No trip to France in your immediate future? No problem! Take a mini tasting tour at home with one of these easy to make, iconic French dishes featuring some of our favorite imported cheeses.
Sheep’s milk brings an entirely different flavor profile to the cheese table; from subtle and approachable with a bit of sweetness. to tart and briny cheeses, and those with notes of caramel, butterscotch, and pepper.
The world’s most popular variety, Cheddar cheese has a long and storied history! Cheddar has been made since at least the 12th century and is believed to date as far back as the Roman invasion of England. As it’s known today, cheddar cheese originated and earned its name in the village of Cheddar in Somerset in the south …
Tomme de Savoie cheese is produced of cow’s milk found exclusively in the French Alps Tomme de Savoie Flavor: Subtle, slightly sweet, yet tangy Tomme de Savoie Texture: Semi-firm Tomme de Savoie Country: France Tomme is a family of cow’s milk cheeses produced in the French Alps, typically named for the village from which they’re …
Limburger cheese is a semi-soft, washed rind cheese from Belgium and Germany, made with pasteurized cow’s milk. Limburger cheese was originally created by Belgian Trappist Monks in the 1800s in the Limburg region of Belgium. Due to its popularity, German cheesemakers in the Allgau region of Germany began making Limburger cheese and today, Germany is …
Dutch Goat cheese is a semi-firm cheese, made from pasteurized goat’s milk. Dutch Goat cheese has a pale ivory interior and smooth, sliceable texture. Unlike the tart flavor you would associate with fresh goat cheeses, Dutch Goat cheese is aged and has a mild, caramel flavor so it’s the perfect cheese for people new to …
As with so many other delicious discoveries, the origin of blue cheese was an accident! It dates back to 7th century France in a cave outside the village of Roquefort. Legend has it that a distracted shepherd left his snack of bread and cheese in the cave. When he returned a few months later, the …
This famous cheese of Greece is made from goat’s milk, sheep’s milk or a combination of both. Feta is a soft, white, curd cheese, aged in brine. The word ‘feta’ literally means ‘slice.’ Flavor: Salty, tangy and rich Texture: Soft and crumbly Country: Greece The origin of Feta goes back to the 8th B.C. century, where the cheese …
Flavor: Nutty when young, more robust as it ages Texture: Creamy, yet firm and crumbly Country: France Crottin de Chavignol is produced from the raw milk of goat’s around Chavignol, in the Loire Valley of France. It’s one of the most popular French cheeses and has been produce in that area since the 16th century. This small cylindrical …
Flavor: Delicate, nutty and fruity Texture: Hard with a finely grained structure, crumbly Country: Italy This well-known cheese from Italy is a semi-aged, hard cheese made with partially skimmed milk. It originated in the countryside around the Po River Valley, shortly after 1000 AD, by monks who farmed the plains in that region. Then, the monks called …
Flavor: Fruity, nutty with a slight gaminess. Varies by age. Texture: Firm and creamy Country: Spain Noted for: A characteristic herringbone pattern on the rind One of the most popular cheeses from Spain, Manchego is made with sheep’s milk from Manchega sheep in the La Mancha region. The rind is inedible and has a characteristic …
Flavor: Salty Texture: Firm and chewy Country: Cyprus Noted for: “The Grilling Cheese” Halloumi cheese is a sheep’s milk brined cheese, originating from the island of Cyprus and is extremely popular along the Mediterranean. A one-of-a-kind cheese, Halloumi has a high melting point and is best when warmed, grilled or pan-fried. The exterior stays firm and slightly crisp, …
Flavor: Intensely rich and buttery Texture: Luxuriously creamy and soft Country: France The first Triple Crème Brie originated in Normandy, France in the early 1900’s. Extra cream is added to the curd and then the Brie is made in small wheels. Law requires triple Crème Brie’s to contain at least 75% butterfat. The snowy white …
Flavor: Smoky and slightly sweet Texture: Crumbly, yet creamy smooth Country: Australia Smoked Sharp Cheddar cheese from Australia is naturally smoked with wood from apple trees. This natural smoking gives the cheese a deliciously savory, smoky flavor, yet the apple wood enhances it with a characteristically smooth, slightly sweet flavor. The flora and fauna of …
Flavor: Mellow and buttery Texture: Soft, becomes firmer with age Country: Spain Tetilla is a D.O.P designated cheese, made in the lush, green area in Galicia in the northwest of Spain. It’s a soft, creamy cheese and the most characteristic cheese from Spain, recognized by its pear shaped cone and smooth, fine, yellow straw-colored rind. …
Flavor: Mild and sharp Texture: Crumbly and firm, yet soft and creamy Country: Italy Gorgonzola is a soft, blue veined cheese, produced primarily in northern Italy, dating back centuries. It has a rich, creamy and strong flavor with characteristic blueish/green veins throughout. The blue veins evolve during the aging process, when holes are poked into …
Flavor: Sharp and salty Texture: Smooth, moist yet crumbly Country: Denmark Danish Blue is a semi soft cheese, created in Denmark in the 20th century. History has it that caves were used to store many types of cheeses and other products. When the temperatures and moisture levels in the caves fluctuated, molds reportedly formed on …
Tag along on a fun video tour to the Jura Massif region of France to learn the secret behind making Comté cheese.
Crafted in mountain chalets in the Swiss Alps from the raw milk of cows grazing on green grass and flowers, L’ Etivaz is a delightfully aromatic hard cheese named after the village of its origin. What makes L’Etivaz so special is that it is made in small batches by only a select group of producers …
Flavor: Rich, mild and savory Texture: Creamy and velvety smooth Country: France Port Salut Originally created by Trappist Monks during the 19th century, Port Salut is a semi soft cheese, aged 2 months or longer. It has a velvety smooth texture and edible, bright orange rind. It’s a versatile cheese and the perfect addition to …