Brie
Removing the tip from a wedge of brie - everybody’s favourite part - is known as ‘pointing’ it. This is regarded as a cheese faux pas.
Camembert
Bake a whole camembert in the oven until soft, top with a dollop of apricot jam and serve with chunks of crusty bread for dunking.
Cheddar
Chardonnay is believed to be a good wine partner for mild cheddar, while rioja or sauv blanc are ideal for washing down sharper varieties.
Chevre
This cheese is made from naturally-curdled goat’s milk, so is a great alternative for cheese lovers with a low tolerance to cow’s.
Edam
This wax-covered spherical cheese is yummy served with fruits such as apples, pears, melon and apricots.
Emmental
This Swiss cheese is the stuff of kids’ cartoons, as it bears those tell-tale holes that animated mice seem to find so appealing!
Gorgonzola
This buttery blue cheese has an initial salty taste followed by an acidic bite from the vein.
Gouda
Melted gouda on toast is an ideal accompaniment to garlicky broad bean soup.
Feta
This Greek creamy white is seen as a healthy alternative because it contains less calories and fat than most other cheeses.
Gruyere
This sweet ‘n’ salty Swiss variety is popular in quiches or boozy cheese fondues.
Manchego
In a nod to Miguel, we had to include a Spanish cheese! Officially, manchego cheese has to age for between two months and two years.
Mascarpone
Stir icing sugar and vanilla seeds through mascarpone and serve with grilled stone fruit such as plums or peaches.
Mozzarella
The name comes from Italian verb ‘mozzare’, which means ‘to cut’, referring to the spinning and cutting technique used to make this stringy cheese.
Paneer
This cheese popular in Indian curries is made by curdling heated milk with an acid such as vinegar or lemon juice.
Parmesan
Serve parmesan on a cheese platter in true Jamie Oliver-style by drizzling it with honey then sprinkling with good quality filter coffee.
Pecorino
Most of this hard Italian cheese is produced on the island of Sardinia.
Provolone
In South America, this cheese is grilled until gooey, seasoned with chimichurri (a sauce made from herbs, garlic, olive oil and vinegar) and eaten communally.
Ricotta
Although referred to as a cheese, ricotta is in fact not produced by the coagulation of casein like its fromage frat-brothers.
Stilton
Stir through sautéed mushrooms with fresh thyme and chopped walnuts and serve on toasted ciabatta.
Taleggio
One of the oldest soft cheeses, this Italian washed rind was being used in cooking before the 10th century in the caves of Val Taleggio.
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