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[[File:Cheese platter.jpg|300px|thumb|A platter with cheese and garnishes]]
[[File:Kaasmarkt2 close.jpg|thumb|Wheels of [[Gouda (cheese)|Gouda]]]]
'''Cheese''' is a generic term for a diverse group of milk-based [[food]] products. Cheese is produced throughout the world in wide-ranging flavors, textures, and forms.

Cheese consists of proteins and fat from [[milk]], usually the milk of [[cattle|cows]], [[Water Buffalo|buffalo]], [[goat]]s, or [[sheep's milk|sheep]]. It is produced by [[coagulation (milk)|coagulation]] of the milk protein [[casein]]. Typically, the milk is acidified and addition of the enzyme [[rennet]] causes coagulation. The solids are separated and pressed into final form.<ref>{{cite web | title = Fankhauser's Cheese Page | first = David B. | last = Fankhauser | year = 2007 | accessdate = 2007-09-23 | url = http://biology.clc.uc.edu/fankhauser/Cheese/CHEESE.HTML}}</ref> Some cheeses have [[mold]]s on the rind or throughout. Most cheeses melt at cooking temperature.

Hundreds of [[List of cheeses|types of cheese]] are produced. Their styles, [[Mouthfeel|textures]] and flavors depend on the origin of the milk (including the animal's diet), whether they have been [[Pasteurization|pasteurized]], the [[butterfat]] content, the bacteria and mold, the processing, and aging.  [[Herb]]s, [[spice]]s, or [[smoking (cooking)|wood smoke]] may be used as flavoring agents. The yellow to red color of many cheeses is from adding [[annatto]].

For a few cheeses, the milk is curdled by adding [[acid]]s such as [[vinegar]] or [[lemon juice]]. Most cheeses are acidified to a lesser degree by bacteria, which turn [[lactose|milk sugars]] into [[lactic acid]], then the addition of rennet completes the curdling.  [[Vegetarianism|Vegetarian]] alternatives to rennet are available; most are produced by fermentation of the [[fungus]] ''Mucor miehei'', but others have been extracted from various species of the ''[[Cynara]]'' thistle family.

Cheese is valued for its portability, long life, and high content of [[fat]], [[protein]], [[calcium]], and [[phosphorus]]. Cheese is more compact and has a longer shelf life than milk. [[Cheesemaker]]s near a dairy region may benefit from fresher, lower-priced milk, and lower shipping costs. The long storage life of some cheese, especially if it is encased in a protective rind, allows selling when markets are favorable.

== Etymology ==
[[File:Cheese market Basel.jpg|thumb|upright|Cheese on market stand in [[Basel]], [[Switzerland]]]]
The word ''cheese'' comes from Latin ''caseus'',<ref>{{cite book | last = Simpson | first = D.P. | title = Cassell's Latin Dictionary | publisher = Cassell Ltd. | year = 1979 | edition = 5 | location = London | page = 883 | isbn = 0-304-52257-0}}</ref> from which the modern word [[casein]] is closely derived. The earliest source is from the [[proto-Indo-European language|proto-Indo-European]] root ''*kwat-'', which means "to ferment, become sour".

More recently, ''cheese'' comes from ''chese'' (in [[Middle English]]) and ''cīese'' or ''cēse'' (in [[Old English]]). Similar words are shared by other [[West Germanic languages]] — [[West Frisian language|West Frisian]] ''tsiis'', [[Dutch language|Dutch]] ''kaas'', [[German language|German]] ''Käse'', [[Old High German]] ''chāsi'' — all from the reconstructed West-Germanic form ''*kasjus'', which in turn is an early borrowing from Latin.

When the Romans began to make hard cheeses for their legionaries' supplies, a new word started to be used: ''formaticum'', from ''caseus formatus'', or "molded cheese" (as in "formed", not "moldy"). It is from this word that the [[French language|French]] ''fromage'', [[Italian language|Italian]] ''formaggio'', [[Catalan language|Catalan]] ''formatge'', [[Breton language|Breton]] ''fourmaj'', and [[Provençal language|Provençal]] ''furmo'' is derived from. ''Cheese'' itself is occasionally employed in a sense that means "molded" or "formed". ''[[Head cheese]]'' uses the word in this sense.

== History ==
{{main|History of cheese}}
=== Origins ===
[[File:Ricotta al forno pezzo.jpg|thumb|A piece of soft curd cheese, oven baked to increase [[shelf life|longevity]]]]
Cheese is an ancient food whose origins predate [[prehistory|recorded history]]. There is no conclusive evidence indicating where cheesemaking originated, either in [[Europe]], [[Central Asia]] or [[the Middle East]], but the practice had spread within [[Europe]] prior to [[Ancient Rome|Roman]] times and, according to [[Pliny the Elder]], had become a sophisticated enterprise by the time the [[Ancient Rome|Roman Empire]] came into being.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.thenibble.com/REVIEWS/main/cheese/cheese2/history.asp|title=The History Of Cheese: From An Ancient Nomad’s Horseback To Today’s Luxury Cheese Cart |work=The Nibble|publisher=Lifestyle Direct, Inc.|accessdate=2009-10-08}}</ref>

Proposed dates for the origin of cheesemaking range from around 8000 [[Common Era|BCE]] (when [[sheep]] were first [[domestication|domesticated]]) to around 3000 BCE. The first cheese may have been made by people in the [[Middle East]] or by [[nomad]]ic [[Turkic peoples|Turkic]] tribes in [[Central Asia]]. Since animal skins and inflated internal organs have, since ancient times, provided storage vessels for a range of foodstuffs, it is probable that the process of cheese making was discovered accidentally by storing milk in a container made from the stomach of an animal, resulting in the milk being turned to [[curd]] and [[whey]] by the rennet from the stomach. There is a legend with variations about the discovery of cheese by an Arab trader who used this method of storing milk.<ref>Jenny Ridgwell, Judy Ridgway, ''Food around the World'', (1986) Oxford University Press, ISBN 0-19-832728-5</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.moscowfood.coop/archive/cheeses.html |title=Vicki Reich, '&#39;Cheese'&#39; January 2002 Newsletter |publisher=Moscowfood.coop |date= |accessdate=2010-05-01}}</ref>

Cheesemaking may have begun independently of this by the pressing and salting of curdled milk to preserve it. Observation that the effect of making milk in an animal stomach gave more solid and better-textured curds, may have led to the deliberate addition of rennet.

The earliest [[archeology|archeological]] evidence of cheesemaking has been found in [[Ancient Egypt|Egyptian]] tomb murals, dating to about 2000 BCE.<ref>History of Cheese. [http://www.gol27.com/HistoryCheese.html] accessed 2007/06/10</ref> The earliest cheeses were likely to have been quite sour and salty, similar in texture to rustic [[cottage cheese]] or [[feta]], a crumbly, flavorful Greek cheese.

Cheese produced in [[Europe]], where climates are cooler than the Middle East, required less salt for preservation. With less salt and acidity, the cheese became a suitable environment for useful [[microbe]]s and molds, giving aged cheeses their respective flavors.

=== Ancient Greece and Rome ===
[[File:Formaggi.JPG|thumb|Cheese in a market in [[Italy]]]]
Ancient [[Greek mythology]] credited [[Aristaeus]] with the discovery of cheese. [[Homer]]'s ''[[Odyssey]]'' (8th century BCE) describes the [[Cyclops]] making and storing sheep's and goats' milk cheese. From [[Samuel Butler (1835-1902)|Samuel Butler's]] translation:
{{cquote|We soon reached his cave, but he was out shepherding, so we went inside and took stock of all that we could see. His cheese-racks were loaded with cheeses, and he had more lambs and kids than his pens could hold...<br>
When he had so done he sat down and milked his ewes and goats, all in due course, and then let each of them have her own young. He curdled half the milk and set it aside in [[wicker]] strainers.}}

By [[Ancient Rome|Roman times]], cheese was an everyday food and cheesemaking a mature art. [[Columella]]'s ''De Re Rustica'' (circa 65 CE) details a cheesemaking process involving rennet coagulation, pressing of the curd, salting, and aging. [[Pliny the Elder|Pliny's]] [[Natural History (Pliny)|''Natural History'']] (77 CE) devotes a chapter (XI, 97) to describing the diversity of cheeses enjoyed by Romans of the early [[Roman Empire|Empire]]. He stated that the best cheeses came from the villages near [[Nîmes]], but did not keep long and had to be eaten fresh. Cheeses of the [[Alps]] and [[Apennines]] were as remarkable for their variety then as now. A [[Ligures|Ligurian]] cheese was noted for being made mostly from sheep's milk, and some cheeses produced nearby were stated to weigh as much as a thousand pounds each. Goats' milk cheese was a recent taste in Rome, improved over the "medicinal taste" of [[Gaul]]'s similar cheeses by [[smoking (food)|smoking]]. Of cheeses from overseas, Pliny preferred those of [[Bithynia]] in Asia Minor.

[[File:9-alimenti, formaggi,Taccuino Sanitatis, Casanatense 4182..jpg|thumb|Cheese, [[Tacuinum sanitatis]] Casanatensis (XIV century)]]
=== Post-classical Europe ===
Rome spread a uniform set of cheesemaking techniques throughout much of Europe, and introduced cheesemaking to areas without a previous history of it. As Rome declined and long-distance trade collapsed, cheese in Europe diversified further, with various locales developing their own distinctive cheesemaking traditions and products. The [[British Cheese Board]] claims that Britain has approximately 700 distinct local cheeses;<ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.britishcheese.com/ | title = British Cheese homepage | year = 2007 | publisher = British Cheese Board | accessdate = 2007-07-13}}</ref> [[France]] and [[Italy]] have perhaps 400 each. (A French proverb holds there is a different French cheese for every day of the year, and [[Charles de Gaulle]] once asked "how can you govern a country in which there are 246 kinds of cheese?"<ref>Quoted in [[Newsweek]], October 1, 1962 according to ''The Columbia Dictionary of Quotations'' ([[Columbia University Press]], 1993 ISBN 0-231-07194-9 p 345). Numbers besides 246 are often cited in very similar quotes; whether these are misquotes or whether de Gaulle repeated the same quote with different numbers is unclear.</ref>) Still, the advancement of the cheese art in Europe was slow during the centuries after Rome's fall. Many cheeses today were first recorded in the late [[Middle Ages]] or after— cheeses like [[Cheddar cheese|Cheddar]] around 1500 CE, [[Parmesan cheese|Parmesan]] in 1597, [[Gouda (cheese)|Gouda]] in 1697, and [[Camembert (cheese)|Camembert]] in 1791.<ref>{{cite book | author=Smith, John H. | title=Cheesemaking in Scotland - A History | publisher=The Scottish Dairy Association | year=1995 | isbn=0-9525323-0-1}}. [http://web.archive.org/web/20060629152534/http://www.ebs.hw.ac.uk/SDA/publshr.html Full text (Archived link)], [http://web.archive.org/web/20061006045337/http://www.ebs.hw.ac.uk/SDA/cheese1.html Chapter with cheese timetable (Archived link)].</ref>

In 1546, ''[[John Heywood|The Proverbs of John Heywood]]'' claimed "[[The Moon is made of green cheese|the moon is made of a greene cheese]]." (''Greene'' may refer here not to the color, as many now think, but to being new or unaged.)<ref>Cecil Adams (1999). [http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a990723a.html "Straight Dope: How did the moon=green cheese myth start?".]. Retrieved October 15, 2005.</ref> Variations on this sentiment were long repeated and [[NASA]] exploited this myth for an [[April Fools' Day]] spoof announcement in 2006.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap060401.html|title=Hubble Resolves Expiration Date For Green Cheese Moon  |last=Anon|date=1 April 2006|work=Astronomy Picture of the Day|publisher=NASA|accessdate=2009-10-08}}</ref>

=== Modern era ===
Until its modern spread along with European culture, cheese was nearly unheard of in oriental cultures, in the pre-Columbian Americas, and only had limited use in sub-Mediterranean Africa, mainly being widespread and popular only in Europe and areas influenced strongly by its cultures. But with the spread, first of European imperialism, and later of Euro-American culture and food, cheese has gradually become known and increasingly popular worldwide, though still rarely considered a part of local ethnic cuisines outside Europe, the Middle East, and the Americas.

The first factory for the industrial production of cheese opened in Switzerland in 1815, but it was in the United States where large-scale production first found real success. Credit usually goes to Jesse Williams, a dairy farmer from [[Rome, New York|Rome]], [[New York]], who in 1851 started making cheese in an [[assembly line|assembly-line]] fashion using the milk from neighboring farms. Within decades hundreds of such dairy associations existed.

The 1860s saw the beginnings of mass-produced rennet, and by the turn of the century scientists were producing pure microbial cultures. Before then, bacteria in cheesemaking had come from the environment or from recycling an earlier batch's whey; the pure cultures meant a more standardized cheese could be produced.

Factory-made cheese overtook traditional cheesemaking in the [[World War II]] era, and factories have been the source of most cheese in America and Europe ever since. Today, Americans buy more [[processed cheese]] than "real", factory-made or not.<ref>{{cite book | author=McGee, Harold | title=On Food and Cooking (Revised Edition) | publisher=Scribner | year=2004 | isbn=0-684-80001-2}} p 54. "In the United States, the market for process cheese [...] is now larger than the market for 'natural' cheese, which itself is almost exclusively factory-made."</ref>

== Making cheese ==
{{Unreferenced section|date=November 2007}}
=== Curdling ===
[[File:CheeseMakingAncient.jpg|thumb|Swiss cheesemaking (heating stage)]]
[[File:Production of cheese 1.jpg|thumb|During industrial production of [[Emmental (cheese)|Emmental]] cheese, the as-yet-undrained curd is broken by rotating mixers.]]
A required step in cheesemaking is separating the milk into solid [[curd]]s and liquid [[whey]]. Usually this is done by acidifying ([[souring]]) the milk and adding [[rennet]]. The acidification can be accomplished directly by the addition of an acid like vinegar in a few cases ([[paneer]], [[queso fresco]]), but usually [[starter bacteria]] are employed instead. These starter bacteria convert [[Lactose|milk sugars]] into [[lactic acid]]. The same bacteria (and the [[enzyme]]s they produce) also play a large role in the eventual flavor of aged cheeses. Most cheeses are made with starter bacteria from the ''[[Lactococci]]'', ''[[Lactobacilli]]'', or ''[[Streptococci]]'' families.  [[Cheeses of Switzerland|Swiss]] starter cultures also include ''[[Propionibacter shermani]]'', which produces carbon dioxide gas bubbles during aging, giving [[Swiss cheese]] or [[Emmental (cheese)|Emmental]] its holes.

Some fresh cheeses are curdled only by acidity, but most cheeses also use rennet. Rennet sets the cheese into a strong and rubbery [[gel]] compared to the fragile curds produced by acidic coagulation alone. It also allows curdling at a lower acidity—important because flavor-making bacteria are inhibited in high-acidity environments. In general, softer, smaller, fresher cheeses are curdled with a greater proportion of acid to rennet than harder, larger, longer-aged varieties.

=== Curd processing ===
At this point, the cheese has set into a very moist gel. Some soft cheeses are now essentially complete: they are drained, salted, and packaged. For most of the rest, the curd is cut into small cubes. This allows water to drain from the individual pieces of curd.

Some hard cheeses are then heated to temperatures in the range of {{convert|35|–|55|C|F}}. This forces more whey from the cut curd. It also changes the taste of the finished cheese, affecting both the bacterial culture and the milk chemistry. Cheeses that are heated to the higher temperatures are usually made with [[thermophilic]] starter bacteria that survive this step—either ''[[lactobacilli]]'' or ''[[streptococcus salivarius|streptococci]]''.

Salt has roles in cheese besides adding a salty flavor. It preserves cheese from spoiling, draws moisture from the curd, and firms cheese’s texture in an interaction with its [[protein]]s. Some cheeses are salted from the outside with dry salt or brine washes. Most cheeses have the salt mixed directly into the curds.
[[Image:Cheeseinthenetherlands.JPG|thumb|Cheese factory in Holland]]

Other techniques influence a cheese's texture and flavor. Some examples:
* Stretching: ([[Mozzarella]], [[Provolone (cheese)|Provolone]]) The curd is stretched and kneaded in hot water, developing a stringy, fibrous body.
* [[Cheddaring]]: ([[Cheddar cheese|Cheddar]], other English cheeses) The cut curd is repeatedly piled up, pushing more moisture away. The curd is also mixed (or ''milled'') for a long time, taking the sharp edges off the cut curd pieces and influencing the final product's texture.
* Washing: ([[Edam (cheese)|Edam]], [[Gouda (cheese)|Gouda]], [[Colby cheese|Colby]]) The curd is washed in warm water, lowering its acidity and making for a milder-tasting cheese.

Most cheeses achieve their final shape when the curds are pressed into a mold or form. The harder the cheese, the more pressure is applied. The pressure drives out moisture—the molds are designed to allow water to escape—and unifies the curds into a single solid body.

[[File:Parmigiano reggiano factory.jpg|thumb|[[Parmigiano reggiano]] in a modern factory]]

=== Aging ===
A newborn cheese is usually salty yet bland in flavor and, for harder varieties, rubbery in texture. These qualities are sometimes enjoyed—[[cheese curds]] are eaten on their own—but normally cheeses are left to rest under controlled conditions. This aging period (also called ripening, or, from the French, ''affinage'') lasts from a few days to several years. As a cheese ages, microbes and enzymes transform texture and intensify flavor. This transformation is largely a result of the breakdown of casein proteins and [[butterfat|milkfat]] into a complex mix of [[amino acid]]s, [[amine]]s, and [[fatty acid]]s.

Some cheeses have additional bacteria or [[mold]]s intentionally introduced before or during aging. In traditional cheesemaking, these microbes might be already present in the aging room; they are simply allowed to settle and grow on the stored cheeses. More often today, prepared cultures are used, giving more consistent results and putting fewer constraints on the environment where the cheese ages. These cheeses include soft ripened cheeses such as [[Brie (cheese)|Brie]] and [[Camembert (cheese)|Camembert]], blue cheeses such as [[Roquefort (cheese)|Roquefort]], [[Stilton (cheese)|Stilton]], [[Gorgonzola (cheese)|Gorgonzola]], and rind-washed cheeses such as [[Limburger cheese|Limburger]].

== Types ==
{{main|List of cheeses}}
=== Factors in categorization ===
Factors relevant to the categorization of cheeses include:
* Length of aging
* Texture
* Methods of making
* Fat content
* Kind of milk
* Country/Region of Origin

=== List of common categories ===
No one categorization scheme can capture all the diversity of the world's cheeses.
In practice, no single system is employed and different factors are emphasised in describing different classes of cheeses. This typical list of cheeses includes categories from food writer Barbara Ensrud.<ref>[[Barbara Ensrud]], (1981) ''The Pocket Guide to Cheese'', Lansdowne Press/Quarto Marketing Ltd., ISBN 0-7018-1483-7</ref>
* fresh
* whey
* [[pasta filata]]
* semi-soft
* semi-firm
* hard
* double and triple cream
* soft-ripened
* [[blue cheese|blue vein]]
* [[goat milk cheese|goat or sheep]]
* sharp
* [[processed cheese|processed]]

==== Fresh, whey and stretched curd cheeses ====
[[File:Feta Greece 2.jpg|thumb|[[Feta]] from [[Greece]]]]
The main factor in the categorization of these cheese is their age. Fresh cheeses without additional [[preservative]]s can spoil in a matter of days.

For these simplest cheeses, milk is curdled and drained, with little other processing. Examples include [[cottage cheese]], Romanian [[Romanian cas|Caş]], [[Neufchâtel (cheese)|Neufchâtel]] (the model for American-style [[cream cheese]]), and fresh goat's milk [[Chèvre cheese|chèvre]]. Such cheeses are soft and spreadable, with a mild taste.

Whey cheeses are fresh cheeses made from the [[whey]] discarded while producing other cheeses. Provençal [[Brousse]], Corsican [[Brocciu]], Italian [[Ricotta]], [[Romania]]n [[Romanian Urda|Urda]], Greek [[Mizithra]], and [[Norway|Norwegian]] [[Geitost]] are examples. Brocciu is mostly eaten fresh, and is as such a major ingredient in Corsican cuisine, but it can be aged too.

Traditional ''[[pasta filata]]'' cheeses such as [[Mozzarella]] also fall into the fresh cheese category. Fresh curds are stretched and kneaded in hot water to form a ball of Mozzarella, which in southern [[Italy]] is usually eaten within a few hours of being made. Stored in brine, it can be shipped, and is known worldwide for its use on pizzas. Other firm fresh cheeses include [[paneer]] and [[queso fresco]].

==== Classed by texture ====
[[File:Emmentaler.jpg|thumb|[[Emmentaler]]]]
Categorizing cheeses by firmness is a common but inexact practice. The lines between "soft", "semi-soft", "semi-hard", and "hard" are arbitrary, and many types of cheese are made in softer or firmer variations. The factor that controls  cheese hardness is moisture content, which depends on the pressure with which it is packed into molds, and aging time.

Semi-soft cheeses and the sub-group, ''Monastery'' cheeses have a high moisture content and tend to be bland in flavor. Some well-known varieties include [[Havarti]], [[Munster (cheese)|Munster]] and [[Port Salut]].

Cheeses that range in texture from semi-soft to firm include Swiss-style cheeses like [[Emmental (cheese)|Emmental]] and [[Gruyère (cheese)|Gruyère]]. The same bacteria that give such cheeses their holes also contribute to their aromatic and sharp flavors. Other semi-soft to firm cheeses include Gouda, Edam, [[Jarlsberg cheese|Jarlsberg]] and Cantal. Cheeses of this type are ideal for melting and are used on [[toast]] for quick snacks. 

Harder cheeses have a lower moisture content than softer cheeses. They are generally packed into molds under more pressure and aged for a longer time. Cheeses that are semi-hard to hard include the familiar [[Cheddar cheese|Cheddar]], originating in the village of [[Cheddar]] in [[England]] but now used as a generic term for this style of cheese, of which varieties are imitated worldwide and are marketed by strength or the length of time they have been aged.
Cheddar is one of a family of semi-hard or hard cheeses (including [[Cheshire cheese|Cheshire]] and [[Gloucester cheese|Gloucester]]) whose curd is cut, gently heated, piled, and stirred before being pressed into forms. [[Colby cheese|Colby]] and [[Monterey Jack]] are similar but milder cheeses; their curd is rinsed before it is pressed, washing away some acidity and [[calcium]]. A similar curd-washing takes place when making the [[Netherlands|Dutch]] cheeses [[Edam (cheese)|Edam]] and [[Gouda (cheese)|Gouda]].

Hard cheeses — "grating cheeses" such as [[Parmesan cheese|Parmesan]] and [[Pecorino Romano]]—are quite firmly packed into large forms and aged for months or years.
[[File:Cheese 39 bg 053006b.jpg|thumb|St. Pat Cow's [[Milk]] Cheese]]

==== Classed by content ====
Some cheeses are categorized by the source of the milk used to produce them or by the added fat content of the milk from which they are produced. While most of the world's commercially available cheese is made from cows' milk, many parts of the world also produce cheese from goats and sheep, well-known examples being [[Roquefort]], produced in France, and Pecorino Romano, produced in Italy, from ewe's milk. One farm in [[Sweden]] also produces cheese from [[moose's milk]].<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/ArticleNews/TPStory/LAC/20040626/MOOSE26/TPEntertainment/Style|date=26 June 2004|accessdate=2007-08-27|title=Moose milk makes for unusual cheese|publisher=The Globe and Mail |archiveurl = http://web.archive.org/web/20070930035220/http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/ArticleNews/TPStory/LAC/20040626/MOOSE26/TPEntertainment/Style |archivedate = 2007-09-30}}</ref> Sometimes cheeses of a similar style may be available made from milk of different sources - [[Feta]] style cheeses, for example, are made from goats' milk in Greece and from sheep and cows' milk elsewhere. 

Double cream cheeses are soft cheeses of cows' milk enriched with cream so that their fat content is 60% or, in the case of triple creams, 75%.

==== Soft-ripened and blue-vein ====
There are three main categories of cheese in which the presence of mold is a significant feature: soft ripened cheeses, washed rind cheeses and blue cheeses.
[[File:Vacherin du haut Doubs.jpg|thumb|left|[[Vacherin (cheese)|Vacherin du Haut-Doubs]] cheese, a French cheese with a white ''Penicillium'' mold rind.]]
{{Anchor|Soft-ripened}}Soft-ripened cheeses begin firm and rather chalky in texture, but are aged from the exterior inwards by exposing them to mold. The mold may be a velvety ''bloom'' of ''[[Penicillium candida]]'' or ''[[Penicillium camemberti|P. camemberti]]'' that forms a flexible white crust and contributes to the smooth, runny, or gooey textures and more intense flavors of these aged cheeses. [[Brie (cheese)|Brie]] and [[Camembert (cheese)|Camembert]], the most famous of these cheeses, are made by allowing white  [[mold]] to grow on the outside of a soft cheese for a few days or weeks. Goats' milk cheeses are often treated in a similar manner, sometimes with white molds (Chèvre-Boîte) and sometimes with blue.

Washed-rind cheeses are soft in character and ripen inwards like those with white molds; however, they are treated differently. Washed rind cheeses are periodically cured in a solution of saltwater [[brine]] and other mold-bearing agents that may include beer, wine, brandy, and spices, making their surfaces amenable to a class of bacteria ''[[Brevibacterium linens]]'' (the reddish-orange "smear bacteria") that impart pungent odors and distinctive flavors. Washed-rind cheeses can be soft ([[Limburger cheese|Limburger]]), semi-hard ([[Munster (cheese)|Munster]]), or hard ([[Appenzeller (cheese)|Appenzeller]]). The same bacteria can also have some impact on cheeses that are simply ripened in [[humid]] conditions, like [[Camembert (cheese)|Camembert]]. 
[[File:Blue Stilton Quarter Front.jpg|thumb|[[Stilton (cheese)|Stilton]] from England.]]
So-called [[blue cheese]] is created by inoculating a cheese with ''[[Penicillium roqueforti]]'' or ''[[Penicillium glaucum]]''. This is done while the cheese is still in the form of loosely pressed curds, and may be further enhanced by piercing a ripening block of cheese with skewers in an atmosphere in which the mold is prevalent. The mold grows within the cheese as it ages. These cheeses have distinct blue veins, which gives them their name and, often, assertive flavors. The molds range from pale green to dark blue, and may be accompanied by white and crusty brown molds. Their texture can be soft or firm. Some of the most renowned cheeses are of this type, each with its own distinctive color, flavor, texture and smell. They include [[Roquefort (cheese)|Roquefort]], [[Gorgonzola (cheese)|Gorgonzola]], and [[Stilton (cheese)|Stilton]]. 
[[File:Processed cheese slices.jpg|left|thumb|[[Processed cheese]]]]

==== Processed cheeses ====
[[Processed cheese]] is made from traditional cheese and emulsifying salts, often with the addition of milk, more salt, [[preservative]]s, and [[food coloring]]. It is inexpensive, consistent, and melts smoothly. It is sold packaged and either pre-sliced or unsliced, in a number of varieties. It is also available in [[aerosol]] cans in some countries.

== Eating and cooking ==
[[File:Zigerbrüt.jpg|thumb|upright|[[Zigerbrüt]], cheese grated onto bread through a mill, from the [[Kanton Glarus]] in [[Switzerland]].]]
At [[refrigerator]] temperatures, the fat in a piece of cheese is as hard as unsoftened [[butter]], and its protein structure is stiff as well. Flavor and odor compounds are less easily liberated when cold. For improvements in flavor and texture, it is widely advised that cheeses be allowed to warm up to [[room temperature]] before eating. If the cheese is further warmed, to {{convert|26|–|32|C|F}}, the fats will begin to "sweat out" as they go beyond soft to fully liquid.<ref>{{Harv|McGee|2004|p=63}}</ref>

Above room temperatures, most hard cheeses melt. Rennet-curdled cheeses have a [[gel]]-like protein matrix that is broken down by heat. When enough protein bonds are broken, the cheese itself turns from a solid to a viscous liquid. Soft, high-moisture cheeses will melt at around {{convert|55|C}}, while hard, low-moisture cheeses such as Parmesan remain solid until they reach about {{convert|82|C}}.<ref>{{Harv|McGee|2004|p=64}}</ref> Acid-set cheeses, including [[halloumi cheese|halloumi]], [[paneer]], some whey cheeses and many varieties of fresh [[goat cheese]], have a protein structure that remains intact at high temperatures. When cooked, these cheeses just get firmer as water evaporates. 

Some cheeses, like [[raclette]], melt smoothly; many tend to become stringy or suffer from a separation of their fats. Many of these can be coaxed into melting smoothly in the presence of acids or [[starch]]. [[Fondue]], with wine providing the acidity, is a good example of a smoothly melted cheese dish.<ref>{{Harv|McGee|2004|p=66}}</ref> Elastic stringiness is a quality that is sometimes enjoyed, in dishes including [[pizza]] and [[Welsh rarebit]]. Even a melted cheese eventually turns solid again, after enough moisture is cooked off. The saying "you can't melt cheese twice" (meaning "some things can only be done once") refers to the fact that oils leach out during the first melting and are gone, leaving the non-meltable solids behind.  

As its temperature continues to rise, cheese will [[Non-enzymatic browning|brown]] and eventually burn. Browned, partially burned cheese has a particular distinct flavor of its own and is frequently used in cooking (e.g., sprinkling atop items before baking them).

== Health and nutrition ==
In general, cheese supplies a great deal of [[calcium]], [[protein]], [[phosphorus]] and [[fat]]. A {{convert|30|g|adj=on}} serving of Cheddar cheese contains about {{convert|7|g}} of protein and 200&nbsp;milligrams of calcium. Nutritionally, cheese is essentially concentrated milk: it takes about {{convert|200|g}} of milk to provide that much protein, and {{convert|150|g}} to equal the calcium.<ref>Nutritional data from [http://www.cnn.com/FOOD/resources/food.for.thought/dairy/compare.dairy.html CNN Interactive]. Retrieved October 20, 2004.</ref>

Cheese potentially shares other nutritional properties of milk. The [[Center for Science in the Public Interest]] describes cheese as America's number one source of [[saturated fat]], adding that the average American ate {{convert|30|lb|abbr=on|sp=us}} of cheese in the year 2000, up from {{convert|11|lb|abbr=on|sp=us|sigfig=1}} in 1970.<ref name=cspinet>Center for Science in the Public Interest (2001). [http://www.cspinet.org/new/cheese.html "Don't Say Cheese"]. Retrieved October 15, 2005.</ref> Their recommendation is to limit full-fat cheese consumption to {{convert|2|oz|abbr=on|sp=us}} a week. Whether cheese's highly saturated fat actually leads to an increased risk of heart disease is called into question when considering [[France]] and [[Greece]], which lead the world in cheese eating (more than {{convert|14|oz|abbr=on|sp=us|disp=s}} a week per person, or over {{convert|45|lb|abbr=on|sp=us|disp=s}} a year) yet have relatively low rates of heart disease.<ref name=McGee67>McGee, p 67. McGee supports both this contention and that more food poisonings in Europe are caused by pasteurized cheeses than raw-milk.</ref> This seeming discrepancy is called the [[French paradox]]; the higher rates of consumption of [[red wine]] in these countries is often invoked as at least a partial explanation.

Some studies claim that cheddar, mozzarella, Swiss and American cheeses can help to prevent [[tooth decay]].<ref name=ndc>National Dairy Council. [http://www.nationaldairycouncil.org/NationalDairyCouncil/Nutrition/Products/cheesePage6.htm "Specific Health Benefits of Cheese."]. Retrieved October 15, 2005.</ref><ref name=pj>The [[Pharmaceutical Journal]], Vol 264 No 7078 p48 January 8, 2000 Clinical.</ref> Several mechanisms for this protection have been proposed:
* The calcium, protein, and phosphorus in cheese may act to protect [[tooth enamel]].
* Cheese increases saliva flow, washing away acids and sugars.

=== Controversy ===
==== Effect on sleep ====
A study by the [[British Cheese Board]] in 2005 to determine the effect of cheese upon sleep and dreaming discovered that, contrary to the idea that cheese commonly causes [[nightmare]]s, the effect of cheese upon sleep was positive. The majority of the two hundred people tested over a [[fortnight]] claimed beneficial results from consuming cheeses before going to bed, the cheese promoting good sleep. Six cheeses were tested and the findings were that the dreams produced were specific to the type of cheese. Although the apparent effects were in some cases described as colorful and vivid, or cryptic, none of the cheeses tested were found to induce nightmares. However, the six cheeses were all British. The results might be entirely different if a wider range of cheeses were tested.<ref name=britishcheese>{{cite web|url=http://www.britishcheese.com/news.cfm?page_id=240 |title=Sleep Study, 2005 |publisher=Britishcheese.com |date= |accessdate=2010-05-01}}</ref> Cheese contains [[tryptophan]], an amino acid that has been found to relieve stress and induce sleep.<ref>Cheese Facts, I Love Cheese, 2006. [http://www.ilovecheese.co.uk/CheeseFacts.html].</ref>

==== Casein ====
Like other dairy products, cheese contains [[casein]], a substance that when digested by humans breaks down into several chemicals, including [[casomorphine]], an [[opioid peptide]]. In the early 1990s it was hypothesized that [[autism]] can be caused or aggravated by opioid peptides.<ref>{{cite journal |author= Reichelt KL, Knivsberg A-M, Lind G, Nødland M |title= Probable etiology and possible treatment of childhood autism |journal= Brain Dysfunct |year=1991 |volume=4 |pages=308–19}}</ref> Studies supporting these claims have had significant flaws, so the data are inadequate to guide autism treatment recommendations.<ref name=christison>{{cite journal |journal= J Dev Behav Pediatr |year=2006 |volume=27 |issue=2 Suppl 2| pages=S162–71 |title= Elimination diets in autism spectrum disorders: any wheat amidst the chaff? |author= Christison GW, Ivany K |pmid=16685183 |doi= 10.1097/00004703-200604002-00015}}</ref>

==== Lactose ====
Cheese is often avoided by those who are [[lactose intolerance|lactose intolerant]], but ripened cheeses like [[Cheddar cheese|Cheddar]] contain only about 5% of the [[lactose]] found in whole [[milk]], and aged cheeses contain almost none.<ref name=ada>[http://www.ilovecheese.com/lactose_intolerant_faqs.asp Lactose Intolerance FAQs] from the [[American Dairy Association]]. Retrieved October 15, 2005.</ref> Nevertheless, people with severe lactose intolerance should avoid eating dairy cheese. As a natural product, the same kind of cheese may contain different amounts of lactose on different occasions, causing unexpected painful reactions. As an alternative, also for [[vegan]]s, there is already a wide range of different [[soy cheese]] kinds available. Some people suffer reactions to [[amine]]s found in cheese, particularly [[histamine]] and [[tyramine]]. Some aged cheeses contain significant concentrations of these amines, which can trigger symptoms mimicking an [[allergic reaction]]: [[headache]]s, [[rash]]es, and [[blood pressure]] elevations.

==== Pasteurization ====
A number of food safety agencies around the world have warned of the risks of raw-milk cheeses. The U.S. [[Food and Drug Administration]] states that soft raw-milk cheeses can cause "serious infectious diseases including [[listeriosis]], [[brucellosis]], [[salmonellosis]] and [[tuberculosis]]".<ref name=consumeraffairs>[http://www.consumeraffairs.com/news04/2005/fda_cheese.html FDA Warns About Soft Cheese Health Risk"]. [[Consumer Affairs]]. Retrieved October 15, 2005.</ref> It is U.S. law since 1944 that all raw-milk cheeses (including imports since 1951) must be aged at least 60 days. [[Australia]] has a wide ban on raw-milk cheeses as well, though in recent years exceptions have been made for Swiss [[Gruyère (cheese)|Gruyère]], [[Emmental (cheese)|Emmental]] and [[Sbrinz]], and for French [[Roquefort (cheese)|Roquefort]].<ref name=mercer>Chris Mercer (2005). [http://www.ap-foodtechnology.com/news/ng.asp?id=62799-fsanz-roquefort-speciality-cheese "Australia lifts Roquefort cheese safety ban".]. Retrieved October 22, 2005.</ref> There is a trend for cheeses to be pasteurized even when not required by law.

Compulsory pasteurization is controversial. Pasteurization does change the flavor of cheeses, and unpasteurized cheeses are often considered to have better flavor, so there are reasons not to pasteurize all cheeses. Some say that health concerns are overstated, pointing out that milk [[pasteurization]] does not ensure cheese safety.<ref name=fletcher>Janet Fletcher. [http://www.specialtyfood.com/do/news/ViewNewsArticle?id=1841 "The Myths about Raw-Milk Cheese".]. Retrieved October 15, 2005.</ref>

Pregnant women may face an additional risk from cheese; the U.S. [[Centers for Disease Control and Prevention|Centers for Disease Control]] has warned pregnant women against eating soft-ripened cheeses and blue-veined cheeses, due to the [[listeria]] risk, which can cause miscarriage or harm to the fetus during birth.<ref name=americanpregnancy>[http://www.americanpregnancy.org/pregnancycomplications/listeria.html Listeria and Pregnancy.]. Retrieved February 28, 2006.</ref>

== World production and consumption ==
{{update}}
Worldwide, cheese is a major [[agriculture|agricultural]] product. According to the [[Food and Agricultural Organization]] of the [[United Nations]], over 18 million [[metric ton]]s of cheese were produced worldwide in 2004. This is about three kilos for each person on Earth. The largest producer of cheese is the United States, accounting for 30% of world production, followed by Germany and France. 

{| class="wikitable" style="width:30em;"
! colspan=2|Top cheese producers<br/>(1,000 metric tons)<ref>[[United States Department of Agriculture]] for the US and non European countries in 2006 '' [http://www.fas.usda.gov/dlp/circular/2005/05-12Dairy/toc.htm]''and [[Eurostat]] for European countries in 2008 '' [http://epp.eurostat.ec.europa.eu/portal/page?_pageid=1073,46870091&_dad=portal&_schema=PORTAL&p_product_code=TAG00040]</ref>
|-
| {{USA}} || style="text-align:right;"| 4,275 (2006)
|-
| {{GER}} || style="text-align:right;"| 1,927 (2008)
|-
| {{FRA}}  || style="text-align:right;"|1,884 (2008)
|-
| {{ITA}} || style="text-align:right;"| 1,149 (2008)
|-
| {{NED}} || style="text-align:right;"| 732 (2008)
|-
| {{POL}} || style="text-align:right;"| 594 (2008)
|-
| {{BRA}}|| style="text-align:right;"| 495 (2006)
|-
| {{EGY}} || style="text-align:right;"| 462 (2006)
|-
| {{ARG}} || style="text-align:right;"| 425 (2006)
|-
| {{AUS}} || style="text-align:right;"| 395 (2006)
|}
The biggest exporter of cheese, by monetary value, is France; the second, Germany (although it is first by quantity). Among the top ten exporters, only Ireland, New Zealand, the Netherlands and Australia have a cheese production that is mainly export oriented: respectively 95%, 90%, 72%, and 65% of their cheese production is exported.<ref>Sources: FAO and Eurostat.</ref> Only 30% of French production, the world's largest exporter, is exported. The United States, the biggest world producer of cheese, is a marginal exporter, as most of its production is for the domestic market.

{| class="wikitable" style="width:30em;"
! colspan=2|Top cheese exporters (Whole Cow Milk only) - 2004<br/>(value in '000 US $)<ref>[[UN Food & Agriculture Organisation]] (FAO)''[http://www.fao.org/statistics/toptrade/trade.asp?disp=countrybycomm&dir=exp&resource=901&ryear=2004]</ref>
|-
| {{FRA}} || style="text-align:right;"| 2,658,441
|-
| {{GER}} || style="text-align:right;"| 2,416,973
|-
| {{NED}}  || style="text-align:right;"| 2,099,353
|-
| {{ITA}} || style="text-align:right;"| 1,253,580
|-
| {{DEN}} || style="text-align:right;"| 1,122,761
|-
| {{AUS}} || style="text-align:right;"| 643,575
|-
| {{NZL}}|| style="text-align:right;"| 631,963
|-
| {{BEL}} || style="text-align:right;"| 567,590
|-
| {{IRL}} || style="text-align:right;"| 445,240
|-
| {{UK}} || style="text-align:right;"| 374,156
|}

Germany is the largest importer of cheese. The UK and Italy are the second- and third-largest importers.<ref>[http://www.fao.org/statistics/toptrade/trade.asp?disp=countrybycomm&dir=imp&resource=901&ryear=2004 Source FAO]{{dead link|date=May 2010}}</ref>

{| class="wikitable" style="width:30em;"
! colspan=2|Top cheese consumers - 2008<br/>(kilograms per person per year)<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.dairyinfo.gc.ca/index_e.php?s1=dff-fcil&s2=world-monde&s3=consglo&page=tc-ft|title=TOTAL CHEESE CONSUMPTION KILOGRAMS PER CAPITA |publisher=Canadian Dairy Information Centre|date= |accessdate=2010-08-14}}</ref>
|-
| {{GRE}} || style="text-align:right;"| 30.0 (2006)
|-
| {{FRA}} || style="text-align:right;"| 24.6
|-
| {{flag|Iceland}} || style="text-align:right;"| 23.8
|-
| {{GER}} || style="text-align:right;"| 22.1
|-
| {{SUI}} || style="text-align:right;"| 21.41 (2009) <ref>Union suisse des paysans, [http://www.switzerland-cheese.ch/fr/mediasimages/communiques-de-presse/news-detail/news/pro-kopf-konsum-kaese-2009/154.html Consommation de fromage par habitant en 2009]</ref>
|-
| {{ITA}}  || style="text-align:right;"| 21.4
|-
| {{FIN}} || style="text-align:right;"| 19.1 (2007)
|-
| {{AUT}} || style="text-align:right;"| 18.7
|-
| {{SWE}} || style="text-align:right;"| 18.4 (2007)
|-
| {{NED}} || style="text-align:right;"| 17.3
|-
| {{flag|Czech Republic}} || style="text-align:right;"| 16.3
|-
| {{NOR}} || style="text-align:right;"| 15.4 (2007)
|-
| {{USA}} || style="text-align:right;"| 15.0
|-
| {{CAN}} || style="text-align:right;"| 12.37
|-
| {{UK}} || style="text-align:right;"| 12.3 (2007)
|-
| {{AUS}} || style="text-align:right;"| 11.8
|-
| {{ARG}} || style="text-align:right;"| 11.5
|-
| {{POL}} || style="text-align:right;"| 10.7
|}
Greece is the world's largest ([[per capita]]) consumer of cheese, with 30.0&nbsp;kg eaten by the average Greek. ([[Feta]] accounts for three-quarters of this consumption.) France is the second biggest consumer of cheese, with 24&nbsp;kg by inhabitant. [[Emmental (cheese)|Emmental]] (used mainly as a cooking ingredient) and [[Camembert (cheese)|Camembert]] are the most common cheeses in France<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cidil.fr/1152.0.html?&i=2&j=3 |title=Cidilait, '&#39;Le fromage'&#39; |publisher=Cidil.fr |date= |accessdate=2010-05-01}}</ref> Italy is the third biggest consumer by person with 22.9&nbsp;kg. In the U.S., the consumption of cheese is quickly increasing and has nearly tripled between 1970 and 2003. The consumption per person has reached, in 2003, {{convert|14.1|kg|lb|abbr=on}}. [[Mozzarella]] is America's favorite cheese and accounts for nearly a third of its consumption, mainly because it is one of the main ingredients of pizza.<ref>{{cite web|author=Jean Buzby |url=http://www.ers.usda.gov/AmberWaves/February05/Findings/CheeseConsumption.htm |title=USDA |publisher=Ers.usda.gov |date=2005-02-01 |accessdate=2010-05-01}}</ref>

== Cultural attitudes ==
[[File:Cormeilles Market 9 Artlibre jnl.jpg|thumb|left|A cheese merchant in a French market]]
[[File:Oscypek sheeps cheese stalls, Zakopane.JPG|thumb|A traditional Polish sheep's cheese market in [[Zakopane]], Poland.]] 
Although cheese is a vital source of nutrition in many regions of the world, and is extensively consumed in others, its use is not universal.
Cheese is rarely found in [[Asian cuisine|East Asian]] dishes, as [[lactose intolerance]] is relatively common in that part of the world and hence dairy products are rare. However, East Asian sentiment against cheese is not universal; cheese made from [[yak]]s' (''chhurpi'') or [[mare (horse)|mares']] milk is common on the Asian [[steppe]]s; the national dish of [[Bhutan]], ''ema datsi'', is made from homemade cheese and hot peppers and cheese such as [[Rushan (cheese)|Rushan]] and [[Rubing]] in [[Yunnan]], [[China]] is produced by several ethnic minority groups by either using goat's milk in the case of Rubing or cow's milk in the case of Rushan. Cheese consumption is increasing in China, with annual sales more than doubling from 1996 to 2003 (to a still small 30 million [[United States dollar|U.S. dollars]] a year).<ref>{{cite journal | author=[[Rebecca Buckman]] | title=Let Them Eat Cheese | journal=[[Far Eastern Economic Review]] | year=2003 | volume=166 n. 49 | page=41}} [http://www.globalpolicy.org/globaliz/cultural/2003/1211chinacheese.htm Full text].</ref> Certain kinds of Chinese preserved [[Bean curd#Fermented|bean curd]] are sometimes misleadingly referred to in English as "Chinese cheese", because of their texture and strong flavor.

Strict followers of the dietary laws of [[Islam]] and [[Judaism]] must avoid cheeses made with rennet from animals not slaughtered in a manner adhering to [[halal]] or [[kosher foods|kosher]] laws.<ref>Toronto Public Health. [http://www.toronto.ca/health/nm_faq_halal_foods.htm Frequently Asked Questions about Halal Foods]. Retrieved October 15, 2005.</ref>  Both faiths allow cheese made with vegetable-based rennet or with rennet made from animals that were processed in a halal or kosher manner. Many less-orthodox Jews also believe that rennet undergoes enough processing to change its nature entirely, and do not consider it to ever violate kosher law. (See ''[[Kosher foods#Cheese|Cheese and kashrut]]''.) As cheese is a dairy food under kosher rules it cannot be eaten in the same meal with any meat.

Rennet derived from animal slaughter, and thus cheese made with animal-derived rennet, is not [[vegetarianism|vegetarian]]. Most widely available vegetarian cheeses are made using rennet produced by fermentation of the [[fungus]] ''Mucor miehei''. [[Vegan]]s and other dairy-avoiding vegetarians do not eat real cheese at all, but some vegetable-based cheese substitutes (usually [[soybean|soy]]-and [[almond]]-based) are available.

Even in cultures with long cheese traditions, it is not unusual to find people who perceive cheese - especially pungent-smelling or mold-bearing varieties such as [[Limburger cheese|Limburger]] or [[Roquefort (cheese)|Roquefort]] - as unpalatable. [[Food science|Food-science]] writer [[Harold McGee]] proposes that cheese is such an acquired taste because it is produced through a process of controlled [[Decomposition|spoilage]] and many of the odor and flavor molecules in an aged cheese are the same found in rotten foods. He notes, "An aversion to the odor of decay has the obvious biological value of steering us away from possible food poisoning, so it is no wonder that an animal food that gives off whiffs of shoes and soil and the stable takes some getting used to."<ref>McGee p 58, "Why Some People Can't Stand Cheese"</ref>

Collecting<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.sberatel-ksk.cz/storage/anketa_se_2009.doc |title=Data about largest cheese label collections compiled by the Czech Curiosity Collectors' Club |publisher=Klub sběratelů kuriozit (Curiosity Collectors' Club) |date= |accessdate=2010-09-13}}</ref> [[cheese label]]s is called "[[tyrosemiophilia]]".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.virtualroom.de/cheese.htm |title=Cheese label |publisher=Virtualroom.de |date= |accessdate=2010-05-01}}</ref>

== See also ==
* [[Dutch cheese markets]]

== Notes and references ==
;Notes
{{reflist|2}}

;References
{{refbegin}}
* {{cite book |last=Ensrud |first=Barbara | title=The Pocket Guide to Cheese |year=1981 |isbn=0-7018-1483-7 |publisher=Lansdowne Press |location=Sydney |unused_data=Lansdowne Press/Quarto Marketing Ltd.}}
* {{cite book |last=Jenkins |first=Steven |title=Cheese Primer |publisher=Workman Publishing Company |year=1996 |isbn=0-89480-762-5}} 
* {{cite book |last=McGee |first=Harold |title=On Food and Cooking |edition=Revised |publisher=Scribner |year=2004 |isbn=0-684-80001-2 |pages=51–63 |chapter=Cheese}}
* {{cite web |first=James |last=Mellgren |year=2003 |url=http://www.gourmetretailer.com/gourmetretailer/magazine/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1911696 |title=2003 Specialty Cheese Manual, Part II: Knowing the Family of Cheese |accessdate=2005-10-12}}
{{refend}}

== External links ==
{{sisterlinks}}
{{Spoken Wikipedia|Cheese.ogg|2006-08-05}}
* [http://biology.clc.uc.edu/fankhauser/Cheese/Cheese_course/Cheese_course.htm Cheese Making Illustrated] — The science behind homemade cheese.
* {{gutenberg|no=14293|name=The Complete Book of Cheese}}
* [http://www.cheese.com Cheese.com] — includes an extensive database of different types of cheese. 
* {{dmoz|Home/Cooking/Cheese|Cheese}}
* [http://www.beachcuisine.com/Articles/Culinary/Cheese.htm Cheese Guide & Terminology] — Different classifications of cheese with notes on varieties.
* [http://www.foodsubs.com/Chefresh.html Fresh Cheeses] at [http://www.foodsubs.com The Cook's Thesaurus], page about different kinds of fresh cheeses and how to make them.

{{cuisine}}
{{Vegetarianism}}

[[Category:Cheese]]
[[Category:Dairy products]]

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