Have you ever found yourself at The Cheese Board Collective, panicking over all of the cheese choices? After reading this article, choosing the perfect cheese for any occasion and atmosphere will become much easier.
Cheese is classified by many aspects: texture, milk, aging, and its rind. Within this article, we will focus on texture and rind before separating the cheeses into 7 categories, focusing on how the cheese is made, its texture and taste, and what to pair it with for which occasion.
Category 1: Fresh Cheeses
Fresh cheeses are usually white and have a creamy, smooth, and mild taste. You can find fresh cheeses with different flavors such as garlic, onion, or herbs and they’ll often be in the spreads section, such as Boursin. Fun fact: It’s the only type of cheese that isn’t aged, and it only takes three simple steps to make: 1) curdle the milk with acids, 2) drain to remove the whey, and 3) mold the cheese.
Cottage cheese, Boursin, Philadelphia, or Ricotta all belong within this category, though each of these differs greatly from the other. Fresh cheese is a good option if you’re looking for something healthy, since they’re low in calories. You can pair them with bread, crackers, or fresh veggies such as sliced cucumbers, celery, or carrots. They go well for a cute picnic at the glade, so be sure to bring them to your next social event!
Category 2: Soft Cheeses with a Bloomy Rind
If you look at the rind of Camembert under a microscope, it looks like a field of flowers, which is where its name comes from. This type of cheese is also creamy, although less so than fresh cheeses because they are a bit aged (from 4 to 12 weeks) and are not cooked or pressed. The thin, soft rind is edible and delicious, with a buttery and mild taste.
These types of cheeses go well with fresh fruit, such as grapes. Within this category, we can find Camembert and the famous Brie. Although they are not considered spreadable, they are delicious when spread on crackers or bread! Camembert is especially delicious when roasted with a few herbs, such as rosemary, and topped with a drizzle of honey. While these are great options for a dinner with friends, they are not the best for a romantic setting if you are trying to avoid smelly breath.
Category 3: Washed Rind Soft Cheeses
Within the same category of soft cheeses, these kinds have a similar manufacturing process to those with a bloomy rind. Although they are creamy and rich, this type of cheese smells very strong and has an orange rind. They are also aged longer (several months) and are washed with salt or alcohol, which creates the orange, stinky rind. If you were looking for the durian equivalent in cheese, it would probably be found in this category.
This category includes Morbier (the mildest), Munster, Reblochon or Maroilles (one of the stinkiest cheeses). They melt easily (Reblochon, Mont d’Or), and pair very well with potatoes, bread, or charcuterie. They are very good cheeses to bring for a fondue or raclette, which will also impress your French friends!
Category 4: Blue Cheeses
In addition to their pungent smell, blue cheeses are also quite strong in their taste. These are sharp and salty, and can even be a bit tangy. These cheeses can have a very creamy texture, such as Gorgonzola, or a crumbly one, such as Fourme d’Ambert. They can be made from different milks, which influences the intensity of the cheese. The little green and blue spots come from a bacterium called penicillium roqueforti (hence the name of Roquefort). This bacterium is added to the milk during curdling, after which the cheese is pierced with needles, allowing air into the cheese and letting the bacterium develop.
Blue cheeses go very well with pears and apples, or even raisins. My personal favorite is to cut it into little cubes and use it to elevate a salad with some nuts and a sweet vinaigrette sauce.
Category 5: Pressed Cheeses (Uncooked)
Uncooked pressed cheeses are mild and are made by pressing the curds without cooking them, keeping them moist and giving them a semi-soft and smoother texture. Beaufort, Tomme de Savoie, and Cantal belong to this category. Their rinds are either natural (formed simply by drying and aging in the open air) or washed (brushed regularly with salt or alcohol to create a more pungent and flavorful rind), but either way is edible!
You can pair them with figs or jam. They also go well with any type of fruit, but my personal recommendation would be to cut it in thin slices and eat it plain! Another option is to take cherry jam or quince and pair it with any uncooked sheep cheese. All of these pairing options make this category of cheese great for a cheeseboard! You will find them at the bottom right of the photo below.
Category 6: Pressed Cheeses (Cooked)
Unlike uncooked cheeses, the curds of cooked pressed cheeses are heated and cooked, which makes them firmer and ideal for long aging (from months to years). Some examples are Comté or Gruyère. These have a rich and complex flavor, and sometimes taste nutty or fruity. Their texture can become granular and crystalline the longer they age.
I recommend pairing them with walnuts, fruits, or red wine. They also match very well with the vibe of a fancy dinner, and I would give them the award of “best cheese for a date.” You can also make very good sandwiches with them!
Category 7: Goat Cheeses
As seen in the name, these are made from goat milk, giving them a tangy and goaty flavor that tastes very fresh. They can range from super creamy and spreadable (such as fresh goat cheese) to firmer and crumbly when aged – though these are rarer.
Goat cheeses taste great with honey, thyme, or bread. I also recommend putting some on toast, drizzled with honey and rosemary, and baking it in the air fryer or oven, before adding it to a salad. They’re also adorable for a picnic. It even pairs well when baked with figs or grapes.
I hope that the next time you’re at The Cheese Board Collective staring down at the assortment of cheese, you’ll know exactly what to grab! Fresh cheeses for healthy picnics and chill socials, bloomy rinds for a comforting dinner before the midterms, washed rind stinkers for an amazing raclette or fondue party (or both), blue cheeses to level up your salads or testing any fruit pairings, uncooked pressed cheeses for cheeseboards with figs and jam, cooked pressed ones for fancy dates, and goat cheeses for baked toasts or picnics— the options are endless!