Appearance: Light yellow or orange; usually cut into square slices.
Taste: Mild and delicate.
Texture: Semi-soft and smooth. Melts well.
Pairings: Apples, red grapes, crackers and pretzels; light white wine, beer, tomato juice, and lemonade.

Appearance: Yellow or ivory interior with a thin, edible crust.
Taste: Creamy, rich and buttery.
Texture: Soft, creamy interior with smooth rind. Softens at room temperature and melts when heated.
Pairings: Green apples, strawberries, pears, melons, grapes, sun-dried tomatoes, toasted walnuts, crackers, croissants and crusty breads; sparkling wines, Chardonnay, medium-bodied Pinot Noir and apple cider.
A Soft/Semi-soft Cheese Flight May Include: Creamy Camembert, tangy Provolone, buttery Havarti and rich, earthy Brie

Appearance: White or orange color.
Taste: Mild to sharp, tangy and robust.
Texture: Semi-hard to hard. Mild Cheddars melt best when shredded and placed under direct heat whereas sharp Cheddars melt best when shredded and incorporated in a sauce.
Pairings: Red or green apples, grapes, cherries, pears, mushrooms, tomatoes, cashews and dark breads; Gewürztraminer, Riesling, medium-bodied Merlot, Syrah, Port, beer and apple cider.
A Cheddar Cheese Flight May Include: Rich aged Cheddar, tangy white Cheddar and a variety of smooth, smoked Cheddars

Appearance: Marbled with light yellow and orange colors, a combination of Monterey Jack and Colby cheeses.
Taste: Mild to mellow, lightly sweet to sharp and tangy.
Texture: Semi-soft to hard depending on age. Melts best when grated.
Pairings: Apples, pears, mushrooms, tomatoes, pumpernickel and rye breads; red wines, Port, beer and apple cider.

Appearance: Dark brown rind; the result of a coating of cocoa, black pepper, and vegetable oil with a dry, golden interior.
Taste: Slightly peppery, rustic and sharp.
Texture: Semi-hard, but crumbly.
Pairings: Fennel, dates, walnuts and salami; red wines.

Appearance: Form of cottage cheese from which most of the liquid has been pressed. Very dry farmer cheese is available in solid loaves.
Taste: Mild, slightly tangy flavor.
Texture: Soft and easily sliced or crumbled, depending on age.
Pairings: Peaches and tomatoes; white wines.

Appearance: Dark, golden-brown rind (sometimes oiled) with a pale-yellow interior (dotted with tiny holes). Usually available in rounds or wedges.
Taste: Mildly fruity, nutty and earthy.
Texture: Semi-hard to hard depending on age, firm and supple. Melts easily and smoothly.
Pairings: Apples, ham, salami and dark breads; white wines and juices.
A Hard Cheese Flight May Include: Rustic Parmesan, robust Romano, tangy Asiago, earthy Fontina and nutty Gruyère

Appearance: With a golden interior, Baby Gouda is usually coated in red wax and more mature Gouda has a yellow wax coating. Black wax or brown rind suggests it has been smoked and aged for more than a year.
Taste: Mellow, rich caramel.
Texture: Semi-hard to hard depending on age, smooth. Melts best when shredded.
Pairings: Baby Gouda: Peaches, melons, apricots and cherries; fruity Zinfandel or Riesling, lager beer, orange juice, apple juice, flavored tea and citrus sparkling water.
Aged Gouda: Red apples, pears, toasted almonds and dark breads; Merlot, beer, cider, sparkling red grape juice and coffee.
Smoked or flavored Gouda: Apples, pears, thinly sliced prosciutto; red wine, beer, sparkling cider, tomato or vegetable juice and cran-grape juice.

Appearance: Light to pale yellow with tiny eyes in its body.
Taste: Buttery, mild yet tangy.
Texture: Semi-soft and smooth. Melts best when shredded.
Pairings: Pears, red grapes, roasted red peppers, olives, almonds, rye bread and bread sticks; lesser-oaked Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, light-bodied Pinot Noir and sparkling water.
A Soft/Semi-soft Cheese Flight May Include: Creamy Camembert, tangy Provolone, buttery Havarti and rich, earthy Brie

Appearance: Creamy ivory body is covered in a brownish exterior.
Taste: Very strong, robust and highly aromatic.
Texture: Semi-soft and smooth. Melts best when sliced.
Pairings: Onions, hard sausages, pretzels, pumpernickel and other whole-grain, dark breads and crackers; full-bodied red wine, beer, cranberry juice, cran-grape juice and tomato or vegetable juice.

Appearance: Buttery-ivory color with tiny cracks in the body.
Taste: Mild and slightly zesty. Becomes nutty with age.
Texture: Semi-soft to hard depending on age, creamy. Melts best when shredded or sliced.
Pairings: Plums, peaches, jalapeños, toasted pecans; Sauvignon Blanc, medium-bodied Merlot, fruity Zinfandel, beer, lemon-lime sparkling beverage and cider.

Appearance: Yellow, orange or white exterior with a creamy white interior.
Taste: Mild to mellow and buttery.
Texture: Semi-soft, smooth and elastic. Melts best when shredded.
Pairings: Tomatoes, baby carrots, zucchini, rye and whole-grain breads, crackers and mustard; fruity wine like a white zinfandel, beer, juice and soda.

Appearance: Pale-golden rind with a straw-colored interior.
Taste: Sharp, yet savory flavor that intensifies with age.
Texture: Hard and granular.
Pairings: Pears, red grapes, raisins, figs, walnuts and hearty breads; Gewürztraminer, Riesling and Sauvignon Blanc.
A Hard Cheese Flight May include: Rustic Parmesan, robust Romano, tangy Asiago, earthy Fontina and nutty Gruyère

Appearance: Light to cream color body, speckled with flecks of jalapeño peppers.
Taste: Mild and zesty with spicy pepper.
Texture: Semi-hard to hard.
Pairings: Grapes, melon, pickled vegetables, olives and jalapeños; fruity wine, beer and lemon-lime sparkling beverage.

Appearance: Light yellow to golden brown cheese and usually packaged in round, pear and tube-shaped packages bound with a cord or rope.
Taste: Slightly tart and salty.
Texture: Semi-soft when young; hard when aged. The firm, stringy texture makes it easy to cut without crumbling. Melts best when shredded.
Pairings: Red grapes, pears, figs, tomatoes, roasted red peppers, olives and hearty breads; Merlot, Chianti, light-bodied Pinot Noir, Syrah and sparkling water.
A Soft/Semi-soft Cheese Flight May Include: Creamy Camembert, tangy Provolone, buttery Havarti and rich, earthy Brie.

Appearance: White and moist; resembles cottage cheese with a very fine curd.
Taste: Mild but semisweet.
Texture: Soft, spoonable and granular.
Pairings: Sweet berries, croissants, muffins, mild rye bread and water biscuits, pasta; mimosa and juice.

Appearance: Creamy, white color and usually sold smoked or plain in little round balls.
Taste: Mild, nutty and slightly salty.
Texture: Semi-soft to firm. Similar to mozzarella, but a bit drier and chewier.
Pairings: Mushrooms, salami, Italian sausage, ham and rustic crusty bread; red wines, soda and juice.

Recipes:
Great for melting in sandwiches.

Appearance: Squarish in shape with a pale yellow interior and a snowy white, edible rind. Aging causes its natural rind, dusted with rice flour, to turn rust color.
Taste: Tangy and nutty; mild when young, becomes stronger with age.
Texture: Soft and creamy, spoonable. Becomes runnier with age.
Pairings: Honeydew melon or cantaloupe, carrots, tomatoes, garlicky salami and cured or smoked ham; red wines and apple cider.