Cheese curds and cheese families
Cheeses are first
identified by their type of curd (fresh, soft, semi-hard, firm or
hard), which in turn places them in different families. The family
of cheese dictates how they should be eaten, cooked, served,
stored, etc. First, there are the fresh curd cheeses, which can be served from breakfast to dinner because of their mild flavour.
Soft curd cheeses with bloomy or washed rinds are often served plain with fruit, bread or croutons.
Semi-firm curd cheeses or firm curd cheeses can also be served on their own, but are often used in recipes like raclette, cheese fondue or gratins.
As for hard-curd cheeses, they are most often grated in dishes or served as a topping on pasta or pizza for example. They can easily be served on their own with a glass of cider or Port wine.
Veined cheeses or blue cheeses and sheep’s and goat’s milk cheeses are also classified by family according to the type of curd.
Cows, goats and sheep
A majority of cheeses that are made locally or imported are made from cow’s milk. However, there is also a great variety of goat’s and sheep’s milk cheeses available.