CHEESE TYPES

MARIO BLANCO to PAGLIA

MARIO BLANCO: Italian. Soft cheese. Nice served with pears.

MAROILLES: French. Originally made in the 10th century by monks. Semi-firm. A beer wash is used rather than salt, giving it a distinct taste and aroma.

MASCARPONE: Italian. Incredibly rich triple-crème cheese. Sweet, with a delicate flavor. Resembles clotted cream in appearance. Velvety, thick and rich. Beaten or whipped. The fresher, the better. Used a great deal in the same way as cream, with fruit and cakes.

MEL FINO: An unusual Italian dessert cheese. Cross between Bel Paese and Gorgonzola. Blue-veined and creamy.

MENORCAN: From the Island of Menorca; semi-firm, delicate. Has a distinctive flavor.

MIGNOT: French. Similar to Maroilles but smaller.

MINNESOTA BLUE: American. One of the natural blue-veined cheeses.

MITZITHRA: Greek. A cheese made from the whey left from Feta. Semi-soft, lightly salted, white in color. May be used as you would Ricotta.

MONSIEUR FROMAGE: Norwegian ripened cream cheese, soft and delicate.

MONT d'OR: French. Soft goat cheese, briefly cured.

MONTEREY JACK: American. First made in California in the 18th century by Spanish missionaries. Mild, semi-soft and buttery. A versatile cheese used in snacks, in sandwiches, sauces, and casseroles.

MONTASIO: Italian cheese made of cow’s milk. When young, it is smooth enough to serve at the table, but as it ages, it becomes hard and dry.

MONTLENIS: French. Firm, blue-veined cheese made of a combination of sheep’s, cow’s, and goat’s milk.

MONTRACHET: French. A delicate, young, creamy goat cheese. Mild. Packaged as a log. A great first taste in goat’s milk cheese.

MOTAL: Russian. Made of sheep’s milk alone, or combined with goat’s milk. Sharp.

MOZZARELLA di BUFALO: Italy. The original and finest mozzarella. Made of buffalo milk. Soft, moist and delicate. There is no comparison between this and American mozzarella.

MOZZARELLA: Delicate, mild, pleasant, delicate taste. Semi-soft, creamy, white. Available in both smoked and fresh. Originally came from the south of Italy where only water buffalo milk was used.

MUNSTER (MUENSTER): Delicate to mild to pungent, hint of saltiness; semi-soft. Originally one of the monastery cheeses. American Munster is a different, bland cheese. Used for sandwiches and cheese trays. Goes with crackers and bread.

MUTSCHLI: Swiss. Semi-soft, cream-colored cheese. It is mild.

MYCELLA: Danish blue-veined cheese, less sharp than Danablu, pale, cream colored.

NEUFCHATEL: The French cheese of this name is a soft, creamy cheese with a white crust. The crust may be eaten when the cheese is young. The American Neufchatel is never ripened and is more like cream cheese but lower in butterfat and higher in moisture and protein.

NOKKELOST: Norwegian. Loaf cheese, spiced. Made from partly skimmed milk.

ORKNEY: Scottish. A mild cheddar-like cheese, sometimes smoked.

PAGLIA: Swiss blue-veined cheese, similar to Gorgonzola.

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