There are different ways to classify cheese. Different countries use different cheese classifications, we put it all together here. It’s kind of like trying to use he metric system in the US.

One classification is the MILK type. This can be goat, sheep, cow or water buffalo. You can search for cheeses on TribecaCheese.com by milk type.

Another system is by style. This is where it gets tricky…

Very Soft: Very soft cheese is usually fresh uncooked, un-ripened or slightly ripened. These cheeses are usually moist and mild. They are sometimes molded, or sometimes for scooping such as mascarpone that we love on pastries.

Soft Ripened/ Semi Soft: You may see either of these classifications for this style of cheese. It is ripened and has a surface crust that is usually thin, white and bloomy. (It is also classified by its rind, bloomy rind) Examples are Brie, Camembert and Taleggio.

Semi Hard: Semi hard cheeses are those that are sliceable such as Gouda and Port Salut.

Semi Hard Blue: Add a little blue to the semi hard cheeses and they are crumbly like Roquefort and Stilton.

Hard: Hard cheeses are firm as you might expect. These include: Cheddar, Gruyere Emmental, Parmigianno-Reggiano and Aged Pecorino.

Here you get judge to the book by its cover, or the cheese by its rind. By the way all cheeses should look as good as you do!

White mold: Our most famous example being the white mold on brie.

Washed Rind: The washed rind is an orangy rind, that is rubbed or washed, or sometimes you may find one that has been immersed in such liquids as wine. Examples of washed rinds are Taleggio and Mahon.

Dry Natural Rind: These self-formed rinds have a dense texture due to a longer aging process. Examples are Stilton and Mimolette.

Bloomy Rind: This style of cheese has a surface crust that is usually thin, white and bloomy. Examples are Brie, Camembert and Taleggio.

Blue-veined: Blue-veined cheeses are marbled with blue green mold: Roquefort and Gorgonzola.

Then we can classify the style by process:

Uncooked: Pressed curd is not heated or cooked but pressed to solidify. Examples include: Cheddar, Morbier, and Manchego.

Cooked: Cooked chesses are pressed and the curd is heated before it is pressed, for example: Gouda, Parmigiano-Reggiano, Appenzeller, and Emmental

We don’t even dare enter the processed cheese realm of cheese food products.

Additionally, there is a system of denomination of origin to protect certain cheeses. Certain cheeses can only be produced in a particular region, think Champagne.

Some examples are:

• Italy
• Asiago
• Fontina
• Gorgonzola
• Grana Padano
• Parmigiano-Reggiano

• France
• Brie de Meaux
• Comte
• Camembert de Normandie

• Spain
• Mahon
• Idiazabel
• Manchego

What to Choose?

I heard an old adage adapted to the art of the cheese tray. " Something old, something new, something goat, something blue. " The suggestion here is to choose an aged or hard/firm cheese, a softer, mild fresh cheese, a goat’s milk cheese and a blue. This way there is something for everyone.

Try our cheese plates arranged around a particular theme

How much?

• 3 oz. per person for apps, 6 oz. per person if main event
• Try 3 to 5 different cheeses

The Art of A Cheese Tray:

If arranging cheeses on one tray, choose something flat like a large wooden cutting board or piece of marble. Then arrange from mild to strong, youngest to most mature and softest to hardest. The order is very important to enjoy the full flavor of the cheeses. If the strong cheeses are served first they will overpower the rest.

Technicalities

If you want to get technical… the cheese that is first should be at the 6 o’clock position and then subsequent cheese be placed clockwise from that point. The other option is to put each cheese on its own small wooden cutting board to avoid softer cheeses mixing and the mixing of aromas.

• Each cheese should be served with its own knife, round edged cheese for softer cheeses, sharp for harder drier cheeses.
• Label the cheeses so your guests will know what they are eating.
• Cover with wax paper until the guests arrive.

Accompaniments

Bread: We like fresh crusty French bread; you could also use walnut bread, olive bread, sourdough, rye or focaccia. Serve two kinds of bread in a basket if the cheese is being presented as a cheese course.

Crackers: Bread is the better option however Carr’s water crackers or assorted biscuits for cheese are acceptable. Make sure the crackers are unsalted and not the cracked pepper version, it will over power the cheese.

Fruits: Fresh sliced pear or apple, figs, dates, dried apricots, grapes, fresh melon wedges, strawberries, cherries, plums depending on the season. Fresh fruits in season are the best option, especially if they are locally grown J and work very well with cheese as a desert plate. Try figs, dates or dried apricots during the winter months.

Vegetables: Green or black olives,

celery, radishes, zucchini, green beans, cucumbers, cherry tomatoes, sun dried or oven dried tomatoes make good plate mates for most cheeses.

Nuts: In a separate bowl you could provide: walnuts, pecans, brazil nuts, almonds, cashews, hazelnuts.

Charcuterie: Great on a cheese plate include thin slices of: Prosciuto, Sopressata, Capricolla, salami, Serrano, Chorizo.

Chutneys, Fruit Pastes, Jams and Honey: These adornments not only taste great but also look great on a cheese plate. Try a quince paste on a semi-hard sheep milk cheese like Manchego or Pecorino Mezzanno.

Cutting and Serving The Cheese

Cut off the amount of cheese that you will be serving and bring to room temperature. (It usually takes about 30 minutes for the softer cheeses to an hour for the harder cheeses to warm to room temperature.)

• Begin to cut your cheeses in the order in which you will serve them, from mild to strong
• Cut so that the cheese remaining on the wheel does not have too much exposed surface area.

You will probably want to pre-slice, guests may not know how to properly cut for themselves meaning they may cut entirely too much and leave none for the rest of the guests. Each portion should be about 1 ounce.

If you want to get technical…

Single serving slices:

• Smaller and medium size cheese-cut in wedges, tip towards the center of the plate, rind, about an inch, toward the edge.
• Hunks, blocks and wedges-long thin rectangular slices, if possible try to keep a little rind on each slice.
• Round logs, serve in medallions.
• Triangle logs are to be cut in triangle slices.
• Pyramids should be cut from top to bottom, then into halves, then quarters, then eighths.
• Runny Cheeses can be served in its own dish then placed on the cheese board in its proper position.
• Hard Cheeses should be sliced thinly

Cheese Storage

Keep in wax or parchment paper, let it breath, it’s alive. Do not use plastic wrap on your head or your cheese both will suffocate. One trick of trade is to use bakery paper, like Sav-a-Wrap. The cheese should then be stored in the crisper drawer, as close to the bottom of your refrigerator as possible.

Tips for Cooking with Cheese

1. Do not over cook it.
2. Cook slowly or add at the end.

Shelf Life

The harder they come the longer they last. Hard cheeses can last up to a month if stored properly, semi soft will last for a few weeks, but those precious soft cheeses will not last 2 weeks.

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