Types of Cheese

Below you'll find the most popular cheeses made in California today, as well as a number of specialty cheeses, listed by category.

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Fresh Cheeses

Cheese Name	Flavor	Color	Texture	Description & Uses
Ackawi	Mild	White	Firm, smooth	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.
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Soft & Soft-Ripened Cheeses

Cheese Name	Flavor	Color	Texture	Description & Uses
Breakfast Cheese	Strong, aromatic	White	White crust with soft, creamy yellow interior	Refers to a type of soft-ripened cheese with a pronounced flavor sometimes served at breakfast with bread and fruit. Also delicious as a snack or for entertaining.
Brie	Mild, rich	White	White crust with soft, creamy white interior	Soft-ripened cheese with edible white crust. Flavor becomes stronger as cheese ages and creamy interior becomes softer. Delicious with crackers or bread, or with fruit for dessert.
Brie (triple crème)	Mild, rich	White	White crust with soft, creamy white interior	Similar to Brie but with a richer taste and mouthfeel because of higher fat content.
Camembert	Similar to Brie, but with slightly more flavor	White	Soft crust with soft, creamy white interior	Uses are same as for Brie.
Folded Cheese	Mild, minty	Yellow	Semisoft	A Middle Eastern-style cheese similar to Halloumi. Eaten as is, on sandwiches, and used for frying.
Schloss	Strong to pungent	White interior, reddish rind	Semi-firm, creamy	A German-style washed-rind cheese that has mildly strong flavor when young, becoming more pungent and rich with age. Usually eaten plain with crackers or bread.
Teleme	Mild with slightly tangy aftertaste	White	Soft, cream	A very soft cheese at room temperature. Large pieces may have rice flour crust. Excellent as is as a snack, with crackers or bread, in salads or with fruit. Teleme is a California original.
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Semi-Hard & Hard Cheeses

Cheese Name	Flavor	Color	Texture	Description & Uses
Ackawi	Mild	White	Semi-firm	Middle Eastern-style cheese, good as is, with fruit (see also Ackawi under Fresh Cheeses).
Asiago	Sharp	Light yellow	Firm to very firm	Italian-style cheese with sharp, rich flavor. Used for eating and cooking. Harder, more aged versions used for grating in ways similar to Dry Jack or Parmesan.
Baby Swiss	Medium sharp to sharp	White	Semi-firm	Similar to Swiss cheese but with smaller holes. Use as is, for snacks and sandwiches, and in cooked dishes. Comes in lowfat variety.
Carmody	Medium sharp	Light yellow	Firm	A firm, flavorful, smooth-textured table cheese that also melts well. Typically aged four-to-six months.
Cheddar	Ranges from mild to extra sharp	Light yellow to orange; may also be white	Firm	Cheddar describes a family of cheeses — very popular and versatile cheeses available in a range of flavors from mild to very sharp. Good as is and in sandwiches. Melts well and is very good in cooked foods or shredded and sprinkled on top. Also available in an organic version.
Cheddar (Raw Milk)	Sharp, aged	White	Firm	Unpasteurized (raw) milk plus aging gives Cheddar a delicious sharpness. Eaten as is, with crackers, bread or fruit.
Chantaleno	Salty, flavorful	White	Semi-firm to firm	Hispanic-style cheese similar to Cotija. It is used the same way as Cotija in cooked foods.
Colby	Mild, similar to Cheddar	Pale yellow to orange	Semi-firm	Like Cheddar, but somewhat milder and softer. It is used as is for snacks and in cooked foods.
Colby/Jack	Mild to medium sharp	White and yellow/orange	Firm	A blend of Colby and Jack used for eating, especially snacks and sandwiches. Also called CoJack and Calico.
Cotija	Salty, pungent	White	Semi-firm to firm, crumbly	Hispanic-style cheese similar to Feta. Crumble and sprinkle over cooked dishes, soups, beans and salads. Also called Queso Anejo (aged cheese). Some types may be very dry and hard (see Very Hard Cheeses section).
Edam	Mild	Yellow with wax coating	Firm	Similar to Gouda, Edam is very tasty as is, with crackers or other snacks.
Enchilado	Aged, slightly spicy coating	Red spice coating, white interior	Firm, dry, crumbly	Slightly aged Hispanic-style cheese with mild red chili or paprika coating. When aged longer (Anejo-style) may be quite hard. Heated, it softens but does not melt. Crumble onto Mexican foods, soups and salads.
Feta	Salty, pungent	White	Dry, firm to hard, crumbly	Greek and Bulgarian-style cheese used in many Middle Eastern dishes. Good in many cooked dishes, including pasta, or topping soups and salads. Comes in fat-free variety.
Fontina	Mild, nutty	Light yellow	Firm	Mild, pleasant cheese for snacking and sandwiches, similar to Gouda and Edam. (A variation, Fontinella, is firmer and drier.)
Frying Cheese	Mild, slightly salty	White	Firm	A Middle Eastern-style cheese typically cut into slices and fried. Holds shape when hot. Top with sauces or salsa. Used for saganaki.
Gouda	Mild, nutty	Yellow with wax coating	Firm	A popular mild cheese, eaten as is for snacks, also in cooked foods, salads and sandwiches. Similar to Edam.
Gouda (Raw Milk)	Sharp	Light yellow	Firm	A Dutch-style cheese also called Boere Kaas. Has a sharper, more complex flavor than most Goudas due to use of raw milk and aging. Used for eating and cooking.
Havarti	Mild, slightly tangy	Pale yellow	Semi-firm	Mild cheese similar to Edam and Gouda. Used both for snacks and in cooked foods and salads.
Longhorn	Mild to sharp	Light yellow to orange	Firm	A form of Cheddar. Used as is and in cooked foods.
Manchego	Mellow, nutty	White	Semi-firm to firm	This California interpretation of a traditional Spanish cheese uses cows' milk to create a tasty table cheese. Eaten as is or in sandwiches. Melts well when used for cooking.
Marble Cheddar	Mild to sharp	Orange and white	Firm	Distinctive-looking blend of orange and white Cheddars, typically mild to medium sharpness. Uses are same as for Cheddar.
Menonita	Mild	White	Smooth, semi-firm	Hispanic-style cheese similar in taste and uses to Gruyere or Gouda.
Monterey Jack	Mild	White	Semi-firm to firm (Also a High Moisture form with buttery texture)	A very popular, versatile cheese that was created in California. Popular as a snack, also good in sandwiches, salads and cooked foods. Also available in an organic version.
Mozzarella (low moisture, part skim)	Mild	White	Semi-firm	Commonly used in cooking, especially pizza, because of its excellent melting properties. While technically a fresh cheese, this Mozzarella is commonly grouped with semi-hard cheeses because of its firm texture.
Oaxaca	Mild	White	Semi-firm	Hispanic-style cheese similar to Mozzarella but with distinctive braided appearance. Use as is, in sandwiches, or melted on cooked foods, including pizza and nachos.
Port Salut (also Port du Salut or St. Paulin)	Mild	Light yellow	Firm	A French-style cheese similar to Gouda or Edam in taste and appearance. Used for eating but also good for cooking.
Provolone	Mild to sharp	Light yellow	Semi-firm to firm	Italian-style cheese eaten as is or on sandwiches, also used in cooked foods.
Queso Blanco	Mild, slightly tangy	White	Semi-firm to firm, creamy	Hispanic-style cheese similar to mild Cheddar to tangy Jack. Used in cooked foods and fondues. Also good as is.
Scamorza	Mild	Ivory	Semi-firm	Mild, Italian-style cheese similar to Mozzarella (low moisture, part skim). Traditionally tied with string at top, which gives it a distinctive pear-shape.
St. George	Medium sharp	Light yellow	Firm	Portuguese-style table cheese with a rich, medium sharp flavor.
String	Mild	White	Semi-firm, chewy	A popular snack, especially with children who enjoy the chewy, stringy texture. Also used in cooked foods.
Syrian (Armenian String)	Mild	White	Firm	A Syrian-style String cheese, similar to regular String cheese. Also for snacks and in cooked foods.
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Very Hard Cheeses

Cheese Name	Flavor	Color	Texture	Description & Uses
Asiago	Piquant, sharp	Light yellow	Hard to very hard, depending on age	Italian-style cheese similar to Parmesan, typically grated over cooked foods or salads.
Cotija (Queso Anejo)	Strong, aged flavor	White	Hard, dry, crumbly	Hispanic-style cheese typically shredded onto cooked foods, also in salads and with fruit.
Dry Jack	Mild, aged, nutty	Pale yellow	Hard to very hard, depending on age	Eaten as is, or in cooked foods or grated onto pasta or salads. May be aged from seven months to several years.
Enchilado Anejo	Mild, lightly spicy	Red coating, white interior	Hard, dry, crumbly	Aged version (Anejo) of Enchilado. Good as a topping crumbled onto cooked foods. Softens but does not melt under heat.
Romano	Sharp, piquant	Light yellow	Hard to very hard, depending on age	Italian-style cheese similar to Parmesan but more piquant and salty. Use is same for Dry Jack and Parmesan.
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Spiced & Flavored Cheeses

Cheese Name	Common Flavor
Brie	Herb, Pepper, Pesto, Tomato Basil
Cheddar	Caraway, Chili, Chipotle, Dill, Garlic, Hot Pepper, Jalapeno, Pesto, Sage, Salami, Smoked Salmon, Smokey
Feta	Herd, Pepper, Tomato Basil
Gouda	Caraway, Cumin, Garlic, Jalapeno, Smoked, Pepper
Havarti	Dill, Onion, Sweet Red Pepper
Mozzarella	Jalapeno Pepper, Smoked
Monterey Jack	Caraway, Garlic, Garlic & Chive, Green Chili, Habanero, Hot Pepper, Jalapeno, Mediterranean, Mediterranean Olive, Onion, Pesto, Rosemary, Salsa, Smoked, Smoked Salmon, Sun-Dried Tomato
Panela	Jalapeno
Provolone	Smoked
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