New York Times Dining Out

November 24, 2009, 12:25 pm

By KIM SEVERSON

People who complain about the lines at Murray’s Cheese might want to just head to the supermarket instead.

Murray’s, long the gold standard for cheesemongering in New York City, is expanding its partnership with the The Kroger Company, which is the largest grocery retailer in the country with 2,470 stores in 31 states.
Under the agreement, Murray’s will open 50 branded Murray’s store-within-a-store locations in its supermarkets over the next three years, according to a report today in Supermarket News.

A year and a half ago, Murray’s opened pilot shops in three locations in Cincinnati. They sold a lot of cheese.

“When the specialty cheese departments in those stores were replaced with Murray’s, sales rose 50 percent to 100 percent,” Robert Kaufelt, the president of Murray’s Cheese, told Supermarket News.

Spaulding Gray’s Review of The Cheese Show on Martha Stewart

I know I said “Got Milk” was next up in Cheese 101… but after The Lady and I watched Martha Stewart’s Cheese Show –twice – I made the executive decision to change the format a bit and review MS’s show.

The Lady loves Martha Stewart and wishes she had more time to watch her show. Also The Lady is still pissed over the whole “going to the pokey thing” and contends that had MS been a man, she would have never had to clean the warden’s office or whatever befell her during those dark days…but I digress…

Martha really had it going on with The Cheese Show. She concentrated on American Artisanal Cheesemakers (a passion of mine as well) and began with a few facts about this growing industry:

1. Twenty years ago, there were less than 100 artisanal cheesemakers in the U.S. Today there are around 400.
2. Because the show featured Vermont artisanal cheesemakers, most of these statistics are Vermont-only: In Vermont, there were 11,000 dairies in 1950; today there are now only about 1100.
3. And while the number of Vermont dairies has drastically declined; the number of  Vermont artisanal cheesemakers has doubled over the last decade.
4. A little more than 50% of the artisanal cheesemakers in Vermont make cheese from cows’ milk; 25% use goats’ milk and the remainder make their cheeses from sheeps’ milk.

The first segment of the show introduced 5 Vermont artisanal cheesemakers:

1. Former Literary Agent, Angela Miller and her husband moved to Vermont and bought the historic Consider Stebbins Bardwell Farm. Located in the Champlain Valley, this farm founded in 1864 by Consider Bardwell was the home of the first cheesemaking co-op in Vermont. Their “Rupert”, an aged, raw Jersey cow milk cheese placed 3^rd in “Best of Show” at the 2009 American Cheese Society Competition.  They also raise and milk goats on their farm.
2. Hannah and Greg of Blue Ledge Farms, both landscape artists, came to Vermont to raise their children and create a sustainable lifestyle and business built on mutual respect for the land, the consumer and most of all the animals. They raise and milk a combination of Alpine, Lamancha and Nubian goats. As with all the cheesemakers MS featured, Blue Ledge has won many awards for their cheeses.
3. Repentant Lawyers John and Janine Putnam make Alpine-style cheese on their Thistle Hill Farm in North Pomfret, Vermont. Along with their four children and their 40+ Jersey cows (of which 20-21 are milked), they make certified organic Tarentaise cheese. This cheese is made in copper vats, essential to the development of the proper flavor (the Gruyere The Lady made at Roth Kase was also made in copper vats for the same reason).
4. Willow Hill Farm in Milton, Vermont is another certified organic dairy that makes both cows’ milk and sheeps’ milk cheeses. They also have a “u pick” certified organic blueberry patch. Sheeps’ milk is the richest milk of the three main milks used to make cheese (Cows’ milk and goats’ milk being the other two)and the sheeps’ milk yield is also the smallest. In addition to the small yield, sheep have the highest multiple births and these factors make sheep farming the most labor intensive in dairy farming.
5. Last, but certainly not least, we met the two men who own and run Cellars at Jasper Hill Farm in Greensboro, Vermont. These two artisans built 22K square feet underground vaults to ripen cheeses they buy from artisanal cheesemakers throughout Vermont. They buy the green and un-ripened cheeses; use the “recipes” of the cheesemakers to ripen the cheeses; and then market and sell the cheeses. This frees the small cheesemakers to concentrate on what they do best: make cheese.

Martha also briefly introduced, Anne Saxelby, of Saxelby Cheesemongers, who specializes in American Artisanal cheeses and sells them from a stall at the Essex Street Market on the Lower east Side of Manhattan. If The Lady and I have one criticism of the show, it is that we would have loved to learn more about this woman whose passion in life is bringing American Artisanal cheeses to the plates of everyone in Manhattan. She spent two years at Murray’s Cheese Shop (which The Lady swears it the Mecca of cheese); then an apprenticeship at Connecticut’s Cato Corner Farms and finished with six months touring cheese shops and cheesemakers in Europe.

The second segment of the show was an interview with Murray’s VP, Liz Thorpe, who presented a cheese sampler for the audience to taste using 5 cheeses from the aforementioned Vermont Cheesemakers. MS also plugged Liz’s new book, “The Cheese Chronicles” (which The Lady dashed out to buy and will review here in the near future). Liz has been in the cheese biz for 8 years and it all started with a visit to a small cheese shop in Manhattan and the rest is…as they say… history…

Liz was quite down-to-earth regarding the cheese plate she constructed: “Something old; something new; something stinky and something blue”. She built the cheese plate from 12 o’clock starting with the mildest of the cheeses featured: Blue Ledge’s Crottina (from goats’ milk) and proceeded to Consider Bardwell’s Dorset (a raw, aged Jersey Cow milk cheese). The third cheese on the plate was Willow Hill’s Autumn Oak (the only sheeps’ milk cheese on the plate). Then it was onto Thistle Hill’s Tarentaise, a robust and nutty Alpine-style cheese reminiscent of a European Beaufort. (Liz explained she would select this cheese over any cheddar when making a grilled cheese sandwich). The last cheese was Bayley Hazen Blue from The Cellars at Jasper Hill Farm which according to Liz had a crumbly consistency and a flavor that reminded her of popcorn.

The audience was thrilled to learn that each of them would be receiving a copy of Liz’s new book.

The next segment featured Lisa Schwartz and her Rainbeau Ridge Farm in Bedford, New York (a mere 5 miles from MS home). Lisa milks 35 Alpine goats twice daily and also runs a community agriculture partnership which sells organic, seasonal fruits and vegetables to the locals. And as if cheesemaking and farming weren’t enough, Lisa finds time to teach the local children how to make cheese and grow veggies: to teach them to connect to the food they eat.

Lisa began with 2 goats in 2002 and customers that were primarily friends and family. She and Martha made a “farmers cheese” together during this segment; a recipe that any of us could do at home with favorable results.

Lisa, like Liz, has a new book: “Over the Rainbeau” which is available on her website.

The fourth segment featured Terrance Brennan, Chef-Proprietor of Artisanal Fromagerie, Bistro and Wine Bar at 2 Park Avenue in Manhattan, who made a simple fondue using Uplands’ Pleasant Ridge and Thistle Hills’ Tarentaise – two cheeses perfect for fondue.

Chef Brennan’s tips for making a successful fondue:

1. Use only two or no more than three cheeses when making fondue. The Alpine-style cheeses are the best as they melt and homogenize better than other cheeses.
2. A high-acid white wine also helps homogenize the cheese.
3. A little cornstarch will help thicken the melted cheese and make it easier to stick to your bread and other dipping “goodies”.
4. When immersing your item into the cheese, use a “figure 8” motion to stir the fondue. This helps emulsify the fondue mixture.
5. When you add the grated cheese to your fondue pot, make sure the cheese is at room temperature.
6. If you drop your goodies into the cheese, you MUST kiss the cook…this is The Man’s favorite tip from this segment. I suspect it is also a favorite for The Lady…

In the next quick segment, Martha showed the audience how to make three easy cheese appetizers: Lacy Cheese Wafers, sautéed in a skillet; Pitted Dates filled with goats’ cheese and Martini Olives filled with blue cheese.

The final segment featured The Lady’s friend, Allison Hooper of Vermont Butter and Cheese who also has a new book, “In a Cheesemakers’ Kitchen” (another recent addition to the cheese book library at the manse). Martha and Allison featured several of the cheeses that Allison and her partner, Bob Reese make including Crème Fraiche and Bonne Buche (which means “good mouthful” in French).

If you love cheese, then this is one of the most pleasurable hours you can spend learning more about the American Artisanal Cheese movement. If you don’t love cheese, then you should seek professional help immediately.

I give Martha Stewart’s Cheese Show 2009 4 Paws out of 4 Paws (cause that’s all I’ve got).

This past week The lady received several new cheeses for the holidays and one of those is Cambozola Black Label from the German Kaserei which also makes the Blue Label Cambozola and the Champignon Mushroom Brie. I have already reviewed the new offerings from Sartori and will review the remainder over this weekend.

Like the Blue label, Black Label is a triple crème with blue gorgonzola veins throughout. That’s where the likeness ends and heaven begins. Black Label is sublime; it melts on the palate and leaves you begging for more.

This cheese is smaller in circumference than its Blue Labeled Sister and stands taller. It is cold-ripened in special cold caves. It has a natural gray mold rind. The taste is nutty and sweet.

Mary, who is owned by a dozen of my East Coast Quadrant comrades, loves the Blue Label. Well, Mary, hold onto your socks; this one is going to make you crazy.

The Lady made a Modena Balsamic Reduction (see video below) and drizzled it over this baby – wow, The Man and I thought we had died and gone to the cheese mine heavens…heaven, I’m in heaven…

I give Cambozola Black Label 4 Paws out of 4 Paws (cause that’s all I’ve got…most days that’s all I need…)

Serving Suggestions: In addition to the Modena Reduction, you can also drizzle some honey over this cheese after spreading it on a slice of crusty French bread.

Wine Pairing: The Lady served the CBL with a David Hill Winery Tawny Port.

Beer Pairing: The Man drank a Rogue Chocolate Stout with his CBL.

Cat Pairing: I sipped on a 2009 Washington State Tap Water while licking this cheese off Beecher’s Hazelnut Crackers.

Source: Cow’s Milk

Up next: Bavarian Blue Brie

The Lady politely asked me this morning why I had not reviewed Beecher’s Crackers from Kurt Beecher Dammeier, creator of my most beloved cheese, No Woman? Suffice it to say, I reminded The Lady that she bears responsibility in this area; but somehow, it fell upon deaf ears (and she accuses The Man of having “selective hearing”… that’s like the pot calling the kettle black…but I digress).

The gang at Beecher’s makes fine crackers and two of them are favorites around the manse.

Beecher’s Original:

This is a one-inch square cracker, just perfect for a slice of No Woman or any other fine Beecher’s cheese. It is buttery and crisp and doesn’t get in the way of the cheese flavor and yet is able to hold its own…

Beecher’s Hazelnut:

Now this one is the cat’s meow. In addition to being buttery, this cracker is also nutty, which might account for the name including hazelnut…

If you’re not careful, you find yourself with a serious jonz when it comes to Beecher’s Crackers.

There is a new Beecher’s available but alas The Lady has kept it from me: Beecher’s Flagship Crackers. She promises in the near future I will be reviewing these as well.

I give the Original 3 Paws out of 4 Paws and I award the Hazelnut 4 Paws out of 4 Paws (cause that’s all I’ve got).

Serving Suggestions: No Woman, Marco Polo, Flagship, Flagship Reserve, Just Jack (which will be reviewed in the near future as well…) – actually any cheese would benefit from sitting on a Beecher’s.

Beecher’s Crackers are available in 5 ounce bags and bear the tradition Beecher’s Logo Picture on the front. You can purchase them at The Lady’s kiosk and most other reputable cheese shops and specialty grocers where you find Beecher’s Cheeses.

By simple definition, a cheesemonger is a person who buys cheese from the dairy farmer and sells it to the consumer.

In my case, the cheese comes to me via a distributor and I “tend” the cheese until it is sold. With more fragile cheeses, I am also the person who takes care of the cheese and protects its quality and atmosphere. I determine if the cheese has become too ripe to sell and/or its quality has been compromised by other factors. Because I work at a high-volume cheese kiosk, our turnover is quick and little cheese is lost due to compromise of quality and/or other factors.

When searching for a trust-worthy cheesemonger here are a few tips:

1. A cheesemonger should be knowledgeable and approachable. Too often “experts” in any field can become a bit snotty and snooty about what they know. This creates an intimidation factor that is most unnecessary and unappealing. In the old days when I went into Murray’s Cheese Shop in the Village, I was afraid to ask questions. Most of the cheesemongers were old guys who didn’t have time for the novice cheese hound. The last couple of times I have been in Manhattan I have seen a drastic change there. Now the counter is filled with younger cheesemongers who are passionate and love to “talk cheese”. That’s the way I think a cheese shop should be. That’s the way my cheese kiosk is… we love our customers (granted, some more than others… as with most things in life…)
2. Your cheesemonger should encourage you to sample cheeses before you try them. At our kiosk we sample at least two cheeses every day. However, any cheese we cut and wrap can be sampled by the customer. When you’re asking someone to pay north of twenty bucks a pound for cheese, a small sample is little to ask in building a customer for life. A local Portland cheese shop, Steve’s, in the Nob Hill District is both approachable and the times I have been there, Steve and his staff have offered samples; once even giving me an unsolicited sample of a cheese they had just received and were preparing for their case. On the opposite side of the coin, in my opinion the cheesemonger at a small shop in NW Portland is quite uppity. The last time I was there and asked for a sample of a Fiscalini cheddar, the woman behind the counter was downright annoyed. The sliver she gave as a sample was almost tasteless because it was so tiny.

When buying cheese consider these points:

1. Is the cheese shop/kiosk clean and well-maintained? If not, then consider another cheese source.
2. Cheese selection: More is not necessarily better. Consider the quality of the cheeses offered over the quantity.
3. The health of the cheese. Cheese is alive and therefore should look, smell and taste healthy. Especially with softer cheeses, consider the smell; too ripe will smell overly ammoniated and taste bitter. Also look for overly dry cheese which comes from improper care and wrapping. Mold, while not bad and normally requires simple trimming, should not be present. Moldy cheese on display reflects a lack of care on the part of the cheesemonger. (We do a “mold patrol” as part of our daily kiosk maintenance.)
4. Refrigeration? Most cheese, depending on the type, stores best at 40-60° (F). Softer cheeses should be refrigerated while harder cheeses can be stored/displayed at room temperature for extended periods of time. At our kiosk we display Parmigiano-Reggiano, Grana Padano, Asiago and Pecorino Romano at room temperature during store hours and refrigerate it each night. Whole wheels of low-moisture cheeses are displayed for extended periods of time (with rotating and flipping for quality assurance).
5. Other offerings. Although not necessary, it is a plus if your cheese shop/kiosk offers foods that compliment your cheese selections. At our kiosk we offer spreads/preserves, crackers, nuts, olives, dried fruits, charcuterie, pickles and other goodies that go well with cheese.
6. Cost. Cheese can be expensive. It takes about 10 pounds of milk to make 1 pound of cheese. While you don’t want to over-pay; you also should not necessarily look for the cheapest place to buy cheese. Consider cost along with all of the other tips I have listed here when finding a cheesemonger that you trust.

 And a final suggestion:

Track the cheeses you try. We offer a cheese tasting notes book (free from our cheese distributor) to journal the cheeses you taste and your thoughts about them. That way you can refer to your own notes when you come across cheeses a second time. You may find that a domestic Gruyere tastes differently than an imported Gruyere. This is information you might want at a later date. You can also keep track of what cheeses and wines and beers pair well for you.

Up next: Starting with the source: Got Milk…

The Lady began selling three cheeses this week from Sartori and brought home samples for your favorite Feline Foodie (that would be me) to sample and review. The Lady reminded me that Sartori was one of the hosts of the Cheese Reception the first night she spent in Wisconsin when she went to make cheese for Kroger.

First up:

Sartori Bellavitano Gold:

Wow, this is one nice cheese. It tastes like a combination of Cheddar and Parmesan – a perfect balance in my book. At room temperature this cheese is creamy and the flavor just pops out and grabs your taste buds and doesn’t let go. Crafted in Wisconsin by Master Cheesemakers, Bellavitano Gold is an addition to your cheese board that’s sure to please even the pickiest guests.

I give Sartori Bellavitano Gold 4 Paws out of 4 Paws (cause that’s all I’ve got).

Serving Suggestions: On a cheese board with cashews and a selection of fruits such as pears and apples. You might also spread a little Dijon Mustard on it and serve with 34° Crispbread Sesame Crackers. You could also add a couple chunks of this to your homemade Marinara sauce and kick it up a couple of notches.

Wine Pairings: 14 Hands Merlot.

Beer Pairings: Sand Creek English Style Special Ale

Sartori Rosemary and Olive Oil Asiago:

This cheese was milder than the Bellavitano Gold but the addition of the rosemary and olive oil added a nice edge to the cheese. It was nutty with a pungent aroma.

I give Rosemary and Olive oil Asiago 3 Paws out of 4 Paws (cause that’s all I’ve got).

Serving Suggestions: Again, this cheese would go well on a cheese board with nuts and dried cranberries. I would also add this to a minestrone soup recipe to give it another flavor level.

Wine Pairings: Shypoke’s 2007 Napa valley Charbono

Beer Pairings: Oregon Nut Brown Ale

And last, BUT certainly not least:

Bellavitano Gold with Pepper:

The outside of this sublime cheese is rubbed with lots of cracked pepper and the additional taste makes an already great cheese even better.

I give the Bellavitano Gold with Pepper 4 Paws out of 4 Paws (cause that’s all I’ve got).

Serving Suggestion: The Lady paired this with Beecher’s Original Crackers and the combination made The Man swoon; not literally but you get the idea… The Lady added a few green grapes and the cheese board was perfect.

Wine Pairings: Charles Shaw Shiraz (which won a double gold medal in 2002 – besting 2300 other reds) aka “Two Buck Chuck” – a great table wine from California’s Bronco Wine Company and Fred Franzia and sold exclusively at Trader Joes.

Beer Pairing: Washington State’s Anacortes Brewery Imperial Fresh Hop Rye Pale Ale.

Beemster Premium Dutch Cheese has been kind enough to loan The Lady one of their cows. The Lady thought it would be fun to take pix of kids who come in the store with the cow. After the pix are developed, the kids get to take them home.

As you can see, your favorite Feline Foodie is the Center of the Universe…at least the center of The Lady’s Universe.

The Lady does indeed love this Feline Foodie. Last night as a snack, she fixed up a Tillamook Cheese Plate with three of my favorites: Cheddar with Peppercorns, Smoked Cheddar and Extra Sharp Cheddar.

To keep The Man appeased she threw in the Horseradish variety, which just about made The Man weep. He does love his horseradish and when you combine it with Tillamook, you can never go wrong…

As you can see below, The Lady was unable to get a picture of me with my head not moving…that’s because I was scarfing down those tasty morsels so fast, her lens couldn’t stop the action…

This Feline Foodie gives the Tillamook Cheese Plate 4 Paws out of 4 Paws (cause that’s all I’ve got)…

The Lady has discovered that Customers are often reluctant to ask in-depth questions about cheese and instead either ask her to recommend a cheese she (or I) like or they’ll just pick a cheese that sounds or looks “familiar”.

Your favorite Feline Foodie and Tillamook Cheese Fan of the Month for November (that would be me) thought it might be a good time to start short tutorials about the basics of cheese.

First up: the eight basic styles of cheese – all cheeses fall into one of the following categories and understanding what each style is can help make your next cheese-buying trip anxiety-free and more enjoyable.

Fresh Cheese:  Any cheese that does not undergo any ripening period is a fresh cheese. These cheeses have high moisture content; are mild in taste and have a creamy texture. Fresh cheeses include cottage cheese, cream cheese, and ricotta. While mostly bland, they improve, taste-wise, when mixed with other flavors such as herbs, fruit and sweeteners. These cheeses often have acidic or citrus taste and also the taste of fresh milk. Most of these cheeses should be eaten within a few days to a couple weeks of when the package is opened. These cheeses have a short “Use-by” date.

Other fresh cheeses include Cotija, some Mozzarellas, Queso Fresco, Mascarpone, Feta, Vermont Butter and Cheese Company Fromage Blanc, Fresh Goat Cheese aka Chevre, Bel Gioioso Burrata, Crave Brothers Mascarpone, Vermont Butter and Cheese Company Crottin, Valencay, Cabecous Feuilles, Bel Gioioso Crescenza-Stracchino and BelGioioso Tiramisu Mascarpone.

Soft-Ripened Cheese: These are cheeses that ripen from the outside in and are soft even when chilled and can be runny when out at room temperature. The outside rind is often a white, bloomy rind that has been sprayed with a mold, usually penicillium candidum, before a short aging period. The most common cheeses in this category are Brie, Camembert and Triple Creams. In the United States most of these cheeses are made from pasteurized milk; whereas in Europe many of these cheeses are still made from raw milk. Because of the FDA Regulation requiring that raw milk cheeses be aged at least sixty days, most European Cheesemakers make both raw milk and pasteurized versions of their cheeses that fall into this category. I have addressed this issue in a separate posting that you might like to read.

Included in this category are Brie de Nangis, Humboldt Fog, St. Andre, Delice de Bourgogne, St. Albray, Champignon, Cambozola, Pierre Robert, Formager d’Affinois, Crave Brothers Les Freres, Florette, Explorateur, St. Maure, Le Chatelain, Soignon Chevrion Buche, Fourgerus.

 Semi-Soft Cheese:  Cheeses in this category have a smooth and mostly creamy interior with little or no rind. Like fresh cheeses, semi-soft cheeses usually have high moisture content and often are very pungent; but can also be quite mild. Raw milk and pasteurized milk are both used in this category. Blues and washed-rind category cheeses can also be in this category.

Semi-soft cheeses include Chaumes, Bel Gioioso Fontina, Havarti, Tillamook Monterey Jack, Bleu D’Auvergne, St. Agur, Bellwether Farms’ Carmody, Roth Kase Petit Swiss, Jarlsberg, Roth Kase ButterKase and young Goudas.

 Washed-Rind Cheese: These cheeses are surface-ripened by washing the cheeses with brine, wine, brandy, beer or other ingredients throughout the aging process. The washing encourages the growth of bacteria and promotes pungent, sometimes very pungent, aromas and are therefore sometimes known as “stinky cheese”. While at Roth-Kase last spring, one of the duties The Lady completed in her Cheesemaking Class was to wash the ripening Gruyere. Also in my review of Taleggio, I state that it is also known as “My Father’s Smelly Feet”. In contrast to their smelly rinds, many of these cheeses are quite mellow and mild in taste such as Epoisses and Taleggio. Both taste absolutely nothing like the way they smell…and that’s a good thing…who would eat cheese that tasted like smelly feet???

Washed-Rind Cheeses include Raclette, Morbier, Epoisses, Taleggio, Pont l’Eveque, Livarot, Le Timanoix, Abondance, Bel Gioioso Italico, Winey Goat and Roth Kase Raclette.

Blue Cheeses: These cheeses have distinctive blue or green veining which is created by injecting penicillium roqueforti mold. This mold adds an easily recognized flavor that ranges from mild to bold and pungent. In Italy these cheeses are called “Gorgonzola”, in France “Bleu” or Roquefort – a protected name and style and in Britain and the US “Blue”.

In this category are Rogue River Blue, Bleu D’Auvergne, Forme d’Ambert, Maytag and Black River Gorgonzola.

Hard/Firm Cheeses: This is a broad category that covers cheeses that may be elastic at room temperature or are hard enough to grate like a Parmesan. Most of the Beemster Premium Goudas fall into this category as do most Cheddars, Swiss-style and Gruyere-style cheeses.

Specific cheeses in the hard category include Beecher’s Flagship Reserve, Comte, Rembrandt Gouda, Parrano, Piave, Grana Padano, Parmigiano-Reggiano, Manchego, Idiazabal, Roth Kase Grand Kru, Emmenthal, Tillamook 2-Year Vintage White Extra Sharp Cheddar,  Beemster XO and Beemster Vlaskaas.

Natural Rind Cheeses: These are cheeses that develop a natural rind during the aging process without the addition of molds and without washing of the rind. Because they age over several weeks, many of these cheeses are made using raw milk. Many “Tomme” style cheese including Tomme de Savoie are in this category. The rind is usually edible but not necessarily tasty and is often gritty – try a nibble before going full steam ahead with the rind.

Other cheeses in this category include Mimolette, Cantalet, Brillat Savarin, Garroxta, English Stilton (also a blue), Shropshire Blue (another blue), Testun and St. Nectaire.

Spun Cheeses: Often called “Pasta Filata”; these cheeses are usually Italian in origin. As the name says, they are cooked and then kneaded (spun). They can be fresh or very hard grating cheeses depending on the producer. The cooking occurs when the curd is exposed to warm water which in turn makes the curd silky and elastic. The softer cheeses are then brined and the harder cheeses are air-dried.

This category includes BelGioioso Burrata, Mozzarella and Scamorza which all have a high moisture content and BelGioiosos Provolone and Caciocovallo with lower moisture content.

(There is a ninth category sometimes included in a list of cheeses but since your humble feline foodie does not consider it cheese, I refuse to really include it here: processed cheese such as Velveeta, “American Cheese” and other cheeses that can withstand a nuclear war…)

Up Next: Cheese 101: What is a Cheesemonger and other Cheese Vocations