Explore Cheeses

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

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

Pérail

Perail is made from sheep’s milk in the Midi-Pyrénées region of France. It has a very soft, almost liquid texture and a delicate, buttery flavor. This cheese is often served spread on bread or enjoyed on its own to appreciate …

Country: France

Bohinjski sir

Bohinjski sir is a hard cheese from the Bohinj region of Slovenia. Made from cow’s milk, it has a robust, slightly sweet flavor and a compact, dense texture. This cheese is often aged in the mountainous regions, absorbing the rich …

Country: Slovenia
Milk Type: Cow's milk
Texture: Semi-hard
Flavor: Full-flavored

Bloomy Rind

Bloomy Rind cheese is a type of soft cheese characterized by its edible white rind and creamy interior. The rind develops from the mold Penicillium candidum, giving it a mild, earthy flavor. Inside, the cheese is rich and buttery, often …

Kopanisti

Kopanisti is a pungent, spicy cheese found primarily in the Cycladic islands, particularly Mykonos. It is made from cow's, sheep's, or goat's milk and is noted for its strong, peppery and fermented flavor. Its creamy texture makes it excellent for …

Country: Greece
Milk Type: Whole raw cow’s, ewe’s, and goat’s milk or mixtures, adapted to the region
Texture: Spreadable
Flavor: Intense salty and peppery

San Michali

San Michali is a unique cow's milk cheese from the island of Syros in Greece. It is known for its distinct aroma and sharp, spicy flavor, often compared to Parmesan. San Michali is the only PDO cheese from the Cyclades …

Country: Greece
Milk Type: Cow’s milk
Texture: Compact, with very small irregular holes
Flavor: Salty, peppery

Emmental

Emmental is a classic Swiss cheese, known for its large holes and nutty, mild flavor. It is made from cow's milk and has a hard, dense texture. The holes, or "eyes," develop during the fermentation process as a result of …

Country: Switzerland
Milk Type: Cow's milk
Texture: Hard or medium-hard
Flavor: Nutty, sweet

Queso de Acehúche

Queso de Acehúche is a traditional Spanish cheese made exclusively from raw goat’s milk from Murciana-Granadina, Florida, Malagueña, Retinta, and Verata breeds. It is produced in the province of Cáceres, Extremadura, using enzymatic coagulation and matures for at least 40 …

Milk Type: Goat
Texture: Semi-hard, elastic, slightly moist
Flavor: Low saltiness, moderate acidity, low bitterness, low pungency, more pronounced in aged cheeses

Chaource

Chaource is a soft, creamy cheese from the Champagne-Ardenne region. Made from cow's milk, it has a rich, buttery flavor with a hint of mushrooms due to its <a href="https://anycheese.com/glossary/bloomy-rind/" title="Detailed Article About Bloomy Rind Cheeses">bloomy rind<a>. Chaource is typically …

Country: France
Milk Type: Cow's milk
Texture: Soft and creamy
Flavor: Cream, fresh mushrooms

Puzzone di Moena

Puzzone di Moena, also known as Spretz Tzaorì, is a cheese from Italy. It is made from cow's milk from specific breeds, including Bruna, Frisona, Pezzata Rossa, Grigio Alpina, Rendena, and Pinzgau. The cheese is cylindrical with a smooth or …

Country: Italy
Milk Type: Cow
Texture: Semi-cooked, medium-hard, elastic
Flavor: Strong, intense, slightly salty and/or sharp, with a barely-perceptible bitter aftertaste

Oka

Oka is a semi-soft, washed-rind cheese from Oka, Quebec, Canada, originally crafted by Trappist monks in 1893. Known for its creamy, fruity, and nutty flavors, Oka cheese has a distinct copper-orange rind and a pungent aroma. Available in various types, …

Country: Canada
Milk Type: Cow
Texture: Semi-Soft

Graviera Kritis

Graviera Kritis is a popular cheese from the island of Crete, possessing a PDO status. Made primarily from sheep's milk with some goat's milk, it has a sweet, nutty flavor that becomes more pronounced with age. The texture is semi-hard, …

Country: Greece
Milk Type: Sheep's milk, Goat's milk (up to 20%)
Texture: Hard
Flavor: Nutty, Sweet

Queso de Media Flor de Guía

Queso de Media Flor de Guía is a full-fat or half-fat cheese produced in the same region as Queso de Flor de Guía, using the same milk proportions. However, its curdling process involves at least 50% vegetable rennet, with the …

Milk Type: Sheep (Canary Island breed), with up to 40% cow and 10% goat milk
Texture: Dense, compact, sometimes rubbery or creamy
Flavor: Mildly acidic with slight sharpness

Salers

Salers is a semi-hard cheese from the Auvergne region of France, made from the raw milk of Salers cows. It has a strong, complex flavor with spicy, fruity, and nutty notes and a firm, chewy texture. Traditionally, Salers is made …

Country: France
Milk Type: Cow's milk
Texture: Firm
Flavor: Strong-tasting

White Leicester

White Leicester, also known as Leicester or Leicestershire cheese, is similar to Red Leicester but lacks the annatto coloring, resulting in a natural pale color. It has a firm texture and a rich, mellow, nutty flavor. This cheese is excellent …

Country: United Kingdom

Aisy Cendre

Aisy Cendre is a semi-soft, smear-ripened cheese from Burgundy, France, made from pasteurized cow's milk. It has a washed rind and a white interior. The cheese delivers a full-flavored profile with salty, smoky, and herb-like elements. Its aroma is earthy …

Country: France
Milk Type: Cow's milk
Texture: Semi-soft, smear-ripened
Flavor: Full-flavored, herbaceous, salty, smokey

Crottin de Chavignol

Crottin de Chavignol is a small goat cheese from the Loire Valley of France. It has a strong, slightly goaty flavor that becomes nuttier and more intense as it ages and the exterior develops from soft and smooth to a …

Country: France
Milk Type: Goat's milk
Texture: Firm, smooth
Flavor: Light goat to walnut and hazelnut

Pecorino Siciliano

Pecorino Siciliano is an ancient sheep’s milk cheese from Sicily, known for its sharp and spicy flavor. This hard cheese is typically aged for at least four months and has a compact, crumbly texture. It’s often enjoyed on its own …

Country: Italy
Milk Type: Sheep's milk
Texture: Hard and compact
Flavor: Varies from fresh and floral to fruity and spicy with age

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

Bleu des Causses

Bleu des Causses is an aromatic blue cheese from the high plateaus of Aveyron in Southern France. Similar in production to Roquefort, it is made from cow’s milk, giving it a creamier texture and a milder, less salty flavor. This …

Country: France
Milk Type: Cow’s milk
Texture: Semisoft; Blue-veined
Flavor: Sweet yet spicy, not too salty or bitter

Cheshire

Cheshire is one of the oldest recorded cheeses in British history. It has a crumbly texture and a mild, slightly salty taste. The cheese can be white, red (colored with <a href="https://anycheese.com/glossary/annatto/" title="Annatto: Its Role in Cheesemaking and Culinary Uses">annatto</a>), …

Country: United Kingdom
Milk Type: Cow's Milk
Texture: Open, flaky
Flavor: Tangy, savory

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

Boursin

Boursin is a soft, creamy cheese from France, famous for its smooth texture and herb-infused flavors. It is often made with garlic and fine herbs, but other varieties might include pepper or shallot and chive. Boursin is a spreadable cheese, …

Country: France
Milk Type: Cow's milk
Texture: Soft and creamy
Flavor: Garlic and herbs, pepper, or shallots and chive

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

Trnič

Trnič is a pear-shaped cheese from Slovenia, traditionally made on the Velika Planina plateau. It is a hard cheese made from curdled cow's milk, with added cream and salt. Historically, it was made by shepherds as a token of love, …

Country: Slovenia
Milk Type: Cow’s milk
Texture: Hard
Flavor: Salty and slightly acidic

Was this page helpful?