Explore Cheeses

Explore cheese varieties from around the world, categorized by texture, milk type, and region.

Pepato

Pepato is a variety of Pecorino that is studded with whole peppercorns, adding a spicy kick to the otherwise nutty and salty flavor of the sheep's milk cheese. This hard, granular cheese is excellent for grating over dishes to add …

Country: Italy
Milk Type: Sheep's milk
Texture: Semi-hard, artisan
Flavor: Salty, spicy

Pljevlja

Pljevlja is a traditional cheese from the northern region of Montenegro, made from cow's milk. It has a rich, creamy texture and a strong, salty flavor. Often served as part of a mezze platter, Pljevlja cheese is enjoyed with bread, …

Country: Montenegro
Milk Type: Sheep’s milk, cow’s milk, mixed
Texture: Soft to semihard

Urdă

Urdă, also found in Romania and other Balkan countries, is a fresh cheese made from whey, with the addition of milk and cream. It has a soft, crumbly texture and a mild, sweet flavor. Urdă is often used in desserts …

Country: Bulgaria, Hungary, Macedonia, Romania, Serbia and Ukraine
Milk Type: Cow's, goat's or sheep's milk
Texture: Creamy, delicate
Flavor: High quality

Pont-l'Évêque

Pont-l'Évêque is a French cheese from Normandy, known for its square shape and washed rind, which gives it a strong aroma. Despite its pungent smell, the cheese has a creamy, smooth texture and a rich, buttery flavor with slight tangy …

Country: France
Milk Type: Cow's Milk
Texture: Soft to Semi-hard
Flavor: Mild: herbaceous, milky, and creamy

Cottage Cheese

Cottage cheese is a fresh cheese curd product with a mild flavor. It is made by draining the cheese, as opposed to pressing it, which retains some of the whey and keeps the curds loose. Popular as a diet food …

Country: United Kingdom and United States
Milk Type: Cow's milk
Texture: Soft, curdy
Flavor: Mild, possibly slightly lemony in traditional versions

Queso Zamorano

Zamorano is a hard cheese from the Zamora province in Spain, made from sheep's milk. It resembles Manchego but is made using the milk of the Churra and Castellana sheep breeds. Zamorano has a rich, nutty flavor and a slightly …

Country: Spain
Milk Type: Sheep's milk
Texture: Firm and compact
Flavor: Intense, nutty, buttery, slightly piquant

Burrata

Burrata is a fresh Italian cheese, similar to mozzarella but with a creamy interior that oozes out when cut open. Made from cow's milk, the outer shell is solid mozzarella while the inside contains both mozzarella and cream, giving it …

Country: Italy
Milk Type: Water buffalo's milk
Texture: Soft, creamy
Flavor: Mild, lactic

Brie de Meaux

Brie de Meaux is a variety of Brie that is considered one of the finest cheeses in the world, holding AOC designation. It features a more complex flavor profile than regular Brie, including a rich, creamy interior with flavors of …

Country: France
Milk Type: Cow's milk
Texture: Soft
Flavor: Cream, butter, hazelnuts

Chèvre (Goat Cheese)

Chèvre is the French word for goat, and it refers to any cheese made from goat's milk. These cheeses can vary widely in texture from soft and creamy to firm and crumbly. Chèvre flavors range from mild and smooth to …

Country: France
Milk Type: Goat
Texture: Crumbly , Soft
Flavor: Tangy

Ġbejna

Ġbejna is a small, traditional cheese from Malta made from sheep's or goat’s milk. It can be found fresh, dried, or peppered, with each variety offering a different texture and taste. Fresh Ġbejna is soft and creamy, while dried Ġbejna …

Country: Malta
Milk Type: Goat's or sheep's milk
Texture: Soft
Flavor: Savory

Metsovone

Metsovone is a smoked, semi-hard cheese from Metsovo in the Pindus mountains of Greece. Made from cow's milk or a mix of cow and sheep or goat milk, it is one of the few Greek cheeses that is smoked, giving …

Country: Greece
Milk Type: Cow's milk, Ewe's or Goat's milk
Texture: Semihard to hard
Flavor: Slightly salty and piquant

Svecia

Svecia is a semi-hard Swedish cheese with a creamy soft yet firm and somewhat resilient texture. It is cylindrical in shape, measuring about 35 cm in diameter and weighing between 12-15 kg. The cheese has a light yellow to yellow …

Milk Type: Cow
Texture: Semi-hard, creamy soft, firm, somewhat resilient, small irregular holes
Flavor: Mildly acidic, full-bodied

Colby-Jack

Colby-Jack, or Co-jack, is a blend of Colby and Monterey Jack cheeses. It features a marbled mix of orange and white cheese, combining the mild flavor of Colby with the creamy texture of Monterey Jack. This cheese is particularly popular …

Country: United States
Milk Type: Cow's milk
Texture: Semi-hard, processed

Toma Piemontese

Toma Piemontese is a specific type of Toma from the Piedmont region, with a PDO status. It has a more defined character, ranging from mild and creamy when young to firmer and more flavorful with age. It’s excellent for eating …

Country: Italy
Milk Type: Cow's milk
Texture: Elastic / Consistent
Flavor: Mild, sweet / Savory, salty

Wagashi

Wagashi is a West African cheese made primarily from cow's milk, though goat's milk can also be used. It is a soft, fresh cheese with a spongy texture and a mild, slightly sour taste. Wagashi is often fried or grilled, …

Milk Type: Cow’s milk
Texture: Compact

Vastedda della Valle del Belice

Vastedda della Valle del Belice is a unique sheep's milk cheese from Sicily, distinctive because it is one of the few stretched-curd sheep cheeses. It is made from raw, whole milk and has a smooth, elastic texture with a mild, …

Country: Italy
Milk Type: Raw whole sheep’s milk
Flavor: Lightly sourish but not spicy

Cantal

Cantal is one of the oldest cheeses from France, originating from the Auvergne region. It comes in two varieties: young Cantal, which is soft and buttery, and aged Cantal, which is more robust and tangy. This firm cheese is similar …

Country: France
Milk Type: Cow's milk
Texture: Firm
Flavor: Varies

Stilton

Stilton is one of the best-known British blue cheeses, traditionally made in two varieties: blue and white. Blue Stilton is creamy and crumbly with a distinctively sharp, rich flavor produced by the blue veins. White Stilton, less common, is the …

Country: England
Milk Type: Cow's milk
Texture: Hard, blue-veined
Flavor: Spicy, strong

Queijo da Beira Baixa

Queijo da Beira Baixa is a type of cheese from Portugal, specifically from the Beira Baixa region. It includes three types: Amarelo, Castelo Branco, and Picante. The cheese is made from raw milk of Merino sheep and Charnequeiro goats, or …

Milk Type: Sheep and Goat
Texture: Semi-hard, semi-soft, hard, or very hard (depending on type)
Flavor: Intense, clean, slightly acidic, spicy, and salty (depending on type)

Brânză de burduf

Brânză de burduf is a traditional Romanian sheep’s milk cheese, known for its strong flavor and soft, spreadable texture. It is typically aged in sheep's stomachs or bark tubes, which gives it a unique, slightly tangy taste. This cheese is …

Country: Romania
Milk Type: Sheep's milk (Turcana and Tiggae sheep)
Texture: Soft to firm and slightly flaky
Flavor: Spicy, sharp

Dorset Blue Cheese

Dorset Blue Cheese is a lightly pressed, firm-textured blue cheese made in Dorset, England. It has a uniform color with irregular blue-green veining and a rough, dry brown mold coating. The cheese has a piquant, peppery flavor that ranges from …

Milk Type: Cow
Texture: Firm
Flavor: Piquant, peppery, mild to strong

Queijo Terrincho

Queijo Terrincho is a traditional cheese from Portugal, specifically from the Terra Quente region. It is made from the raw milk of Churra da Terra Quente sheep. The cheese is known for its distinct flavor and aroma, which become more …

Milk Type: Sheep's milk
Texture: Close and even, slightly buttery for Queijo Terrincho; hard, well-formed for Queijo Terrincho Velho.
Flavor: Intense smell, mild and clean for Queijo Terrincho; strong, balanced mixture of different smells for Queijo Terrincho Velho.

Queso de Burgos

Queso de Burgos is a fresh cheese from the province of Burgos, Spain. It is made from a blend of whole, fresh, and pasteurized cow’s and sheep’s milk, with different types distinguished by the percentage of sheep’s milk used. The …

Country: Spain
Milk Type: Cow’s and sheep’s milk
Texture: Fresh, slightly grainy or buttery, elastic, slightly fatty
Flavor: Mild, milky, and slightly sweet

Aged Cheddar

Aged Cheddar is a hard cheese originating from England, known for its sharp, tangy flavor and firm texture. As it matures, usually over a period of 12 to 24 months, the cheese develops a crumbly consistency and rich taste that …

Bra

Bra cheese comes from the town of Bra in Piedmont, Italy, and can be made from either cow's milk alone or a blend of cow's and sheep's or goat’s milk. It ranges in texture from soft and creamy to firm, …

Country: Italy
Milk Type: Cow's milk; optionally mixed with small quantities of sheep or goat milk
Texture: Hard or semi-hard depending on aging
Flavor: Range from mild to piquant

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