the French Brie area, Where It Was Originally created. Several hundred years ago, Brie Was one of the tributes paid qui Had To Be to the French kings.

In France, Brie is very different from the cheese Exported to the United States."Real" French Brie is unstabilized and the flavor is complex Slightly When the area turns brown. When the cheese is still pure-white, it is not matured. If the cheese is cut before the maturing process, it Will Never Develop properly.Exported Brie, HOWEVER, is stabilized and never mature. Stabilized Brie: has a much along shelf life and is not likely to bacteriological infections.

Brie is Produced from the whole semi-skimmed cow's milk gold. Rennet is added to raw milk in and heated to a temperature of 37 ° C to obtenir the curd. The cheese is cast into molds Then, several layers of cheese are filled into mold And Then Kept for around 18 hours. After this the cheese is salted and aged for at least four weeks.

Brie cheese is Slightly pale in color with a greyish tinge under a rind. Its flavor varies DEPENDING upon the added ingredients while Producing the cheese.

Brie, one of the great dessert cheeses, comes as Either a 1 or 2 kilogram wheel and is packed in a wooden box. In order to fully enjoy the taste, Brie must be served at room temperature.

 About

• Made from unpasteurized cow's milk
• Country of origin: France
• Region: Seine-et-Marne
• Family: Brie
• Type: soft, artisan, soft-ripened
• Fat content: 8.4 g / 100g
• Texture: buttery, runny and soft-ripened
• Rind: bloomy
• Colour: cream
• Flavour: fruity, mild, nutty, tangy
• Aroma: pronounced, strong
• Vegetarian: no

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Gouda cheese

Gouda, or "How-da" as the locals say, is a Dutch cheese named after the city of Gouda in the Netherlands. If truth be told, it is one of the most popular cheeses in the world, accounting for 50 to 60 percent of the world's cheese consumption. It is a semi-hard cheese celebrated for its rich, unique flavour and smooth texture. The original cheese markets in Gouda is one of the last standing commercial cheese markets in the Netherlands. Since the name is not protected, it has become a generic classification for all cheeses produced and sold under the name Gouda.

Gouda is typically made from pasteurised cow’s milk although some artisan varieties use sheep’s or goat’s milk to produce cheeses that are going to be aged for a long time. Boerenkaas is a typical variety of unpasteurised Gouda cheese produced by the farmers from milk of cow's grazing on the natural, low pastures of Netherlands. There are seven different types of Gouda cheese, categorized depending on age. Graskaas is young Gouda ready to be consumed within weeks of production. On the other hand, is the extra aged, Overjarig cheese which has a full-flavoured, hard, golden interior and salty flavour reminiscent of a toffee. Between the spectrums is a variety of Dutch Gouda’s classified as per the texture and age - Jong, Jong belegen, Belegen, Extra belegen, and Oud. Each cheese gets increasingly firmer in texture and richer in flavour than earlier classification. The waxed rind of the cheese also changes by the age as soft, younger Dutch Gouda cheese are identified by yellow, orange, or red wax rinds white mature cheese have black wax coverings.

In America, smoother and less flavourful commercial Gouda is popular than Dutch Gouda. Artisans in Netherlands may produce Dutch Gouda using raw milk as well as pasteurised.  To enhance the flavour of the cheese, herbs, seasonings, and nuts may be blended. In Netherlands, aged Gouda is commonly used to richen soups, sauces.Young Goudas are best paired with beer while medium cheeses taste best when paired with a fruity Riesling or Chenin Blanc. A well aged Gouda complements wines that are deeply flavoured such as a rich Merlot or Shiraz. Gouda cheese may be grated, sliced, cubed or melted. It may be used as a table cheese or dessert cheese.

Gouda is available in large wheels with each weighing between 10 and 25 pounds.

About:

• Made from pasteurized or unpasteurized cow's, goat's or sheep's milk
• Country of origin: Netherlands
• Region: South Holland, Gouda
• Family: Gouda
• Type: semi-hard, artisan, brined, processed
• Fat content (in dry matter): 76%
• Fat content: 31 g/100g
• Calcium content: 958 mg/100g
• Texture: compact, crumbly, dense and springy
• Rind: waxed
• Colour: yellow
• Flavour: creamy, full-flavored, nutty, sweet
• Aroma: pungent
• Vegetarian: no
• Producers: Uniekaas Nederland B.V.
• Synonyms: Boerenkass Gouda, Graskaas Gouda, Jong Gouda
• Alternative spellings: Goudam

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