by 23 people |
Welcome to the Cheese Shop!
Sliced, cubed, shredded, melted, grated, or spread, we entreat you to sit down and sample a bit from our selection of cheese history and information on how to choose, store, serve or even make your own cheese.
Bon Appétit!
you can nibble on...
lens index
- Cheese Education
- Keeping and Storing Cheeses
- Cheese Samplers
- Types of Cheese
- The Cheese Gallery
- Suggestions For Serving Cheese
- Some Cheesy Sentiments
- Explore the World of Cheese
- Cheese Offerings
- Cheese Festivals
- Making Your Own Cheese
- Monty Python's "Cheese Shop"
- It's The Science... Of Cheese
- Cheese Alternatives
- Say "Cheese!" - comments & feedback
- Make a Reservation at Chez*Squid!
"'Age is not important unless you're a cheese.' - Helen Hayes"
Cheese Education
Often the best way to get an idea of just what you are dealing with in cheese is to get a few good books, and then start reading and tasting. Learn what you like, and let that guide where your cheese knowledge goes at first.
Laura Werlin's Cheese Essentials: An Insiders Guide to Buying and Serving Cheese (With 50 recipes)
Avg. Customer Rating: 
Amazon Price: $16.47 (as of 07/14/2009) 
Usually ships in 24 hours
Cheese & Wine: A Guide to Selecting, Pairing, and Enjoying
Avg. Customer Rating: 
Amazon Price: $16.47 (as of 07/14/2009)
Usually ships in 24 hours
Cheese: A Connoisseur's Guide to the World's Best
Avg. Customer Rating: 
Amazon Price: $23.10 (as of 07/14/2009)
Usually ships in 24 hours
Guide to Cheeses of the World: 1200 Cheeses of the World (Hachette Food & Wine)
Avg. Customer Rating: 
Amazon Price: (as of 07/14/2009)
The Murray's Cheese Handbook: A Guide to More Than 300 of the World's Best Cheeses
Avg. Customer Rating:
Amazon Price: $10.36 (as of 07/14/2009)
Usually ships in 24 hours
Keeping and Storing Cheeses
As any cheese-lover quickly learns, your eyes and cheese curiosity can easily run ahead of your appetite. Here are some suggestions for the keeping and storage of cheeses.
- How to Store Cheese - recipelink.com
- If your seek-and-destroy refrigerator missions regularly turn up moldy or dried-out cheese, you may want to improve your handling techniques. All cheeses are perishable, but careful storage can prolong their life.
- Safe Handling of Cheese
- Cheese types - soft, semisoft, firm, hard, processed, spreads. Safe food storage. Length of time to store. What to do with moldy cheese. Serving temperature. Melting, microwaving, freezing cheeses.
- Cheese Larder
- We should store our cheese at 9-12°C, wrapped in cloth in a damp place, such as a cellar or cool cupboard with a good airflow. This is impossible for most of us...
- GourmetSpot Tip of the Week
- Store Cheese
- Better Cheddar
- Preventing Moldy Cheese, Living Better...for Less!
Cheese Samplers
assortments let you try a variety of great cheeses
Each of these cheese samplers has been selected to provide a variety of tastes so that you can better get an idea of how the various cheeses are both similar and different. Each sampler offers multiple portions of cheese, all suitable for a cheese tasting party or varied cooking and eating uses. Enjoy!
igourmet's Favorites - 4 Cheese Sampler (2 pound) by igourmet.com
Amazon Price: (as of 07/14/2009)
igourmet's Favorites - 8 Cheese Sampler (4 pound) by igourmet.com
Amazon Price: $67.99 (as of 07/14/2009)
Usually ships in 1-2 business days
igourmet Italian Cheese Sampler
Amazon Price: $29.99 (as of 07/14/2009)
Usually ships in 3-5 business days
Cheddars of the World Assortment (2 pound) by igourmet.com
Amazon Price: (as of 07/14/2009)
English Cheese Assortment (2 pound) by igourmet.com
Amazon Price: (as of 07/14/2009)
Types of Cheese
There are hundreds of types of cheese in the world. They vary by ingredients, they are made by different formulas, they are fermented and aged differently. But they are all some form of animal milk, fermented into a soft to hard textured solid.
Here is a list of some of the more commonly found types of cheese that you may encounter if you start to explore the world of cheese. The cheeses vary in texture, color and flavor intensity depending on the ingredients and how long the aging process was that produced them.
Here is a list of some of the more commonly found types of cheese that you may encounter if you start to explore the world of cheese. The cheeses vary in texture, color and flavor intensity depending on the ingredients and how long the aging process was that produced them.
- AMERICAN
ASIAGO - BLUE CHEESE - this cheese is named for the mold cultures that form in veins throughout it.
BOURSIN
BRICK
BRIE - CAMEMBERT
CHEDDAR - a semi-hard cheese most often orange in color, the most popular cheese in the world.
COLBY
COTTAGE CHEESE - a very wet, very white cheese with a strong curd structure.
CREAM CHEESE - this super soft cheese is used in baking and often eaten spread on bread and specifically bagels. - DUBLINER
- EDAM
EMMENTAL - FARMER CHEESE
FETA - this is a crumbly, white cheese with a strong salty taste. - GEITOST - this light brown cheese often looks like a big chunk of caramel.
GOAT CHEESE - cheeses made with goat's milk, with a very soft, crumbly texture and white color
GORGONZOLA
GOUDA - HAVARTI
- JARLSBERG - a mild, Swiss-style cheese from Norway with irregular holes in a semifirm interior.
- LEICESTER
LIMBURGER - an extremely pungent cheese, often joked about as the stinkiest cheese - MANCHEGO
MARSCAPONE
MONTEREY JACK
MOZZARELLA - this is the main cheese used on pizzas, known for it's stretchy texture once melted.
MUENSTER - PANEER
PECORINO
PARMESAN - this is the hard cheese that is grated and sprinkled over many pasta dishes.
PROVOLONE - RED WINDSOR
RICOTTA - a moist, lightly-flavored, white cheese used in pasta dishes or flavored to be a dessert filling
ROQUEFORT - SAGE DERBY
STILTON
SWISS - this is the semi-hard cheese with all the well-defined holes in it. - TILSIT
- WENSLEYDALE
WHITE STILTON
The Cheese Gallery
delicious photos
The largest cheese bell in the world
Cheese Plate
Say cheese!
Cheese, cheese, cheese
chevre
Cornish Yarg Cheese
cheeses
Meant To Be Dinner
cheesemonger did not say cheese
It smelt cheesy
Mazzaros - cheese
this place was amazing, tons of great food.
Suggestions For Serving Cheese
- The Art of Serving Cheese
- Always serve cheese at room temperature, not cold from the refrigerator. In order to ensure the emergence of its full flavor, always take the cheese out of the refrigerator early enough for it to come to room temperature.
- Strat's Place - Preparations for Serving Cheese
- To make sure the cheeses are served at their peak condition and flavor, we urge you to respect the following guidelines.
- The American Cheese Society
- Tips on Serving Cheese
- Serving Cheese : Fine Living
- Cheeses should be carefully chosen so their tastes and textures can play off each other, and the selections should be arranged and served to maximize the flavors of the cheese.
- Cutting and Serving Cheese
- Tips for cutting, serving and handling cheese.
- Serving Cheese
- Cheese is very versatile and goes with may kinds and combinations of foods. As a last course, it enhances most dinners or luncheons. Exceptions are menus containing rich meat or poultry, and following a rich creamed or cheese dish. It should not be used with dishes from those countries where little cheese is eaten. Cheese is inappropriate following a Chinese or Japanese dinner, or a hot Indian curry.
Some Cheesy Sentiments
how do I love cheese?... let me count the ways!
I like mozzarella best in a caprése salad, where it's soft and the tomatoes are crisp. Parmesan cheese stands much more on its own in a caesar salad as opposed to on top of a red pasta sauce. Monterey jack goes on my turkey sandwiches. Really sharp cheddar gets grated and sprinkled lightly over steamed veggies. Soft brie is smeared on French bread.Cream cheese goes on bagels NY-style. Ricotta cheese goes in my blintzes. Cottage cheese is good with a fresh pear for breakfast. Stilton with ginger and mango is good for dessert. Blue cheese can lend an exotic air to good old-fashioned twice-baked potatoes. Camembert is good with tart apples like Fujis or Granny Smiths.
Camping in the California mountains, I was introduced to Tete de moine. This firm wheel of cheese is shaved with a special device that scrapes it, the shavings rolling to form little rosettes which you then pop whole into your mouth. A former housemate introduced me to triple-cream Explorateur. She would serve it for her holiday party, stuffing fresh figs with generous dollops of it.
I used to cook dinner with a co-worker and we'd always get a special cheese for an appetizer. It was aged in limestone caves in Europe, and smelled, as my friend swore, like "perfect stinky boys feet." I don't know about the stinky feet part but it was a pungent and delicious cheese, perfect with a bottle of red wine.
Explore the World of Cheese
- Gourmet cheese - maytag blue cheese, swiss cheese, imported cheese, US, brie, camembert
- Ideal Cheese Shop in New York offers the world's best cheeses from France, Holland, Switzerland, Italy, England, and many more, ships to all US.
- The Cheese Store of Beverly Hills - The Finest in Gourmet Cheeses, Gourmet Foods, Gourmet Gift Baskets
- The Cheese Store of Beverly Hills has been providing a fantastic variety of the highest quality imported and domestic cheeses to the nation since 1967.
- Bedford Cheese Shop
- Maybe the best way to tell you about The Bedford Cheese Shop is to tell you what we aren't. We aren't a supermarket that happens to sell cheese. Nor are we part of a big chain, or owned by a multi-national corporation. And we aren't an e-tailer that's just in the business of selling cheese online out of a huge warehouse. Nothing could be further from the truth. Instead, what we are is an old-fashioned cheese shop dedicated to providing you the finest quality cheeses from around the world.
- Chestnut Hill Cheese Shop
- Chestnut Hill Cheese Shop, Offering Select Cheese, Imported Gourmet Food, Caviar, and more. Purchase online, makes for a great gift.
- House of Cheese - Tetbury - Award Winning Online UK Mail Order Cheese Shop
- House of Cheese, Tetbury, is an award winning cheese supplier of British and continental cheeses, having a secure online cheese shop with next day mail order deliveries to UK addresses. Wedding cakes made with whole cheeses a speciality.
- Cheese Shop - New Zealand Gourmet and Boutique Cheeses - Deli Treats - Gift Hampers
- Cheese Shop, Robynne Harvey, Nelson, New Zealand
- Fox & Obel Gourmet Cheese Shop Chicago
- True cheese lovers are as intense in their enthusiasm as the aroma of a Chue Flada. This makes catering to our cheese customers both challenging and enjoyable. The Fox & Obel Cheese Shop is a full service, cut-to-order cheese counter with an enthusiastic, knowledgeable staff.
- Cheesetique.com | Specialty Cheese Shop
- Cheesetique is a gourmet cheese boutique located in the Del Ray neighborhood of Alexandria, Virginia. Cheesetique's mission is to encourage and expand the appreciation of specialty cheeses through education, experimentation, and excellent service - all in a comfortable, friendly environment.
- The Teddington Cheese
- Teddington Cheese matures and supplies over 130 British and continental farmhouse cheeses as well as a delicious selection of biscuits, chutneys, pickles, wines, ports and ciders to a UK wide customer base. We achieve this through our shop and Internet based mail orders.
- Murray's Cheese
- Murray's sells over 250 different varieties of cheese--stocking some of the most amazing cheeses in New York City.
- CHEESE.COM - All about cheese!.
- Cheese - everything you want to know about it. Search cheese by name, by types of milk, by textures and by countries.
- Christian Cheese - The place to buy cheese from the cheese factory in Kingfisher, Oklahoma
- The storefront for Christian Cheese located in Kingfisher Oklahoma. Quality cheese made by German Mennonites. Many varieties of cheddar cheese in the form of curds, blocks, and horns that can be purchased via credit card and delivered to your doorstep.
- Beecher's Handmade Cheese - Seattle's Artisan Cheesemaker
- Beecher's Handmade Cheese in Seattle makes fresh artisanal cheeses daily in their retail store.
- Wisconsin Cheese and Cheese Gift Boxes from Papa Cheese
- Natural and processed flavored Wisconsin cheeses available in prepackaged gift boxes, bulk or custom cut into blocks.
- Wensleydale Dairy
- Makers of Hawes Wensleydale, Real Cheese made from Wensleydale Milk. Distributors of Speciality English and Continental Cheeses, Dairy Products and Chilled Foods. Also, the home of "real" Wallace & Gromit cheese!
- Artisanal Premium Cheese
- Finest artisanal cheeses, cheese gift baskets, premium quality imported, gourmet, and domestic artisanal cheeses available online and shipped anywhere in the USA
Cheese Offerings
some popular types of cheese
Parmigiano Reggiano - Pound Cut (1 pound) by igourmet.com
Amazon Price: $11.99 (as of 07/14/2009)
Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Aged Cheddar Cheese (1.5 lb.) - Wisconsin Cheeseman
Amazon Price: (as of 07/14/2009)
Ball Gouda Cheese - Wisconsin Cheeseman
Amazon Price: $24.99 (as of 07/14/2009)
Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Roaring Forties Blue (8 ounce) by igourmet.com
Amazon Price: (as of 07/14/2009)
Cheese Festivals
Come out and celebrate cheese to the fullest!
- Great British Cheese Festival
- Invitation to Britain's biggest cheese show
- Great Wisconsin Cheese Fest
- You are invited to join the Village of Little Chute as we celebrate Wisconsin's love of cheese at the Great Wisconsin Cheese Festival!
- Seattle Cheese Festival
- Join us for the Seattle Cheese Festival and experience a full weekend devoted to the many splendors of cheese!
- South African Cheese Festival
- It is all about cheese! Cheese on its own and cheese with wine, beer, bread, biscuits, fruit, nuts ? discover cheese as the ideal partner in the gourmet chain of popular foods.
- Monroe Cheese Festival in New York
- Welcome to the Official Monroe Cheese Festival website. Here you will find registration forms, special events, and a special photo gallery of past festivals.
- Hunter Valley Cheese Festival
- THE HUNTER VALLEY GOURMET CHEESE FESTIVAL celebrates and showcases 3 great pleasures in life..... CHEESE, WINE AND FOOD!
Making Your Own Cheese
how-tos for homemade cheese
For those of you motivated in the DIY category, here are some books that can guide you in the making of your own cheese.
Monty Python's "Cheese Shop"
Michael Palin and John Cleese took cheese to new comedic heights as the shopkeeper and his hungry patron in Monty Python's "Cheese Shop" skit. This appeared in the 33rd episode of Monty Python's Flying Circus, entitled "Salad Days." This is an edited version of the skit. Before this on the tv show you see the John Cleese character walking down the street via a series of still photographs. He enters the cheese shop and tells the shopkeeper how he's hungry and is looking for some cheese for a snack. They also comment on the Hungarian bazouki player and dancers in the background.
Monty Python's Cheese Shop Skit - "Fetch hither the fromage de la Belle France! Mmmwah!" - the complete script for the skit
We can also offer you a World of Warcraft version of the complete sketch as well.
Monty Python's Cheese Shop Skit - "Fetch hither the fromage de la Belle France! Mmmwah!" - the complete script for the skit
We can also offer you a World of Warcraft version of the complete sketch as well.
It's The Science... Of Cheese
Here are some websites that discuss the science of cheese and cheese-making.
- Welcome to our Cheese Site
- Written and maintained by Professor Arthur R. HillDept. of Food Science, University of Guelph, Canada
- Science of Cooking: Webcasts
- Join us as the Live@The Exploratorium crew sniffs out the fermenting mysteries of cheese!
- Dairy Science and Food Technology. Self assessment
- The questions below have been designed to test knowledge and understanding of cheese science and technology.
- The Biology of . . . Cheese
- afety vs. flavor in the land of Pasteur By Robert Kunzig
DISCOVER Vol. 22 No. 11 | November 2001 - Wired 14.06: Schmear Campaign
- It's smooth and spreadable ? but it's got researchers whipped up. How a Wisconsin lab is hacking the chemical code of cream cheese.
Cheese Alternatives
For those who have trouble digesting dairy products, vegetarians and vegans, there is a growing number of dairy-free and animal-free cheese substitutes and imitations.
- What's in Your Cheese? -- The Vegetarian Resource Group
- It's getting easier to find vegetarian, even vegan, alternatives to products like burgers, milks, and sausage, and now even cheeses are available in vegetarian and vegan varieties. Many vegetarians don't consider that some of the cheeses they are eating could actually contain unfamiliar animal ingredients. That's right cheese, a common staple in many vegetarian diets, is often made with rennet or rennin, which is used to coagulate the dairy product.
- VEGAN GOURMET® Cheese Alternativ
- Angel's EarthKind Kitchen has teamed up with Follow Your Heart to produce the first 100% Vegan Cheese that tastes great and actually melts! Vegan Gourmet® Cheese Alternatives are currently available in four delicious flavors: Mozzarella, Cheddar, Nacho and Monterey Jack .
- Is there an alternative cheese?
- Is there an alternative cheese without lactose, whey, lactic acid, lacticity, lactaromoty, colostomy, or anything else animal in it?
- What's in Your Cheese?
- We've recently received a lot of requests from members who are interested in finding out which cheeses are vegetarian. Others have asked for information about dairy products in general. As a result, we've compiled the following information about cheese companies that do carry vegetarian cheese, and a brief explanation of some of the reasons many vegetarians choose not to consume cheese or other dairy products.
- What's a vegan alternative for ricotta cheese?
- 5 answers - Yahoo! Answers
Say "Cheese!" - comments & feedback
roamingrosie wrote...
Excellent lens! Tons of great tips and links. I love cheese, but I confess I usually stick to two of three varieties - but this makes me want to mix some more into my menus! :)
Posted June 21, 2009
2Eklectik wrote...
Love, Love, Love cheese!! Thank you for all the great information. I rolled this with our hot sauce lens
Posted June 09, 2009
beeobrien wrote...
I've added this lens to my Cheesy lenses module at Velveeta...Unwrapped.
Posted April 27, 2008
Make a Reservation at Chez*Squid!
by relache
Rae's had 4 lenses chosen as LOTD picks, 2 lenses made the #1 spot and she's the mayor of Ink City. She's a Giant Squid (Sept. '07 100 class) and Squi...
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