A Definitive Guide To The Most Common Types Of Cheese

Cheese is truly a glorious thing. If you were to open your fridge right now, you'd probably see a few different kinds. The sliced American is for sandwiches. The aged parmesan goes on top of your pasta. The soft brie is for a charcuterie plate.

Beyond the types you're familiar with, picking more obscure cheeses to cook with or eat as a snack can be daunting. The cheese fridge at the grocery store has so many choices and price ranges. Before we get into the types of cheese, here are some things to consider.

Region: Where the cheese comes from is important. Some countries protect their cheese-making regions so only that area is allowed to make a certain type of cheese. Parmigiano Reggiano, for example, is only made in specific Italian provinces. Any cheese labeled just parmesan isn't held to that standard and can come from anywhere.

Age: On many cheeses, you'll notice words like "aged" or "12-month old." This tells you that the cheese was aged in a controlled environment for a certain amount of time to change the flavor. During this time, moisture evaporates and bacteria breaks down protein, often leading to a more intense flavor. Younger cheeses tend to be milder, fresher, and creamier.

Type of milk: Cheese is made with milk from cows, buffalos, sheep, and goats (or a combination). The milk used as a base affects the flavor of the cheese, and the younger the cheese, the more flavor you'll get from the milk. Cow and buffalo milk is sweet, creamy, and mild. Sheep's milk is grassy and tangy. Goat's milk is also tangy, but with a little extra funkiness.

To get the slice on cheese, we tapped the expertise of Afrim Pristine, owner of the Cheese Boutique in Toronto and host of Cheese: A Love Story on Hulu. He told us all about his favorite cheeses, how to cook with common varieties, and which ones are best to snack on.