The human tongue has basic flavor sensors: salt, spicy, sugar, sour, and bitter. But texture and aroma make the food flavor complex. Like most food, you feel different aromas and textures from cheese to cheese.
When you smell the cheese, a tiny molecule of the food scent is mixed with air and adds more flavor to you. If you eat cheese holding your nose, you won’t feel that complexity. Chewing the cheese brings pleasure though.
Here, we are conking out the facts of the cheese taste. Also, we correlate what cheese tastes like. Stick with us to take a tour of cheesy heaven.
The Definition Of Cheese
What is cheese? In a word, cheese is a dairy product, high in fat and full of flavor. Natural cheese contains milk, salt, and good bacteria. It is a great source of protein too. You certainly find cheese on the top of burgers, tacos, pizza, subway, sandwiches, pasta, snacks, and so on.
Cheese has been prepared for over two hundred decades. So there are a lot of contradictions about its exact origin. It is quite fuzzy exploring the history of cheese. The probable story goes that once a man went for peregrination and carried milk in a pouch that was actually a sheep’s stomach. In the end, the milk turned into cheese, letting whey.
What Does Cheese Taste Like?
Is cheese salty? Does cheese taste sweet? Or, does cheese taste sour? Well, no one justifies cheese in just these categories. There are a lot of flavors to describe. Actually, its taste depends on your tongue sensors and aroma. When your mind combines the tongue and nose information, you will be aware of the flavor. Here we talk about how cheese tastes in the mouth.
There are over hundreds of cheese types around the world. Each type has its own flavor and taste. Below we explore the taste of four main cheese categories and some of the greatest cheeses in the world.
1. Soft Cheese Taste like Pudding
Soft cheese has high moisture content and is very high in fat. It has a pudding-like texture. Actually, it is unripened cheese between 0-30 days. Below let’s find out the taste of some favored soft cheeses.
Brie tastes nutty and slightly buttery
Brie is a French cheese, also known as ‘The Queen of Cheeses.’ This cheese tastes fruity, nutty, slightly salty, and buttery. When you eat, it will melt in your mouth. Actually, it is a silky and smooth texture. This cheese usually accomplishes with dessert its rich sweet flavor.
Ricotta tastes sweet
Ricotta has a light and low salt content with a fresh and slightly sweet taste. This is made of leftover whey from milk. So its texture is thick, creamy, and fluffy. The cheese is perfect for sweet and savory dishes.
Feta tastes creamy
Authentic feta cheese is made by combining sheep and goat milk. It comes in a soft, creamy, sometimes dry, grainy texture and is nearly hole-less. Talking about flavor, the cheese tastes salty, lemony, tangy, and pungent. But the tangy taste doesn’t overpower the cheese. There is less fat and calories compared to the other cheese, so it will be an excellent taste treat if you are on a weight loss diet.
Cream Cheese is slightly tangy and sweet
Cream cheese has a mild, slightly tangy, and sweet taste. At room temperature, it is thick, creamy, and spreadable. Cream cheese is widely used in desserts or snacks. You can add more flavor with basil, berry, and herbs. While eating, it is supposed to be enjoyed fresh.
2. Semi-soft Cheese has a rubbery texture outside
Semi-soft cheeses have thicker moisture content than soft cheese. They are lightly clutched into a mold which gives them a rubbery texture outside, yet the center has a soft, delicate, and custardy texture. Though various types of semi-soft cheese taste slightly different. Have a look.
Mozzarella is slightly salty
Mozzarella is the most popular cheese for pizza. Usually, it is made from buffalo milk, but nowadays, many use cow milk to make mozzarella. You will get a mild, slightly salty, little sour yet milk-like freshness. If it ages, it tastes sour and softer. This is also called melting cheese. The elastic texture is favored among cheese lovers.
Havarti is buttery and sweet
Havarti cheese is typically ripened cheese, probably for three months. It tastes buttery, sweet to very sweet, lightly acidic, and sharp. At room temperature, it softens quickly. The cheese has a smooth, elastic, and creamy texture. When it gets aged, it tastes like hazelnut.
Muenster is mild sweet
Muenster is a velvety, moist cheese that has a pale yellow color with an orange rind. It tastes like roasted nuts, mild, and sweet. Its flavor is likely similar to jack cheese. For its moist and melting texture, the cheese is perfect for burgers, mac ‘n cheese, etc.
Taleggio tastes salty
Taleggio is one of the most expensive cheeses as it is the oldest Italian cheese and may not be available in every cheese store. Its flavor is meaty, tangy, salty, and mild. It gives an off-pungent aroma. The melting and rubbery texture is great for pasta or risotto.
3. Semi-hard Cheese has a complex aroma
Semi-hard cheese is aged between 1 to 6 months. Being aging, it develops more complexity in taste and aroma. They are not too hard, not spreading, and are served by slicing or shredding. Have a look at some tasty semi-hard cheese.
Provolone is mild, tangy, and buttery
This type of Italian cheese is often described in a mild, tangy, buttery, and subtle nutty flavor. This is popular for sandwich addition. Sometimes it tastes slightly salty. Cheesemakers use cow’s milk and use the same “stretched-curd” manner of mozzarella.
Gouda has an aromatic flavor
Its sweet caramel-like and aromatic flavor characterize this cheese. It has a unique flavor — a relatively butterscotch flavor or browned butter taste. The texture is intense and springy. The cheese is truly a graceful sensation on your palate.
Emmental is sweet
Emmental, also known as swiss cheese, has a pale yellow center with distinctive holes or eyes. The aroma is sweet and tastes buttery, nutty, and sharp. Its texture is very smooth, velvety, and dense. Overall, it’s like browned butter.
Cheddar has a creamy and pungent flavor
Exclusively made in England, cheddar cheese is the world’s most-eaten cheese. It is popular for its creamy, pungent, and sharp flavor. The texture is crumbly and tastes like roasted hazelnut. The sharpness increases with its aging time.
4. Hard Cheese has a dynamic texture
Hard cheese has a dry, dynamic texture and gives a deeply savory flavor that is unique from other types of cheese. Best served by grating or thinly slicing. Let’s find the types of hard cheese and their flavor.
Manchego is creamy and tangy
Made from sheep milk and typically seen in traditional herringbone basket weave patterns on the skin. It has a creamy, tangy, and salty aftertaste. Manchego slices thinly and served with dates, prosciutto, or apple.
Asiago is very sweet in nature
Asiago cheese has a very sweet, nutty, sharp, and milky flavor. The texture is smooth or sometimes crumbly. Aged Asiago has a more intense, caramelly flavor. Best eat of grated Asiago with pasta or salad.
Parmesan has a gritty texture
Parmesan is hard-dry cheese with a gritty texture. This grainy cheese brings out a strong fruity, nutty, salty, and slightly floral taste that likes a delight on pasta, soup, or risotto. Parmesan cheese is prepared from skimmed cow’s milk and has a hard pale-golden rind.
Pecorino is tangy and salty
Pecorino is a true Italian cheese that is the oldest entry in the hallowed pantheon. It is ready up from sheep’s milk and produces a crumbly, firm texture. The cheese has a pungent aroma and a punch of soft spices in taste. Also, it tastes tangy and salty. The cheese is not as mature as parmesan, but this adds an incredible flavor to pasta and risotto.
What makes cheese tasty?
Cheese is made from the milk of cows, sheep, and buffalos. While good bacteria break down fats and proteins into a large number of molecules, it creates flavor and makes the cheese tasty. According to the cheese type, you will smell different aromas. Some cheese has the scent of spoiled milk, some have pungent, and some have an “off” smell. Surprisingly, the Limburger cheese smells like feet.
Final Words
A person who has tasted almost all different types of cheese can tell the actual taste. Some are solid, some are soft and creamy, some are elastic, and some have a nutty, earthy taste. Nonetheless, it is not possible for everyone to check them out by touring around the world. We have brought out all the tastes of various types of cheese.
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As a home cook, I am working in the kitchen niche since 2001.
Writing a blog is one of my hobbies. Cooking is my passion and I love to experiment with spices. I hope you will get benefitted after reading my article.
