Cheese is essentially fermented, curdled milk, but its variations are vast, from texture to taste. The milk used—whether cow, goat, sheep, or water buffalo—shapes the final product

as does the cheesemaking process itself. Here's a breakdown of the key elements in understanding cheese:

Milk Types and Their Impact

- Cow Cheese: Cow's milk is the most versatile, creating a wide range of cheeses. Its color can vary, with richer yellow hues often indicating higher quality, especially when cows are grass-fed.

- Goat Cheese: Known for its tangy flavor, goat cheese tends to be lighter and whiter due to goats' ability to absorb beta carotene. Its flavor can be barnyard-like in a pleasant way.

- Sheep Cheese: Richer and fattier, sheep's milk produces cheeses with a round, heavy mouthfeel, such as the nutty and waxy notes of certain varieties. Sheep’s milk cheese also has a distinct ivory color.

- Water Buffalo: Known for its high-fat milk, water buffalo cheese is best known in mozzarella, but it can be used for both fresh and aged varieties.

Texture and Styles

Cheese textures vary widely, depending on factors like moisture content, aging, and how proteins break down over time.

- Soft Cheese: This category includes cheeses that are creamy and intended to be eaten quickly, like fresh mozzarella, chèvre, and Brie. These are easy to spread or smear on bread or crackers.

- Fresh Cheese: Unaged and white, these cheeses include feta and queso fresco, typically with a tangy or buttery flavor.

- Bloomy Rind: Characterized by a velvety white rind, these cheeses, like Brie, are soft and creamy.

- Washed Rind: Often pungent, these cheeses, like Époisse and Taleggio, are known for their strong aroma but milder flavor.

- Semi-Firm to Firm Cheese: These cheeses hold their shape even when warm. Think of cheeses like Gruyère and cheddar, which can be sliced easily and often melt well.

- Alpine-Style: These cheeses, such as Gruyère and Comté, have a smooth texture and nutty aroma, perfect for melting.

- Cheddar: Ranging from soft to crumbly and from sweet to acidic, cheddar is made by shredding and stacking curds before they are pressed into blocks.

- Hard Cheese: The densest type, these cheeses are aged and perfect for grating, with Parmigiano-Reggiano being the most famous.

Storing and Caring for Cheese

Cheese is a living organism, and its condition changes with time. To store cheese properly:

- Wrap in Paper: For soft and bloomy rind cheeses, wrap them in parchment paper or store them in a Tupperware with a damp paper towel for humidity control.

- Airtight Containers: For fresh cheeses, keep them in airtight containers to avoid mold from spores in the air.

- Ammoniation: If a cheese becomes too smelly or has discoloration, it might be salvaged by letting it breathe and resting on the counter for a day.

Cheese may have an expiration date, but it's more about the cheese’s condition than the date. With proper care, even cheeses that seem to be overripe can be saved.

Understanding these elements can make cheese selection much easier and help you appreciate the depth of flavors and textures available. Whether you're a fan of creamy, soft cheeses or more intense, aged varieties, there's a cheese for every palate.

A brie(f) history of cheese - Paul Kindstedt

Video by TED-Ed