An Introduction to Cheese 
                  
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Artisan Cheese has become a most sought after food commodity...that's a fact!  This past decade has seen a huge increase in the purchasing of quality cheeses from France and Europe.  More importantly is the fact that the U. S. proudly produces hundreds of great artisan [home-style[ cheeses now, that definitely will compete with the great French and other European cheeses.  You can find out more about these great superb quality cheeses, by the kinds [families], firmness, history and literally everything that you might want to know about cheese just by clicking
on the links below:

Cheese - Families
Cheese 'Family' or 'Cheese Kind' - this section deals how people think about cheese, and what they're familiar with.  And that is basically the kind of cheese they like.  However, cheese falls into different family categories, and from there to discover their favorite kinds of cheese.  [ MORE INFO ]

Cheese Firmness
Cheese firmness falls into the categories of the basic classification of a particular type cheese into a cheese category.  This is the actual consistency of the cheese ranging from a very soft cheese to the very hardest of cheeses. [ MORE INFO ]

Cheese History 
'Cheese History' - although no one knows exactly how long people have been making and eating cheese, it's probably safe to say that it has been around since prehistoric times.  It is one of the world’s oldest food products, and people have been raising animals, such as sheep, goats, buffalo, reindeer, camels and yaks for milk for thousands of years, in turn producing a high protein food. [ MORE INFO ]

Cheese Kind A to Z Dictionary - in French [the English Cheese Dictionary will be on line next month].  Cheese Dictionary' in French gives you information on hundreds of cheeses, the family they are in, and some will give wine pairing information.  Soon we'll have the 'Cheese Dictionary' in English gives you information on hundreds of cheeses, the family they are in, and some will give wine pairing information.  [MORE INFO ]

Cheese Making
'Cheese Making'  - in this section we give you a general and very simplified synopsis of cheese making.  However, we will also give you information for some books and cheese making equipment if you would like to try your hand at it. You never know, you may become and world famous 'artisan cheese maker'!  [ MORE INFO ]

Cheese Milk Types Used in Cheese Making
There are five basic milk types:  Cow, Goat, Sheep, Buffalo and Mixed Milks.
There's more kinds of milk, but you basically wouldn't find them in the US.  Why Raw Cow's milk?  Please read this information, because the raw milk cheeses are infused with great flavor, for MORE INFO on Raw Milk Cheese.

Combination of Milks - a combination of two or more different milk types.
Cow's Milk [Vache] - the most used milk for making cheese, in both raw milk and pasteurized milk cheeses
Goat's Milk [Chevre] - probably the most popular type cheese at present, since people have discovered the vast uniqueness of this cheese.
Sheep's Milk [Ewe] - becoming quite popular, and can be found in raw milk and pasteurized milk cheeses
Buffalo Milk - this milk is used in some of the best types of mozarella.
Raw Milk - discover 'Raw Milk' cheese.  Whether you're a connoisseur or novice at cheese buying, you will find the most pronounced cheese flavors are those that are made with raw milk.

Cheese and Nutrition - basically is all about good eating habits, good foods for you, nutrition, and that includes cheese of course!   As the saying goes 'you are what you eat' and of course there are pluses and minuses for any food.  However cheese provides protein, essential daily vitamins, and calcium among the minerals cheese provides, and of course it provides energy.  For a table of 'Cheese Families' and your favorite kind of cheese visit the Cheese Nutrition Guide.

Cheese from the other French Speaking Countrie
Belgium - Directory to Belgian Cheeses
Canada [Québec] - Quebec cheeses from A to Z
Switzerland - Directory to Cheeses of Switzerland

Cheese with AOC Classification
AOC Standards of France [Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée]
AOC Red Label - for superior quality products
Association Nationale des Appellations d'Origine Laitières Françaises
Over a thousand French cheeses
AOC Standards of Switzerland information and Le Laitier Romand

Descriptions of Kinds of Cheese
Emmental from Switzerland
Gruyere from Switzerland
Oka from Canada

English to French Culinary Words and Phrases

For English to French culinary and cuisine terms view over 25 pages - click
here for French/English Culinary - Cuisine Terms.