Wednesday, December 27, 2006

Cheese is usually classified according to the animal whose milk is used to make it -- cow, sheep or goat (and occasionally buffalo) -- as well as by the age of the cheese, its texture and the type of rind. Classifying cheese can be tricky, because many varieties fit into more than one category. Here is a basic breakdown of cheese categories as defined by the American Cheese Society.

Cheeses that have not been aged or ripened. High in moisture, usually mild, with a creamy taste and soft texture. Examples: chevre, cottage cheese, cream cheese, feta, fromage blanc, mascarpone, ricotta.

Cheeses that are ripened from the outside in. Soft, even runny at room temperature. Often coated with an edible white "bloomy" rind that is produced by spraying the cheese with Penicillium candidum mold before a brief aging period. Examples: brie, camembert, triple creme.

Cheeses with a smooth, generally creamy interior and little or no rind. High in moisture, ranging in flavor from mild to quite pungent. Examples: colby, fontina, gorgonzola, havarti, Monterey Jack, many washed-rind cheeses (see below).

Broad category of cheeses with tastes ranging from very mild to very sharp and pungent. Texture ranges from elastic at room temperature to suitable for grating. Examples: Asiago, cheddar, dry jack, gouda, Gruyere, Swiss, tomme, Parmesan, pecorino.

Cheeses with characteristic blue-green veining, created when mold added during cheesemaking is exposed to air. Distinct in flavor, with a range from mild to assertive; in texture, ranging from soft-ripened to hard. Examples: Danish blue, gorgonzola, Roquefort.

Cheeses of mostly Italian origin that are cooked and pulled, or spun, as the name implies. Texture ranges from fresh to hard. Examples: Armenian string cheese, mozzarella, provolone, scamorza.

Cheeses with rinds that are self-formed during the aging process. Most are aged for many weeks to develop their flavor and their rinds. Examples: English Stilton, Lancashire, Mimolette, Tomme de Savoie.

Cheeses that are surface-ripened by being washed throughout the aging process with brine, beer, wine, brandy or a mixture of ingredients, which encourages the growth of bacteria. Exterior rind may vary from bright orange to brown, with flavors and aromas that are quite pungent. Interior of the cheese is most often semi-soft and sometimes very creamy. Examples: Epoisses, Grayson, Livarot, Taleggio.

Cheese byproducts made from a combination of natural cheese and added ingredients, such as stabilizers, emulsifiers and flavor enhancers. Examples: American cheese, processed cheese spreads, "cheese flavored" spreads.

-- Domenica Marchetti