Cheese

Flavor and Appearance

Serve With

American Cheddar

From mild to sharp

Yellow to yellow—Orange Firm to crumbly

Sandwiches, casseroles, soufflés—Creamy sauces—With Fruit pie, crackers—Snack tray with fruit

Blue

Gorgonzola

Roquefort

Compact creamy cheeses, sometimes crumbly—Veined with blue or blue green mold—Mild to sharp

Crumble in salads, salad dressings, dips—Pears and apples—Blend with butter to top steaks—Crackers, French or Italian breads

Brick

Medium firm—Creamy yellow—Little holes—Mild to sharp

Sandwiches, appetizers, desserts—Fresh peaches, cherries, melons

Brie

(bree)

Similar to camembert but firmer—Shape flavor—Strong aroma

With desserts and fresh fruit (You typically eat the rind)

Camembert

(kam-em-bare)

Creamy yellow with a thin gray/white rind—It softens to a thick cream when it ripens—Full rich and mildly pungent odor

Dessert cheese—Served at room temperature—Fresh peaches, pears, apples, toasted walnuts and crackers

Cottage

Soft mild unripened—Large or small curds

Blended with crème—Salads, dips—Fresh or canned fruits

Crème Cheese

Very mild soft cheese with a texture like butter—Whipped or in bricks

Molded or frozen salads—Cheesecake, dips, frostings—Sandwich spreads—Whipped with dessert

Edam

Gouda

The round cheese with the touch red cover—Creamy yellow to yellow—Orange—Firm smooth—mild nutty flavor

Sandwiches, crunchy salads, crackers—Bright center to a dessert or snack tray—Grapes and oranges

Liederkranz

Limburger

Full-bodied flavor and aromatic—Soft and smooth when ripe—Liederkranz is milder and more golden—Limburger has a creamier white

On pumpernickel, rye, crackers—Apples, pears, Tokay grapes—Salty pretzels and coffee

Mozzarella

Scamorza

Unripe mild-flavored and slightly firm—Creamy white to pale yellow

Cooking—Pizza, lasagna, toasted sandwiches, hot snacks (picks up flavor from the food, in which it is cooked)

Muenster

(mun-stir)

Mild to mellow—Creamy white—Medium hard—Little holes

Sandwiches—Snack and dessert trays—Fresh sweet cherries, melons

Parmesan

Romano

Sharp—Very hard—Usually sold in shakers or shredded or solid for grating

Pizza, spaghetti, other man dishes, breads, salads, soups

Port du Salut

(por du sa lu)

Slightly soft, smooth, buttery—Mellow to robust

Dessert—Fresh fruits—Apple pie—Snack tray

Provolone

(prov-a-lone-i)

Usually smoked—Mild to sharp—Hard, dense, flaky

Italian dishes—Sandwiches

Swiss

Firm—Pale yellow—Large holes—Sweet Nutty flavor

Ham sandwiches—Salads, sauces, snacks

Processed Cheese

Like Velveeta

Blend of fresh and aged nature cheeses, and pasteurized—Smoot and creamy—Easy to melt

Cheese sauces—Soufflés, grilled sandwiches, casseroles--Snacks