There are so many different kinds of cheese it would take a lifetime to sample each one! Our handy guide helps you narrow it down.

Whether you melt it, slice it or grate it, try to venture off the beaten track and discover new and exciting varieties. To help you make sense of it all, here is a simple guide to understanding the delicious world of cheese.

Different Types of Cheese

You don't have to be a cheese connoisseur to distinguish between the seemingly overwhelming types of fromage. Cheese is generally grouped into 4 categories: soft, semi-soft, semi-hard and hard. These categories are based on the amount of moisture in the cheese, which in turn affects the texture. For instance, cottage cheese, ricotta and brie are very high in moisture making them soft cheeses, while parmesan, asiago and gruyere are low in moisture, making them hard cheeses. Your personal preferences and how you would like to enjoy the cheese (on its own, mixed into a dish or as a compliment to fruit or wine) will determine what category of cheese you reach for at the store.

Popular Cheeses

Here is a quick explanation of some of the more popular cheeses, their characteristics and dishes they're great to use in:

Blue

You either love it or hate it, but there are few people who are on the fence about this sharp, salty-flavoured cheese. A semi-soft white cheese with blue veins, it usually has a crumbly texture and melts well under heat. It's great to serve on whole-grain characters, with full-bodied wines, incorporated into dressings or simply crumbled over salads.

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Cheddar

The ever-popular, go-to cheese, the one that tastes just right in a great grilled cheese sandwich or simply cut up into little finger-sized bites. This cheese ranges in colour from nearly white to bright orange and depending on its aging, its flavour ranges from mild to sharp. Pair cheddar with apples, pears, pumpernickel and rye breads, mushrooms and tomatoes. Serve with wine, beer and apple cider.

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Brie

France is home to many great gastronomic feats, but have any been more deliciously satisfying than brie? This buttery-good cheese made from externally-ripened cow's milk is formed into a round, flattened ball covered with a whitish rind. To pick the perfect brie, look for one that is plump and glossy on the inside. Brie and fruit make great bedfellows, but it also goes well with on a sandwich or with crusty bread.

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Emmentaler

The most-well known Swiss cheese, Emmentaler is a traditional, un-pasteurized, hard cheese made from cow's milk. This cheese is easy to distinguish thanks to its light fruity taste and walnut-sized holes. Pair it with a glass of white wine or beer, or melt it down to use as fondue.

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Feta

This Mediterranean winner features a soft and crumbly texture. Traditionally, the cheese was made from ewe's milk or a mixture of ewe's and goat's milk, but today it's the norm to simply use pasteurized milk. The cheese is ripened in brine, which accounts for its salty taste. Serve feta with olives, sun dried tomatoes, vegetables, seafood or chicken. It is also great paired with Greek wines and citrus sparkling water.

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Mozzarella

This bellisimo cheese is often used as topping on pizza, a flavour booster in pasta and the humble middleman for sandwiches. Semi-soft, pliable and mild-flavoured, it was originally made in Southern Italy with buffalo's milk, but today it is typically produced from cow's milk. Naturally, mozzarella is a star in Italian dishes and is a nice complement to light red wine, beer or juice.

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Unique Canadian Cheeses

Leave it to Canada to produce such a dizzying array of quality cheeses all within one country. Although you may not be familiar with their names, try hunting down these unique Cancuk varieties for that next get-together or family dinner.

Bleu Bénédictin

This blue cheese, with French-Canadian flair, is made in the village of Abbaye Saint-Benoît-du-Lac in Quebec by Benedictine monks. The cheese is produced from whole milk and is characterised by a light yellow colour, deep blue veins and a pale, natural rind. Substitute Bleu Bénédictin anywhere you would use a blue cheese like Roquefort, gorgonzola or stilton.

Friulano

Friulano is a Canadian cheese with an Italian heart. Its name is derived from the Friuli region of northern Italy and it is similar in taste and consistency to Montasio cheese. However, despite its misleading name, this cheese is produced right here in Canada. It features a firm yellow flesh and a nutty taste. As it ages, it develops more complex and delicious flavours. This is a great cheese to have with fruit, nuts, red or white wine.

St. Maure

This round cheese is made with or without a vegetable-ash covering and features a mellow, nutty taste. It is characterised by a runny layer between the drier centre and the soft rind.

Cheeses From Around the World

Give your taste buds a global culinary feast! Cheese is popular the world over and there's no need to be intimidated by varieties you aren't familiar with. Here is a run down of some popular international cheeses:

Paneer

This un-aged, non-melting Indian favourite features very little acidity and fairly little salt. It is used in curried dishes and is a great substitution for meat in Lacto-ovo vegetarian diets as it is high in protein. This cheese, or variations of it, is also very popular in Pakistan, Bengali, and the Middle East.

Sweden

In Swedish Graddost means "butter cheese" and it's easy to see how this smooth, mild, creamy cheese got its name. It features small holes throughout and features a natural rind covered with yellow wax. Graddost is easy to melt and also great to use as a dessert cheese with fresh fruit.

Beyaz Peynir

Sometimes referred to as the "white cheese" for its pure pale colour and rind-less surface, Beyaz Peynir is popular in Turkey and the Middle East. It is an un-pasteurized, fresh cheese made from sheep's milk that is then cut into blocks or slices. Beyaz Peynir is great in salads, pastries and regional dishes in the same vein as feta.

Brin d'Amour

While the Mediterranean region is renowned for excellent cheeses, the tiny island of Corsica deserves the award for the most romantic cheese in the world! Brin d'Amour or the "little bit of love" cheese is an uncooked, un-pressed cheese that requires a maturing period of at least a month, after which it is rolled in dried rosemary, thyme or coriander seeds.

Hipi Iti

From New Zealand comes this round, sheep's milk cheese that boasts a slightly sweet flavour. The name Hipi Iti means "little sheep" in Maori, the language of the indigenous Maori people on the island. Similar to feta, this cheese mildly absorbs flavour of herbs and oil that is sometimes stored in.

Bryndza

Originating in Romanian, but popular in Russia and Eastern European countries, this sheep's milk cheese is cured in brine, giving its creamy rich texture a distinctive salty flavour. In some regions, onions or chives are also added to the cheese. It is great to use in stuffed meat and veggie dishes that require cheese that won't melt.

Queso Blanco

The Mexican cheese, Queso Blanco, is a fresh, soft, mild, un-aged cow's milk cheese that is popular throughout Spanish-speaking countries. It is sometimes described as being a cross between mozzarella and salty cottage cheese. However, Queso Blanco is unique in that it doesn't melt when heated, but instead simply softens. This soft consistency makes it a wonderful addition to dishes such as enchiladas and quesadillas.