Types of cheese
What's the difference between a Camembert and a Gruyere?
There are thousands of cheeses with different colors, textures, tastes,... So what makes the difference?
Milk:
Cow's milk, goats' milk, sheep's milk
Processing:
- Fresh - usually un ripened and packed into tubs or crocks (cottage, cream cheese, ricotta)
- Ripened but unpressed - quick-ripened (1 month) by surface molds; allowed to drain naturally (Brie, Point L'Eveque)
- Uncooked but Pressed - pressed and ripened from 2 to 18 months (Gouda)
- Cooked & Pressed - cooked, then molded, heavily pressed and then ripened for up to 4 years (Cheddar, Parmesan, Pecorino)
Texture:
- Very soft - fresh, spoonable
- Soft - neither cooked nor pressed, spreadable
- Semi soft - pressed, can or cannot be pressed, firm but moist, sometime crumbly
- Semi hard - cooked and pressed, sliceable
- Hard - cooked and pressed, very firm, can be both sliced and grated
Color:
Cheese colors can range from white to yellow to chocolate brown in various shade degrees. Much depends on the length of ripening along with how much butter fat is present. Rule of thumb: the longer the ripening, and the more butter fat content, the darker the cheese.
Rinds:
- Dry Natural Rinds - are formed by the curds on the edge of the cheese as it dries out.
- Soft White Bloomy Rinds - have a thin or thick growth of white mold on surface.
- Washed Rinds - a smeary bacterial growth washed by water, wine, or brine.