Cheeses

46 kinds of cheeses described and visualized

Cheeses are diverse foods crafted by curdling the milk of mammals and processing the resulting curds into a wide array of textures, flavors, and forms. This taxonomy covers all recognized cheese varieties, from fresh and soft to aged and hard, each shaped by unique traditions, techniques, and regional influences.

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Kinds of Cheeses

Origin Story

The story of cheese begins thousands of years ago, likely as a serendipitous discovery when milk was stored and naturally curdled in animal skins. Over time, civilizations across Europe, the Middle East, and Asia refined cheese-making, developing distinctive styles that reflect local climates, milk sources, and culinary customs. Today, cheese is produced worldwide, with iconic varieties rooted in the landscapes and cultures of places like France, Italy, Switzerland, and beyond.

Classification

Cheeses are classified along several axes, including milk source (cow, goat, sheep, buffalo), texture (hard, semi-hard, soft, fresh), ripening and aging methods (fresh, aged, blue, washed rind), and production techniques (pressed, cooked, brined, mold-ripened). Geographic origin and legal status—such as PDO, PGI, or AOC—also play key roles in categorization, reflecting both scientific standards and regional traditions. No single system dominates; classification depends on context, whether culinary, regulatory, or technical.

Appearance or Form

Cheeses display remarkable diversity in appearance and form. They range from creamy, spreadable fresh cheeses to firm, crumbly aged wheels. Colors span snowy whites, pale yellows, golden hues, and even blue-veined marbling. Rinds may be natural, waxed, washed, or bloomy, while shapes include rounds, blocks, pyramids, logs, or wedges. Texture varies from silky and moist to granular and crystalline, offering a rich sensory experience for sight, touch, and taste.

Behavior or Usage

Cheese serves myriad roles in human life, prized for its flavor, nutrition, and versatility. It is enjoyed as a standalone delicacy, featured in cheese boards, or incorporated into countless dishes—melting, grating, crumbling, or slicing as needed. Cheeses are essential in culinary traditions worldwide, used in cooking, baking, and pairing with wine, fruit, or bread. Their utility extends from everyday meals to festive celebrations, with each variety lending its own character to recipes and rituals.

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Cheddar

Cheddar

Cheddar is a firm, versatile cheese renowned for its sharp flavor and global popularity, originating from England and now enjoyed worldwide in countless forms and dishes.

Camembert

Camembert

Camembert is a classic French soft cheese, celebrated for its creamy texture, bloomy white rind, and earthy aroma, originating from Normandy and protected by European designation.

Mahón

Mahón

Mahón is a celebrated Spanish cheese from Menorca, renowned for its tangy, buttery flavor, striking orange rind, and semi-hard texture.

Brie

Brie

Brie is a classic French soft cheese, renowned for its creamy interior and delicate, edible white rind.

Swiss Cheese

Swiss Cheese

Swiss Cheese is a semi-hard, pale yellow cheese known for its signature holes and mild, nutty flavor, most commonly modeled after traditional Emmental.

Queso de Bola

Queso de Bola

Queso de Bola is a semi-hard, cow’s milk cheese with a distinctive red wax coating and spherical shape, celebrated as a festive staple in the Philippines and beyond.

Emmental

Emmental

Emmental is a classic Swiss cheese celebrated for its distinctive holes and mild, nutty flavor, making it one of the world’s most iconic cheeses.

Parmigiano Reggiano

Parmigiano Reggiano

Parmigiano Reggiano, commonly known as Parmesan, is a celebrated hard, aged cheese renowned for its granular texture, robust umami flavor, and versatility in the kitchen.

Roquefort

Roquefort

Roquefort is a legendary French blue cheese made exclusively from sheep’s milk and matured in the limestone caves of Roquefort-sur-Soulzon, renowned for its bold flavor and striking blue-green veins.

Edam

Edam

Edam is a semi-hard Dutch cheese, instantly recognizable for its round shape and iconic red wax coating, prized worldwide for its mild, nutty flavor and remarkable keeping qualities.

Mozzarella

Mozzarella

Mozzarella is a classic Italian cheese renowned for its soft, elastic texture, mild flavor, and exceptional melting qualities, making it a staple in both traditional and modern cuisine worldwide.

Feta

Feta

Feta is a classic Greek brined white cheese, celebrated for its crumbly texture, tangy flavor, and protected status as an authentic regional specialty.

Blue cheese

Blue cheese

Blue cheese is a family of cheeses distinguished by their striking blue-green veins, bold aroma, and tangy flavor, created through the intentional cultivation of Penicillium molds within the cheese.

Provolone

Provolone

Provolone is a classic Italian semi-hard cheese made from cow’s milk, celebrated for its smooth, elastic texture and remarkable versatility in both cooking and table service.

Ricotta

Ricotta

Ricotta is a fresh, creamy Italian cheese made from the whey left over after producing other cheeses, celebrated for its mild flavor and versatile culinary uses.

Stilton

Stilton

Stilton is England’s legendary blue cheese, celebrated for its rich, tangy flavor and striking blue veins, and protected by strict PDO regulations.

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Cultural Significance

Cheese holds a special place in global culture, symbolizing heritage, craftsmanship, and regional pride. Protected designations like PDO and AOC safeguard traditional methods and local identities, while festivals, competitions, and markets celebrate cheese-making artistry. In art, literature, and folklore, cheese often appears as a marker of abundance or comfort. Modern life sees cheese as both a staple and a luxury, bridging ancient customs with contemporary tastes and trends.

Notable Facts

  • Some cheeses, like Parmigiano Reggiano and Roquefort, are protected by strict regional laws and can only be made in specific areas using traditional methods.
  • Cheese varieties are distinguished not only by their milk source but also by unique aging, ripening, and microbial cultures, resulting in thousands of distinct types worldwide.
  • Blue cheeses owe their striking veins to Penicillium molds introduced during production, creating bold flavors and aromas.
  • The oldest known cheeses date back over 7,000 years, with archaeological evidence found in ancient Egyptian tombs.
  • Cheese names often reflect their place of origin, such as Gouda (Netherlands), Cheddar (England), and Manchego (Spain).

Kinds of Cheeses

Explore the range of forms, textures, and traditions within this collection.

Sorted by popularity

A wedge or whole Cheddar from the taxonomy cheeses, styled in an elegant, editorial manner.

Cheddar

Cheddar is a firm, versatile cheese renowned for its sharp flavor and global popularity, originating from England and now enjoyed worldwide in countless forms and dishes.

A wedge or whole Camembert from the taxonomy cheeses, styled in an elegant, editorial manner.

Camembert

Camembert is a classic French soft cheese, celebrated for its creamy texture, bloomy white rind, and earthy aroma, originating from Normandy and protected by European designation.

A wedge or whole Mahón from the taxonomy cheeses, styled in an elegant, editorial manner.

Mahón

Mahón is a celebrated Spanish cheese from Menorca, renowned for its tangy, buttery flavor, striking orange rind, and semi-hard texture.

A wedge or whole Brie from the taxonomy cheeses, styled in an elegant, editorial manner.

Brie

Brie is a classic French soft cheese, renowned for its creamy interior and delicate, edible white rind.

A wedge or whole Swiss Cheese from the taxonomy cheeses, styled in an elegant, editorial manner.

Swiss Cheese

Swiss Cheese is a semi-hard, pale yellow cheese known for its signature holes and mild, nutty flavor, most commonly modeled after traditional Emmental.

A wedge or whole Queso de Bola from the taxonomy cheeses, styled in an elegant, editorial manner.

Queso de Bola

Queso de Bola is a semi-hard, cow’s milk cheese with a distinctive red wax coating and spherical shape, celebrated as a festive staple in the Philippines and beyond.

A wedge or whole Emmental from the taxonomy cheeses, styled in an elegant, editorial manner.

Emmental

Emmental is a classic Swiss cheese celebrated for its distinctive holes and mild, nutty flavor, making it one of the world’s most iconic cheeses.

A wedge or whole Parmesan from the taxonomy cheeses, styled in an elegant, editorial manner.

Parmigiano Reggiano

Parmigiano Reggiano, commonly known as Parmesan, is a celebrated hard, aged cheese renowned for its granular texture, robust umami flavor, and versatility in the kitchen.

A wedge or whole Roquefort from the taxonomy cheeses, styled in an elegant, editorial manner.

Roquefort

Roquefort is a legendary French blue cheese made exclusively from sheep’s milk and matured in the limestone caves of Roquefort-sur-Soulzon, renowned for its bold flavor and striking blue-green veins.

A wedge or whole Edam from the taxonomy cheeses, styled in an elegant, editorial manner.

Edam

Edam is a semi-hard Dutch cheese, instantly recognizable for its round shape and iconic red wax coating, prized worldwide for its mild, nutty flavor and remarkable keeping qualities.

A wedge or whole Mozzarella from the taxonomy cheeses, styled in an elegant, editorial manner.

Mozzarella

Mozzarella is a classic Italian cheese renowned for its soft, elastic texture, mild flavor, and exceptional melting qualities, making it a staple in both traditional and modern cuisine worldwide.

A wedge or whole Feta from the taxonomy cheeses, styled in an elegant, editorial manner.

Feta

Feta is a classic Greek brined white cheese, celebrated for its crumbly texture, tangy flavor, and protected status as an authentic regional specialty.

A wedge or whole Blue Cheese from the taxonomy cheeses, styled in an elegant, editorial manner.

Blue cheese

Blue cheese is a family of cheeses distinguished by their striking blue-green veins, bold aroma, and tangy flavor, created through the intentional cultivation of Penicillium molds within the cheese.

A wedge or whole Provolone from the taxonomy cheeses, styled in an elegant, editorial manner.

Provolone

Provolone is a classic Italian semi-hard cheese made from cow’s milk, celebrated for its smooth, elastic texture and remarkable versatility in both cooking and table service.

A wedge or whole Ricotta from the taxonomy cheeses, styled in an elegant, editorial manner.

Ricotta

Ricotta is a fresh, creamy Italian cheese made from the whey left over after producing other cheeses, celebrated for its mild flavor and versatile culinary uses.

A wedge or whole Stilton from the taxonomy cheeses, styled in an elegant, editorial manner.

Stilton

Stilton is England’s legendary blue cheese, celebrated for its rich, tangy flavor and striking blue veins, and protected by strict PDO regulations.

A wedge or whole Gorgonzola from the taxonomy cheeses, styled in an elegant, editorial manner.

Gorgonzola

Gorgonzola is a celebrated Italian blue cheese, instantly recognizable for its marbled blue-green veins and bold, tangy flavor.

A wedge or whole Appenzeller from the taxonomy cheeses, styled in an elegant, editorial manner.

Appenzeller

Appenzeller is a celebrated Swiss hard cheese, famed for its aromatic, spicy flavor and distinctive herbal brine-washed rind, crafted exclusively from cow’s milk in the Appenzell region.

A wedge or whole Queso Fresco from the taxonomy cheeses, styled in an elegant, editorial manner.

Queso Fresco

Queso Fresco is a classic Latin American fresh cheese, celebrated for its mild flavor, crumbly texture, and remarkable versatility in everyday cooking.

A wedge or whole Gouda from the taxonomy cheeses, styled in an elegant, editorial manner.

Gouda

Gouda is a classic Dutch cheese celebrated worldwide for its creamy texture, mild flavor, and remarkable versatility across ages and culinary uses.

A wedge or whole Monterey Jack from the taxonomy cheeses, styled in an elegant, editorial manner.

Monterey Jack

Monterey Jack is a semi-hard American cheese made from cow’s milk, prized for its mild flavor, creamy texture, and exceptional melting qualities.

A wedge or whole Cream Cheese from the taxonomy cheeses, styled in an elegant, editorial manner.

Cream Cheese

Cream cheese is a fresh, soft, spreadable cheese made from cow’s milk and cream, prized for its mild flavor and smooth texture.

A wedge or whole Paneer from the taxonomy cheeses, styled in an elegant, editorial manner.

Paneer

Paneer is a fresh, non-aged cheese from South Asia, celebrated for its mild flavor, firm texture, and versatility in vegetarian cooking.

A wedge or whole Gruyère from the taxonomy cheeses, styled in an elegant, editorial manner.

Gruyère

Gruyère is a celebrated Swiss hard cheese made from cow’s milk, renowned for its firm texture, complex nutty flavor, and exceptional melting qualities.

A wedge or whole Havarti from the taxonomy cheeses, styled in an elegant, editorial manner.

Havarti

Havarti is a Danish semi-soft cheese celebrated for its creamy texture, mild flavor, and versatility in both everyday and gourmet cuisine.

A wedge or whole Pecorino Romano from the taxonomy cheeses, styled in an elegant, editorial manner.

Pecorino Romano

Pecorino Romano is a classic Italian hard cheese made from sheep’s milk, prized for its sharp, salty flavor and granular texture, and renowned as a staple grating cheese in Roman cuisine.

A wedge or whole Asiago from the taxonomy cheeses, styled in an elegant, editorial manner.

Asiago

Asiago is a celebrated Italian cow’s milk cheese, renowned for its evolving texture and flavor, ranging from mild and creamy when fresh to sharp and robust when aged.

A wedge or whole Taleggio from the taxonomy cheeses, styled in an elegant, editorial manner.

Taleggio

Taleggio is a classic Italian washed-rind cheese made from cow’s milk, celebrated for its creamy texture, pungent aroma, and mild, tangy flavor.

A wedge or whole Halloumi from the taxonomy cheeses, styled in an elegant, editorial manner.

Halloumi

Halloumi is a semi-hard, brined cheese from Cyprus, celebrated for its ability to be grilled or fried without melting.

A wedge or whole Chèvre from the taxonomy cheeses, styled in an elegant, editorial manner.

Chèvre

Chèvre is the French term for goat cheese, celebrated for its tangy flavor, creamy texture, and dazzling white appearance, and encompasses a wide range of cheeses made exclusively from goat’s milk.

A wedge or whole Cottage Cheese from the taxonomy cheeses, styled in an elegant, editorial manner.

Cottage Cheese

Cottage cheese is a fresh, unripened cheese made from cow’s milk, recognized for its moist, lumpy curds and mild, versatile flavor.

A wedge or whole Fontina from the taxonomy cheeses, styled in an elegant, editorial manner.

Fontina

Fontina is a celebrated Italian semi-soft cheese made from cow’s milk, renowned for its rich, nutty flavor and exceptional melting qualities.

A wedge or whole Saint-Nectaire from the taxonomy cheeses, styled in an elegant, editorial manner.

Saint-Nectaire

Saint-Nectaire is a celebrated French semi-soft cow’s milk cheese, renowned for its supple texture, earthy aroma, and distinctive washed rind, and protected by both PDO and AOC status.

A wedge or whole Mascarpone from the taxonomy cheeses, styled in an elegant, editorial manner.

Mascarpone

Mascarpone is a luxurious Italian fresh cheese prized for its velvety, creamy texture and subtle, mildly sweet flavor, making it a staple in both classic desserts and savory dishes.

A wedge or whole Mimolette from the taxonomy cheeses, styled in an elegant, editorial manner.

Mimolette

Mimolette is a hard, cow’s milk cheese from northern France, instantly recognizable for its vivid orange interior, spherical shape, and distinctive nutty, caramelized flavor.

A wedge or whole Reblochon from the taxonomy cheeses, styled in an elegant, editorial manner.

Reblochon

Reblochon is a celebrated French semi-soft cheese made from raw cow’s milk, prized for its creamy texture, nutty flavor, and distinctive washed orange-pink rind.

A wedge or whole Queso Blanco from the taxonomy cheeses, styled in an elegant, editorial manner.

Queso Blanco

Queso Blanco is a fresh, unaged Latin American cheese celebrated for its mild flavor, crumbly texture, and remarkable versatility in both savory and sweet dishes.

A wedge or whole Queso Manchego from the taxonomy cheeses, styled in an elegant, editorial manner.

Queso Manchego

Queso Manchego is Spain’s most celebrated sheep’s milk cheese, instantly recognized by its firm texture, buttery flavor, and signature herringbone-patterned rind.

A wedge or whole Oaxaca from the taxonomy cheeses, styled in an elegant, editorial manner.

Oaxaca

Oaxaca is a semi-soft, white, string cheese from Mexico, celebrated for its mild flavor and exceptional melting quality in traditional Mexican cuisine.

A wedge or whole Münster from the taxonomy cheeses, styled in an elegant, editorial manner.

Munster

Munster is a celebrated French washed rind cheese made from cow’s milk, renowned for its pungent aroma, creamy texture, and vivid orange rind, and protected by both AOC and PDO designations.

A wedge or whole Sainte-Maure de Touraine from the taxonomy cheeses, styled in an elegant, editorial manner.

Sainte-Maure de Touraine

Sainte-Maure de Touraine is a celebrated French goat’s milk cheese, instantly recognizable by its ash-coated log shape and central rye straw, prized for its delicate tang and creamy texture.

A wedge or whole Caciocavallo from the taxonomy cheeses, styled in an elegant, editorial manner.

Caciocavallo

Caciocavallo is a traditional Italian stretched-curd cheese, famed for its distinctive teardrop shape, firm texture, and centuries-old heritage in Southern Italy.

A wedge or whole Manchego from the taxonomy cheeses, styled in an elegant, editorial manner.

Manchego

Manchego is Spain’s most celebrated sheep’s milk cheese, distinguished by its firm texture, nutty flavor, and iconic herringbone-patterned rind.

A wedge or whole Colby from the taxonomy cheeses, styled in an elegant, editorial manner.

Colby

Colby is a semi-hard, cow’s milk cheese from the United States, celebrated for its mild flavor, open texture, and vibrant orange color, making it a quintessential classic of American cheese-making.

A wedge or whole Cotija from the taxonomy cheeses, styled in an elegant, editorial manner.

Cotija

Cotija is a traditional Mexican hard cheese made from cow's milk, celebrated for its crumbly texture and salty, savory flavor, and widely used as a finishing touch in classic Mexican dishes.

A wedge or whole Ricotta Salata from the taxonomy cheeses, styled in an elegant, editorial manner.

Ricotta Salata

Ricotta Salata is a firm, pressed Italian cheese made from sheep’s milk whey, prized for its pure white color, crumbly texture, and clean, mildly salty flavor.

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