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A cheese can be classified in many ways: by the process or recipe used to make it, by the type of milk, by its texture, by the appearance of its rind, and other ways,-- it's impossible to choose the classification method that works best and has the fewest exceptions.
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for simplicity's sake cheeses are classified by family, grouping together those which share primary characteristics and are related by their finished appearance, texture, and level of flavor
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Fresh Cheeses - Are essentially uncooked and unripened ( or slightly ripened ) curd that may or may not have been drained of its whey, ( ie.
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ricotta is undrained, while cream cheese is drained ) usually very moist and mild, their flavor is characterized by a pleasant tartness.
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some are molded, while others are simply scooped from a container.
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Examples include farmers cheese, cottage cheese , French fromage blanc and unaged fromage de chevre, and Italian Mascarpone.
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Soft-ripened or Bloomy Rind Cheeses - which have a semisoft consistency, have been surface ripened - either sprayed or exposed to molds so that they ripen from the rind inward , their crusts are thin, whiten,and velvety ( bloomy ).
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Examples include French Brie, Camembert, and triple - cremes such as Gratte-Paille and Pierre Robert , as well as Italian Paglia-style and Toma cheeses.
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Washed-rind Cheeses - Whose rinds are usually orange-hued, have been rubbed or washed ( sometimes immersed ) during the ripening process with a solution of brine, wine, beer, or grape brandy to promote a desirable exterior mold that is instrumental in creating the cheese's characteristically pronounced flavor.
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Examples include French Epoisses , Livarot, and Pont-I Eveque, Italian Taleggio, Spanish Manon, and most Trappist or monastery- style cheeses.
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Natural - rind Cheeses - Have self-formed rinds, no microflora or molds and no waxing areb used to create their thin exteriors .
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They are denser in texture than other cheeses and usually aged longer .
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Examples include English Stilton, Lancashire, French Chantal, fromage de chevre, Mimolette, Tomme de Savoie, and Spanish Roncal.
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Blue - veined Cheeses - Which are marbled with a blueish-green mold, reveal visible mold cultures within their interiors.
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Examples include American Maytag Blue, English Stilton, French Roquefort, Italian Gorgonzola, and Spanish Cabrales.
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Uncooked, Pressed Cheeses - Which are made from curd that has not been heated ( or cooked ) to soto complete the drainage of whey and to achieve a specific, firm texture.
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Examples include Cheddar, French Morbier and To me de Savoie, Italian Montasio, and Spanish Manchego.
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Cooked, Pressed Cheese - Is made from curd that has been heated ( or cooked ) before pressing.
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Examples include Dutch Gouda, English Cheshire, French Cancel and Swiss Emmental.
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Processed Cheese - Is a cheese by-product made from a combination of natural cheese , vegetable-based gums, dyes, emulsifiers , and stabilizers, blandly uniform in flavor, it has a smooth or spreadable consistency and a long shelf life.
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Examples include american Cheese, imitation cheese and cheese spreads, as well as imported examples such as French Gourmandise, LA Vache Qui Rit, and Rambol.
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From the Cheese Primer by Steven Jenkins :*:* Enjoy *:*: saveursfe :-)
