Dry Cheese

Cheese is enjoyed the world over as a delicious ingredient to compliment dishes or as a fantastic, nutritious, morsel in it's own right. 

A Dry Cheese is usually found amongst the groups of 'Hard Cheeses' and 'Blue Cheeses'. So let us explore these and the many different kinds of cheeses which are available on the market today,

Hard Cheeses (Dry Cheeses) 

Cheddar - This cheese, originated in the English town of Cheddar. This accounts for just over half of the UK cheese consumption. Cheddar cheese is characterised by it's firm and sometimes crumbling texture and pale yellow colouring.   

Parmigiano Reggiano - This dry cheese, produced predominantly in the Italian Parma region is made from raw cow's milk and is another of the hard cheeses with a crumbling nature. The French equivalent is Parmesan. 

Another of the dry cheeses made from sheep's milk is Manchego. Manchego cheese can have a slightly sharp distinctive taste. This Spanish dry cheese has a rich golden colour as cheese books will explain.

Gruyere is produced in Switzerland from cows milk. This slightly salty hard cheese is an excellent ingredient for many meals and cheese snacks.

Blue Cheeses (Rougher Dry Cheese)  

Stilton - One of the most famous cheeses in the world. This dry cheese is made within three counties in England. Stilton is of course characterised by the 'blue veins'. This delicious cheese is enjoyed as both a recipe ingredient and as a compliment often to crackers and port. A cheese dome is often used to preserve Stilton.  

Roquefort - This crumbly, white dry cheese is produced in the south of France from sheeps milk. This has distinctive 'veins' of mold and is renowned for it's rich flavouring. Cheese books often describe this cheese as the 'mouldy cheese'  

Gorgonzola - This Italian cheese, produced in the north of Italy, is another dry cheese which can be an excellent ingredient in recipes. Gorgonzola a top Italian cheese is very often used as a topping on pizza's or as an enriching flavour in risotto's.  

Cheeses are preserved using cheese equipment such a cheese dome. Many people interested in home cheese making might join a local cheese club and try some home cheese making. From English cheese, Italian cheeses, French cheeses the choice is vast and many tips and advice can be found from the many cheese books available.