Now that we’ve come to the end of our cheese glossary, we thought we’d share which of the words we shared with you were our favorite!

Affineur

This very fancy term indicates a person who ages cheese. They will decide when it is perfectly ripe and ready for you to eat.

Burrata – this is such a delicious cheese that you must try!

A fresh Italian cheese made from mozzarella and cream. It has an outer shell of mozzarella, filled with stracciatella and cream. Stracciatella is a cheese made from Italian buffalo milk and is made up of small, creamy shreds.

Friable

This means a cheese that crumbles easily.

Grana 

This comes from the Italian word for grain and refers to a group of hard, grainy cheeses. These include Asiago, Grana Padano and Sapsago.

Hooping

The process of putting fresh curds into mold forms.

Kashta

A very creamy cheese originating from the Middle East. It is sometimes baked or simply eaten with honey. This cheese is almost a dessert!

Limburger – such an unusual cheese and another must-try!

Limburger is rated as one of the stinkiest cheeses in the world! It is a spreadable cheese with an almost bitter flavor. A rind washed cheese, it has a distinct brown-colored rind with semi-soft, ivory cheese inside. It can be quite mild but it also has a distinct grassy and mushroom taste. The aftertaste has a tang to it.

The bacteria Brevibacterium linens causes the odor and the maturing process which creates Limburger. When it is young it has a firm, crumbly texture with a salty flavor, like feta. At six weeks, the edges soften but the center stays firm. By two months it is almost all smooth and creamy and by three months it develops its intense smell and flavor. Limburger originated in the historical Duchy of Limburg, which is now divided between modern-day Netherlands, Belgium, and Germany. However, most Limburger today comes from Germany. Only one company in the United States still makes it, the Chalet Cheese Cooperative of Monroe, Wisconsin. We’re proud to source our Limburger Cheese from Wisconsin.

Marbled

Marbled cheese is usually a blend of Monterey Jack and Colby cheese, marbled together to create a striking effect. Monterey Jack is a buttery, semi-firm cheese that originated in California. It is usually only aged for around a month, making it a fresh, fairly soft cheese to enjoy.

Ovolini

A ball of fresh mozzarella, weighing approximately four ounces.

Stirred-curd Cheese

These are sometimes called granular cheeses. They are made in a similar way to cheddar cheese but do not go through the cheddaring and milling process. It tends to have a higher moisture level than other cheeses. The granular aspect comes from the open look to the
cheese.

Terroir

This French term denotes the effects that geography and different environments have on food. It is particularly used in reference to cheese and wine. It includes climate, soil, and terrain, as well as the techniques used in growing. These may be based on a particular tradition.

Umami

The fifth taste after sweet, sour, salty and bitter, which is often equated with a savory taste. This was first identified in Japan but is now used worldwide. It is often found in mature, aged cheeses.

Xynomizithra

A Greek sheep and/or goat whey cheese that is made on the island of Crete. It is a soft, white and creamy cheese that has a sour taste. It is commonly served with honey as a dessert.

We hope you enjoyed the cheese glossary! Which was your favorite word? Let us know in the comments below!

The time has come; we’ve reached the end of our cheese glossary! Read on to find the cheese terms you need to know from the letters V, W, X, Y, and Z.

Vegetable Rennets

These are rennets extracted from organic sources such as thistles, nettles, or fig leaves.

Washed Curd

A cheesemaking process in which the curds are drained of whey before being rinsed with water and then stirred to rinse off any lactose that natural bacteria might convert to acid. This raises the moisture level and can hasten the aging process for the curd. One example of a washed curd cheese is Colby.

Washed Rind

This refers to cheeses that have been washed in liquids such as brine, whey, beer, cider,
wine, brandy or oil during the ripening process. This keeps the rind moist and encourages growth of an orange bacteria, which can be scraped off, dried, or left to develop into a full rind. One example of a washed rind cheese is Limburger.

Waxed

A cheese covered in wax. This is done for preservation but also creates a distinctive look for cheeses. Many have a specific wax color.

Waxy

A classification of cheese texture.

Weeping

Swiss-type cheeses that release some moisture from their ‘eyes’ may be said to be ‘weeping’.

Whey

The thin, watery part of milk. It separates from the curds when heated and is usually drained away, although some cheeses use the whey in the production of the cheese.

Xynomizithra

A Greek sheep and/or goat whey cheese that is made on the island of Crete. It is a soft, white and creamy cheese that has a sour taste. It is commonly served with honey as a dessert.

Yaroslavsky

A Russian hard cow’s milk cheese with a slightly sour taste.

Yeast

Yeast are single-celled fungi. There are currently 1,500 discovered species. Yeast can be used to change the flavor and texture of cheeses during surface ripening, as well as affecting the aroma of cheese.

Zakusochny 

A Russian soft, blue, cow’s milk cheese.

Zufi 

An Italian cow’s milk cheese similar to ricotta that is made in Piedmont.

What was your favorite term from the cheese glossary? Let us know in the comments below! What would you like to learn about next?

We continue our cheese glossary with the letters T and U!

Terroir

This French term denotes the effects that geography and different environments have on food. It is particularly used in reference to cheese and wine. It includes climate, soil, and terrain, as well as the techniques used in growing. These may be based on a particular tradition.

Texture

Texture refers to the ‘feel’ of cheese, both in the eating experience and the cutting. Cheese textures can include smooth, grainy, open or closed, creamy, flaky, dense, or crumbly.

Thermalized

Milk that has been treated at temperatures higher than 160F for less than 15 seconds. It is less temperature and time than pasteurization. It is often used in the production of blue cheese.

Thermophilic Cultures

Common cheesemaking cultures that work at temperatures above 100°F.

Triple cream

Cheeses that have more than 72% butterfat content. They are very rich and creamy, as you would expect, and pair well with fruit and wine to cut through the richness.

Turophile

If you’re reading our blog then you are probably a turophile! This term means a cheese lover. It comes from the Greek turos, for cheese, and phil, for love.

Umami

The fifth taste after sweet, sour, salty and bitter, which is often equated with a savory taste. This was first identified in Japan but is now used worldwide. It is often found in mature, aged cheeses.

Unripened

Cheeses that have not been aged. They are sometimes called fresh cheeses and include cheeses such as mozzarella.

You can see our other cheese glossary posts here. We’ve come all the way through the alphabet and we’ll be carrying on through so that you’ll learn about cheese from A to Z!

What has been your favorite thing to learn from the cheese glossary? Let us know in the comments below!