Mozzarella Cheese

Mozzarella

Mozzarella cheese is a sliceable curd cheese originating in Italy. Traditional Mozzarella is made from milk of water buffalos herded in very few countries such as Italy and Bulgaria. As a result, most of the worlds mozzarella is now made from cow's milk.

Mozzarella cheese is not aged like most cheeses. It is eaten fresh and within few hours after it is made.

Fresh Mozzarella cheese is one of those easy-to-make-at-home cheeses used while making variety of recipes, including salads, meats, seafood, and vegetables.

• Made from pasteurized or unpasteurized cow's or Water buffalo's milk
• Country of origin: Italy
• Type: semi-soft, brined
• Texture: springy, stringy and supple 
• Colour: white
• Flavour: milky

Cheddar Cheese

Cheddar Cheese

In the past, England was the only place where Cheddar cheeses were made. However, many countries all over the world manufacture Cheddar today.

Any cheese producing company or any of the artisan manufacturers in any corner of the world can label the cheese produced by them as 'Cheddar' since it is not protected like other cheese names or brands. 

Cheddar cheese, the most widely purchased and eaten cheese in the world is always made from cow's milk. It is a hard and natural cheese that has a slightly crumbly texture if properly cured and if it is too young, the texture is smooth. The taste gets stronger as it matures. Cheddar cheese is natural rind bound in cloth while its colour generally ranges from white to pale yellow. However, some Cheddars may have a artificial yellow-orange colour.

• Made from pasteurized cow's milk
• Country of origin: England
• Type: hard, artisan, processed
• Texture: compact and crumbly
• Colour: pale yellow
• Flavour: creamy, sharp

Blue Cheese

Blue Cheese

Blue cheese is a generic term used to describe cheese produced with cow's milk, sheep's milk, or goat's milk and ripened with cultures of the mold Penicillium. The final product is characterized by green, grey, blue or black veins or spots of mold throughout the body. This process also softens the texture and develops the distinctive sharp flavour.

The flavour of the cheese depends on the type of blue cheese, shape, size, climate of the curing and the length of ageing. But it generally tends to be sharp and salty. Some of the famous blue cheeses around the world are Roquefort from France, Gorgonzola from Italy and Stilton from England.The origin of Blue cheese has an interesting story. It is thought to have been invented by accident when a drunken cheese maker left behind a half-eaten loaf of bread in moist cheese caves. When he returned back, he discovered that the mold covering the bread had transformed it into a blue cheese.

Blue cheese tastes best when served with crackers, pears, raisins, fruit breads and walnuts. Crumble the cheese and melt it into sour cream, plain yogurt or mayonnaise as a dressing.

• Made from pasteurized or unpasteurized cow's, goat's or sheep's milk
• Country of origin:countries of the world
• Type: semi soft, blue-veined
• Texture: creamy
• Colour: blue
• Flavour: salty, sharp, tangy

Swiss Cheese

Swiss

Swiss cheese is a generic name for several related varieties of cheese. It is an American version of the Swiss Emmental and is known for being shiny, pale yellow. It's flavour is mild, sweet and nutty. It has a savory, but not very sharp taste. Some types of Swiss cheese have a distinctive appearance. Some cheeses have holes known as 'eyes' while some do not. In general, the larger the 'eyes' in a Swiss cheese, the more pronounced its flavour!

The process of Swiss cheese making is designed in a way that no rind forms on the cheese. It can be eaten with fruits such as apples, grapes and thinly-sliced prosciutto ham and salami. Fruity white wine, aged red wine, crane-raspberry juice also prove to be great pairs for Swiss cheese.

• Made from pasteurized cow's milk
• Country of origin: United States
• Type: Hard, artisan, processed
• Texture: Firm
• Colour: pale yellow
• Flavour: nutty, sweet