Cheeses can lie classified by country of origin, ripening method, fat content or texture. Here we classify fine cheeses by texture and have adopted 3 categories for describe and explain the qualities of cheese:
Firm Cheeses
Firm cheeses are not hard or brittle. Some are close-textured and flaky, like cheddar; others are dense, holey cheeses like Swiss Emmenthaler. Most firm cheeses are actually imitators of these two classics. Their moisture content ranges from 30% to 40%. Cheddars are produced in both North America and Great Britain. American Cheddar is a cow’s-milk cheese made primarily in New York, Wisconsin.
Vermont and Oregon, containing from 45% to 50% fat. The best Cheddars are made from raw milk and aged for several months. (Raw milk may be used in the United States provided the cheese is then aged at least 60 days.) They have a dense, crumbly texture. Cheddars may be white or colored orange with vegetable dyes, depending on local preference.
Flavors range from mild to very sharp, depending on the age of the cheese. Colby and longhorn are two well-known mild, soft-textured Wisconsin cheddars. Cheddars are sold in a variety of shapes and sizes, often coated with wax. Good-quality cheddars are welcome additions to any cheese board, while those of lesser quality are better reserved for cooking and sandwiches.
English Cheddar is a variety of cows-milk cheese produced in Great Britain containing approximately 45% fat. Perhaps the most imitated cheese in the world ,true English cheddar is rarely seen in the United States because of import restrictions. It is a moist yet sliceable cheese, I at least six months.
Emmenthaler (Swiss) is a cow’s-milk cheese from Switzerland containing approximately 45% fat. Emmenthaler is the original Swiss cheese: it accounts for more than half of Switzerland’s cheese production. It is mellow, rich and nutty a natural rind and a light yellow interior full of large holes. It is ripened in three with the aid of fermenting bacteria. The holes or “eyes” are caused by gases expanding inside the cheese ring fermentation. Authentic Emmenthaler is sold in 200-pound wheels with the Switzerland stamped the rind like the spokes a wheel.
Emmenthaler, of the basic fondue cheeses, is also popular for sandwiches. snacks and after dinner with fruit and nuts.
Gruyere is a cow’s-milk cheese made near Fribourg in the Swiss Alps and containing proximately 45% to 50% fat. Gruyere is often imitated, as the name is not legally protected. True Gruyere is moist and highly flavorful, with a sweet nuttiness similar to Emmenthaler. Gruyere is aged for up to 12 months and then sold in huge wheels. It should have small, well-spaced holes and a brown, wrinkled rind, Gruyere melts easily and is often used with meats and in sauces, but it is also appropriate before or after dinner.
Jarlsberg is a Swiss-type cow’s-milk cheese from Norway containing approximately 45% fat. Jarlsberg closely resembles Emmenthaler in both flavor and appearance It is mild with a delicate, sweet flavor and large holes. Jarlsberg has a pale yellow interior; it is coated with yellow wax and sold in huge wheels. It has a long elf life and is popular for sandwiches, snacks and in cooking.
Monterey Jack is a cheddar like cow’s-milk cheese from California contain-: 50% fat. It is very mild and rich, with a pale ivory interior. It is sold in wheels or loaves coated with dark wax. “Jack” is often flavored with peppers or herbs and is good for snacking, sandwiches and in Mexican dishes. Dry-aged Jack develops a tough, wrinkled brown rind and a rich, firm yellow interior. It has a nutty, sharp flavor and is dry enough for grating.
Provolone is a cow’s-milk cheese from southern Italy containing approximately 45% fat. Provolone dolce, aged only two months, is mild, with a smooth texture. Provolone piccante, aged up to six months, is stronger and somewhat flaky or stringy. Smoked provolone is also popular, especially for snacking. Provolone is shaped in various ways, from huge salamis to plump spheres to tiny piglets shaped by hand. It is excellent in sandwiches and for cooking, and is often used for melting and in pizza and pasta dishes.
Hard Cheeses
Hard cheeses are not simply cheeses that have been allowed to dry out. Rather, they are carefully aged for extended periods and have a moisture content of about 30%. Hard cheeses are most often used for grating; the best flavor will come from cheeses grated as needed. Even the finest hard cheeses begin to lose their flavor within hours of grating. The most famous and popular of the hard cheeses are those from Italy, where they are known as grana. Hard cheeses can also be served as a table cheese or with a salad.
Asiago is a cow’s-milk cheese from Italy containing approximately 30% fat. After only one year of aging, Asiago is sharp and nutty with a cheddar like texture. If aged for two years or more, Asiago becomes dry, brittle and suitable for grating. Either version should be an even white to pale yellow in color with no dark spots, cracks or strong aromas. It is sold in small wheels and keeps for long periods if well wrapped. Asiago melts easily and is often used in cooking.
Parmigiano-Reggiano (Parmesan) is a cow’s-milk cheese made exclusively in the region near Parma, Italy, containing from 32% to 35% fat. Parmigiano-Reggiano is one of the world’s oldest and most widely copied cheeses. Used primarily for grating and cooking, it is rich, spicy and sharp with a golden interior and a hard oily rind. It should not be overly salty or bitter. Reggiano, as it is known, is produced only from mid-April to mid-November. It is shaped into huge wheels of about 80 pounds (36 kilos) each, with the name stenciled repeatedly around the rind. Imitation Parmesan is produced in the United States, Argentina and elsewhere, but none can match the distinctive flavor of freshly grated Reggiano.
Pecorino Romano is a sheep’s-milk cheese from central and southern Italy containing approximately 35% fat. Romano is very brittle and sharper than other grating cheeses, with a “sheepy” tang. Its light, grainy interior is whiter than Parmesan or Asiago. It is packed in large cylinders with a yellow rind. Romano is often substituted for, or combined with, Parmesan in cooking, but it is also good eaten with olives, sausages and red wine.
Goat’s-Milk Cheeses
Because of their increasing popularity, cheeses made from goat’s milk deserve a few words of their own. Al- though goats give less milk than cows, their milk is higher in fat and protein and richer and more concentrated in flavor. Cheeses mule with goat’s milk have a sharp, tangy flavor. They may range in texture from very soft and fresh to very hard, depending on age.
Chevre (French for “goat”) refers to small, soft, creamy cheeses produced in a variety of shapes: cones, disks, pyramids or logs. Chevres are often coated with ash, herbs or seasonings. They are excellent for cooking and complement a wide variety of flavors. Unfortunately, they have a short shelf life, perhaps only two weeks. Cheese labeled pur chevre must be made with 100% goat’s milk, while others may be a mixture of cow’s and goat’s milk.
The finest goat’s milk cheeses usually come from France. Preferred brands include lkicheron, exported from France in 5-pound (2-kilo) logs; Ghevrotin, one of the mildest; and Montrachet, a tangy soft cheese from the Burgundy wine region. Spurred on by the increased popularity of chevre, a few American producers have developed excellent cheeses in a wide variety of shapes and styles.
