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Cheese-Buying 101
Use this guide to buy the best grocery-store cheese and master how to use and pair them.
| Cheese Style |
Example |
Serving Ideas |
Buying & Tasting Tips |
Pairing Ideas |
| Soft, fresh | Chèvre, Fromage Blanc | Salads, spreads, dips (both savory and sweet) |
Look for small production and local producers for the freshest flavor |
Wine: Crisp, dry or lightly sweet whites, such as Sauvignon Blanc or Riesling; Beer: Light, crisp German style such as Hefeweizen |
| Bloomy, white mold-ripened | Camembert, Humboldt Fog, Brie | Roasted beet salad, heated |
Should feel tender, but not oozing; should smell of mild mushrooms and not overly of ammonia; rind should still adhere to the interior and not be thick | Wine: Buttery Chardonnay, rich sparkling wine; Beer: Light pilsner or fruit-flavored ales |
| Aged cheddar & semisoft aged cheeses such as Monterey Jack | Tillamook, Grafton Village, Vella |
Ultimate grilled cheese sandwich, macaroni and cheese |
Look for those aged a year or more and uncolored; texture should be even and smooth, between sliceable and crumbly, dry but rich |
Wine: Medium reds like Syrah; BEER: Medium, slightly bitter such as pilsner or amber lager |
| Long-aged English & domestic cheddars | Montgomery’s, Cabot Clothbound, Beecher’s Flagship | Almost always a stand-alone for the cheese plate with figs and other sweet preserves |
The best are aged at least one to two years and made from raw milk; look for a golden, nutty interior that crumbles easily, but tastes buttery and rich; not dry and pasty | Wine: Heavy reds such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot or dry sherry; Beer: Dark, powerful, bitter or mellow such as stouts |
| Alpine-style semihard to hard cheese | Gouda, Appenzeller, Pleasant Ridge Reserve, Vermont Shepherd | Use alone on the cheese plate or combine with others in a multitude of dishes calling for aged, hard cheeses | Aged six months to a year or more; texture should be firm and hard but pliable, not crumbly; avoid those wrapped in plastic for too long |
Wine: Dry whites such as Pinot Gris, Chardonnay or Viognier, or medium-bodied reds such as Syrah, Merlot; Beer: Strong, dark such as bock or dark lager |
| Stinky red or orange washed rind | Limburger, Winnimere, Red Hawk, Munster | Almost always a stand-alone cheese served with simple crackers, rustic bread, fruit and libation; rind is often not eaten | Should be soft, but not totally liquid; should smell pungent and a bit of sulfur, but not make your eyes water | Wine: Crisp, full-bodied whites such as Viognier and Pinot Gris; Beer: Belgian-style pale ale |
| Blue | Stilton, Rogue River Blue, Roquefort | Salads, cheeseburgers and stand-alone as final cheese course | Look for even veins of color from greenish yellow to true blue; texture should be fairly creamy, depending on style; avoid any with liquid in package |
Wine: Heavy, sweet such as port; |
| Extra-hard cheeses |
Parmigiano-Reggiano, Grana Padano, Romano | Grated on pastas, pizzas, salads and combined with other cheeses for extra flavor; serve superior brands on a cheese plate with apples, pears and nuts | Aged three to five years for maximum flavor; interior should be dark ivory to almost golden, flaky with tiny, crunchy protein crystals; avoid pieces that have been wrapped in plastic for too long | Wine: Many styles—crisp sparkling, dry sherry and medium- to full-bodied reds such as Merlot; Beer: Many types work including medium-bodied amber ales and hoppy ales such as IPAs |
For more information and tips on buying cheese from the grocery store, read the original article, A Guide to Grocery Store Cheese Selection.
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