The Main Classifications of Natural Cheese

 The natural cheeses are grouped into five main classifications: 

 1. FRESH - is exactly that, a fresh cheese that is very soft to soft, moist, and
     normally has a shorter shelf life than most soft cheeses.  View Fresh Cheeses

 2. SOFT - the majority of cheeses fall into this category, from all milk types and
     family kinds such as blue or cheddar. This category also includes all the Brie
     and Camembert cheeses. View all Soft Cheeses

 3. SEMI-SOFT & SEMI-HARD cheeses are divided into the 3 categories of: 
            a. Washed-rind Cheeses,
            b. Interior- ripened Cheese and
            c. Blue Cheeses
       View all Semi-soft and Semi-hard Cheeses

 4. HARD- these types include cheddars and Swiss types of cheese.  These are
     drier and firmer cheeses, but not hard like your grating cheeses.  View Hard
     Cheeses
      
 5. VERY HARD - this includes the hard grating cheeses, that are usually cooked
     and pressed and aged for months to years.  View Very Hard Cheeses

 Fresh Cheese [and for shipping purposes - creams]:
 The two most popular kinds of fresh, un-ripened cheeses are cottage cheese and
 cream cheese.  These are not true cheeses since they are made without rennet,
 are not cooked or ripened and have no visible rind or mould growth.

 Other fresh cheese types includes curds, ricotta and all similar cheeses.  We've
 included fresh creams used for cooking such as Fromage Blanc and Créme
 Fraiche [sour cream types].  They are not cheeses, but rather creams used in
 cooking.

 Soft-White Cheese:
 The typical mark of the soft cheese is its supple interior [pâte], which is a direct
 result of its high water content.  As a rule, soft cheeses will have a creamy inter
 consistency with a slightly harder, white rind.  Called a 'Bloomy Rind'.

 This classification is typically for Bries, Camemberts and other cheeses from all
 milk types that have the white bloomy rind, that fall into this family.  They are
 somewhat firm white rinds on the outside with a softer paste [pâte] on the inside. 
 These may also have a more creamy color exterior and paste as well.

 Semi-Soft/Semi-Hard - Three Categories:
 Theses cheeses are divided into the 3 categories of:  [1] Washed-rind Cheeses, [2]
 Interior-ripened Cheese and [2] Blue Cheeses:

 Semi-Soft, Cheese with Washed Rind:
 This type cheese making process can be found here. This is one of the larger
 groups of cheese because of the basic three categories that they fall into.

 Typical examples of semi-soft cheeses with washed rind are: Brick, Carré de l’Est,
 Celtic Promise, Chambertin, Chaumes, Cîteaux, Colby, Epoisses, Limburger,
 Livarot, Munster, Pont L'Évêque, Trappist and Reblochon.

 Semi-Soft, Interior-ripened [Natural Rind] Cheese:
 This type cheese making process can be found here.  Examples of semi-soft,
 interior-ripened cheeses are: Aisy Cendré, Bel Paese, Edam, Fontina, Harvarti,
 Monterey Jack, Morbier, Oka, Port Salut, and Raclette.

 Semi-Soft, Blue Cheese:
 The blue-veined Blue, Roquefort, Stilton and Gorgonzola cheese are interior-ripened
 cheese that can belong to the semi-soft cheese family.  You can find more on
 making cheese here.

 Other examples of semi-soft, blue cheeses are: Roquefort, which is only made from
 sheep’s milk.  Blue d’Auvergne, Bleu de Gex, Danish Blue, Gorgonzola and Stilton
 are made with cow’s milk.

 They're some great American Blues from both cow and sheep's milk, be sure and
 try them!

 Hard Cheese:
 This type cheese making process can be found here.  These hard types include
 cheddars and Swiss types of cheese.  They are drier firmer cheeses.

 Hard cheeses contain not more than 56% moisture, and can be divided into two
 categories:

a.     Solid Hard Cheeses: 
 Examples are Cheddar and Cantal, Raclette, etc.

b.     Hard Cheeses with Holes:
 Examples are Emmental, Gruyere and Jarlsberg, etc.

 Very Hard Cheese:
 This type cheese making process can be found here.  These are the Very hard
 cheeses are usually cooked, and are aged for as long as two years.  These
 cheeses, which contain less than 30% moisture [such as hard Manchego Curado,
 Parmesan, Grana Padano and Romano], are often used as grating cheeses
 because of their textures.