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!