The Cheese Lover's Glossary
A
Affinage — The process of aging and maturing cheese. An affineur is the person who tends cheese during its aging, controlling temperature, humidity, and timing.
Annatto — A natural plant-based dye (from the seeds of the achiote tree) used to colour cheeses like Red Leicester and Double Gloucester orange. Imparts no flavour.
Artisan — Small-scale, hands-on cheesemaking. Not legally defined in the UK, but generally implies craft production with attention to traditional methods.
B
Bloomy rind — The white, fuzzy rind found on Brie and Camembert-style cheeses, created by Penicillium candidum mould. Edible and flavourful.
Blue veining — The marbled blue-green streaks in blue cheese, created by Penicillium roqueforti mould growing along air channels pierced into the cheese.
Brine — A saltwater solution used to salt some cheeses. The cheese is submerged for hours or days, drawing out whey and seasoning the surface.
C
Casein — The main protein in milk. When rennet is added, casein molecules link together to form the curd — the solid foundation of all cheese.
Cheddaring — A uniquely British technique where curd is cut into blocks, stacked, and turned to expel whey and develop the dense, layered texture characteristic of Cheddar.
Cloth-bound — A traditional aging method where cheese is wrapped in muslin cloth and coated with lard or butter. This creates a breathable natural rind, developing deeper flavour than plastic-wrapped equivalents.
Coagulation — The process of milk solidifying into curd, triggered by rennet or acid.
Curd — The solid portion of milk that forms when it coagulates. All cheese is, fundamentally, processed curd.
D
DOP / PDO — Denominazione di Origine Protetta (Italian) / Protected Designation of Origin (English). A legal certification that a food is produced in a specific region using defined traditional methods.
E
Eyes — The holes in Swiss-style cheeses, created by carbon dioxide gas produced by bacteria during aging.
F
Farmhouse — Traditionally, cheese made on a farm using milk from the farm's own herd. The term is not legally protected in the UK.
Fresh cheese — Cheese that is eaten without aging. Examples include cream cheese, ricotta, and fresh goat's cheese.
H
Hard cheese — Cheese that has been pressed firmly and aged to reduce moisture. Includes Cheddar, Parmesan, Manchego. Generally the longest-keeping cheese category.
L
Lactic — A fresh, milky, yoghurty flavour note. Also refers to cheeses made primarily through lactic acid coagulation (rather than rennet).
M
Mould — Not always the enemy. Cheese relies on beneficial moulds for flavour and rind development. Penicillium candidum creates bloomy rinds; Penicillium roqueforti creates blue veining.
Mould-ripened — Cheese that matures from the outside in, thanks to surface moulds. Brie and Camembert-styles become creamier near the rind as the mould breaks down the paste.
P
Paste — The interior of a cheese (everything inside the rind). "Open paste" has holes; "closed paste" is smooth and dense.
Pasteurised — Milk that has been heat-treated to kill potentially harmful bacteria. Most commercial cheese uses pasteurised milk. Some argue that pasteurisation also eliminates beneficial bacteria that contribute to flavour complexity.
PGI — Protected Geographical Indication. Less strict than PDO — at least one production stage must occur in the named region.
Piercing — The process of puncturing blue cheese with needles to create air channels for mould growth.
R
Raw milk — Milk that has not been pasteurised. Raw milk cheese retains the full bacterial diversity of the milk, often producing more complex flavours.
Rennet — An enzyme (primarily chymosin) that causes milk to coagulate. Traditional rennet comes from calf stomach; vegetarian alternatives use microbial or fungal sources.
Rind — The outer surface of a cheese. Can be natural (formed during aging), bloomy (white mould), washed (bathed in brine or alcohol), waxed, or cloth-bound.
S
Semi-hard — Cheese between soft and hard — pressed but with higher moisture than hard cheese. Examples: Caerphilly, Manchego, Gouda.
Soft cheese — High-moisture cheese that yields easily when pressed. Includes fresh cheeses and mould-ripened types like Brie.
Starter culture — Bacteria added to milk at the beginning of cheesemaking to begin acidification. Different starters produce different flavour profiles.
T
Terroir — The French concept that a food's character reflects its place of origin — the soil, climate, grass, water, and even the air. Strongly applicable to cheese.
Tyrosine — An amino acid that forms crunchy white crystals in aged hard cheese. A sign of quality and long maturation.
W
Washed rind — Cheese whose surface is regularly bathed in brine, beer, wine, or spirits during aging. This encourages specific bacteria (Brevibacterium linens) that create orange-pink, aromatic rinds. Often very pungent on the outside, mild within. Examples: Stinking Bishop.
Whey — The liquid that separates from curds during cheesemaking. Once considered waste, whey is now used in protein supplements, animal feed, and occasionally to make whey cheeses (like ricotta).
This glossary is a living document. We add entries as our readers ask questions.