How Cheese Is Made and How to Enjoy It

Cheese is a food made from milk. It can come from cows, goats, sheep, buffalo and, in some parts of the world, camels.

Every cheese tells a story about the animal, the farm, the cheesemaker and the place it comes from. This guide helps children discover how cheese is made, the different types of cheese and how to taste something new.

How is cheese made?

Cheese is made by turning milk into soft curds, then shaping and maturing those curds.

First, a cheesemaker gently warms the milk and adds helpful bacterial cultures. These tiny living cultures help create the flavour and texture of the cheese.

Next, rennet is added. Rennet helps the milk change from a liquid into a soft, jelly-like solid. The solid part is cut into small pieces called curds. The leftover liquid is called whey.

The curds are drained, salted and placed into moulds. Some cheeses are pressed to make them firm, while others stay soft and creamy.

Finally, many cheeses are left to mature. This can take days, weeks, months or even years. Time, care and the cheesemaker’s skill turn fresh milk into cheese with its own flavour and character.

What are the main types of cheese?

There are hundreds of different cheeses, but most belong to a few broad cheese families.

Soft cheese

Examples: Brie and camembert
Texture: Soft and spreadable when ripe, firmer when young
Flavour: Mild, buttery and sometimes a little tangy
Try it with: Crackers, bread or fresh fruit

Soft cheese is a great place to start when you are trying new cheeses.

Washed rind cheese

Examples: Taleggio-style and washed rind cheeses
Texture: Soft in the middle, often sticky on the outside
Flavour: Rich, savoury and full of character
Try it with: Bread, crackers or something sweet like honey

Washed rind cheese can smell strong, but it is often creamier and milder than you might expect.

Hard and semi-hard cheese

Examples: Cheddar, gouda and alpine-style cheese
Texture: Firm, sliceable or slightly springy
Flavour: Mild, nutty, buttery or rich
Try it with: Sandwiches, toast, potatoes or straight from the board

These are the cheeses many people grow up eating.

Blue cheese

Examples: Blue vein cheese and gorgonzola-style cheese
Texture: Soft and creamy, or firm and crumbly
Flavour: Salty, creamy and sometimes sharp
Try it with: Pear, honey or a plain cracker

The blue veins are safe, helpful mould cultures used by cheesemakers to create flavour.

How do you taste cheese?

There is no wrong way to enjoy cheese. Start with a small bite and give yourself time to notice it.

Try this:

1. Take a small bite.
2. Let it sit in your mouth for a few seconds.
3. Notice the flavour as you breathe in.
4. Try it with a cracker, bread, fruit or a little honey.

Ask yourself:

• Is it creamy, crumbly, soft or firm?
• Does it taste mild, tangy, salty, buttery or strong?
• What food would you like to eat with it?
• Would you have another bite?

Why does cheese taste different?

Cheese can taste different because of the milk used, where the animals live, what they eat, the recipe and how long the cheese matures.

A goat’s milk cheese can taste very different from a cow’s milk cheese. A young cheddar will taste different from a cheddar aged for many months. That is what makes exploring cheese so much fun.

Every cheese you try connects back to a farm and the people who made it. Be curious, take a bite and you might find your next favourite cheese.