Cheese can be intimidating. Not long ago I was standing in the cheese aisle of my grocery store and couldn't tell a cheddar from a chèvre. This guide is everything I wish someone had told me then: how cheese is made, the seven main types, and how to buy it, store it, serve it, eat it and cook with it. Each section links to a longer article if you want to go deeper.
1
How cheese is made
Almost every cheese starts the same way. Milk (usually cow, goat, sheep or water buffalo) is warmed and soured with bacterial cultures.
2
The 7 types of cheese
There are hundreds of cheeses, but nearly all of them fit into one of seven groups, sorted by texture and how they're ripened.
3
How to buy cheese
Go to a cheese counter if you can, buy what you'll eat soon, and read the label.
4
How to store cheese
Cheese keeps changing after you buy it, so it needs to breathe without drying out.
5
How to serve and eat cheese
Serve it at room temperature, mix three to five different cheeses, and plan about an ounce of each per guest.
6
Cooking with cheese
Why melted cheese turns greasy, whether to use pre-shredded, and how to make fondue and baked Brie.
7
Cheese and your diet
If you're lactose intolerant, you may not have to give up cheese.