realCACheese
allAboutCheeseSubTypes no
Below you'll find the most popular cheeses made in California today, as well as a number of specialty cheeses, listed by category.
Fresh Cheeses
CHEESE NAME

Ackawi		 FLAVOR

Mild		 COLOR

 White		 TEXTURE

Firm, smooth		 DESCRIPTION & USES

A Middle Eastern-style cheese with complex flavor. Primarily used as a table cheese. Also spelled Akawi and Akawieh. May also be a semi-hard cheese.
Asadero Mild  White Firm, moist Eaten as is, on sandwiches and melted in cooked dishes. (Note that some forms of Asadero are processed.)
Bakers Cheese Mild  White Soft curds Similar to Cottage Cheese but smoother and softer. Mainly used in baked goods.
Baladi Mild, rich  White Soft, creamy, smooth A Middle Eastern cheese eaten as is, with crackers, in sandwiches or as an appetizer.
Basket Cheese Mild, salty  White Semisoft, moist A Semisoft loose curd cheese similar to Panela in taste and usage.Mainly used in cooking.
Cottage Cheese (Farmers Cheese) Mild  White Soft and moist with large or small curds Eaten alone or in salads. May be flavored, as with chives. Also good in cooked foods or blended for dips. Lowfat and nonfat types available.
Cream Cheese Mild  White Soft, smooth Soft, spreadable cheese often used on samdwiches, also in cooked foods.
Crescenza Mild, slightly tangy Cream, white Soft, creamy Variation of an Italian-style cheese. Good on flat bread or pizza. Excellent dessert cheese paired with fresh fruit such as berries, peaches and plums.
Curd Mild  White Semisoft, creamy, moist Curds are the solids formed in curdled milk from which cheese is made. Some cheesemakers sell fresh curds that can be enjoyed plain or, more commonly, used in cooked foods.
Fromage Blanc Mild, tangy  White Soft, creamy A mild, moist, smooth-textured cheese made from uncooked and unripened curd. Used as an ingredient in baking, in cooking and for eating, as with fruit.
Mascarpone Mild, sweet  White Soft, creamy Italian-style cheese similar to Ricotta, but creamier. Commonly used as an ingredient in desserts or with fruit.
Mozzarella (water-packed) Delicate, fresh milk  White Soft, creamy, smooth This high-moisture version of Mozzarella, typically made from whole milk, has a fresh milk flavor and is typically sold packed in water. Often used in salads or marinated for an appetizer. Small balls are called Bocconcini. (This is not the type commonly used for pizzas.)
Panela Mild  White Firm, moist Hispanic-style cheese with flavor similar to Cottage Cheese. Softens but does not melt when heated. Use in sandwiches, salads, with fruit and in cooked foods.
Quark Light, tart  White Smooth, spreadable A soft cheese similar to Cottage Cheese. Used in baking, also in dips and with fruit.
Queso Blanco Fresco (Queso Para Frier) Mild  White Firm, moist Crumbled onto fruit, beans, salads and other dishes. Can be fried without melting. (Also called Queso Para Frier when sold as a frying cheese.)
Queso Fresco Mild, slightly salty  White Soft, moist, crumbly Most commonly used Hispanic-style cheese with a texture that softens but does not melt when heated. Use as topping or filling in cooked dishes. Also good with fruit. When sold in large blocks can be called Adobera.
Requeson Very mild, Semisweet  White Soft, moist, grainy An Hispanic version of Ricotta that is used in salads, dips, cooked foods and desserts.
Ricotta Very mild, Semisweet  White Soft, moist, grainy Similar to Cottage Cheese, but slightly sweeter with a smoother texture. This Italian-style cheese is good in salads, dips, cooked foods and desserts.