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Fifty Best Cheese
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San Joaquin Gold
Modesto, CA, USA
Produced by Fiscalini Farmstead
This is the great American Grana. The cheese is salty and rich, with all the flavors of a good Parmigianino, played off a well-aged cheddar. The salty paste tastes almost like walnuts fried in butter.
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La Serena
Extramadura, Spain
Spanish DO, EU PDO
The unctuous sheep cheeses made in the rough wilds of the Spanish/Portuguese border have a peculiar quality. The addition of Cardoon thistle, the only naturally occurring vegetable rennet, creates a sensationally strong flavor, and super runny texture. The cheese has a strong acrid smell, and a slightly vinegary taste. This one often has a citric bitterness, like lime rinds.
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Stanser Schafkäse
Bern, Switzerland
Aged by Beeler
Another not to be missed sheep cheese, this Stanser owes its awesomely rich, nutty sheep taste to the caves of Maître fromager Affineur Rolf Beeler. Rolf is a master of the washed rind style, rare for this type of cheese. It's nice to see the usually mellow ewe's milk balanced by a decidedly decayed undertone.
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Saint-Marcellin
Dauphin, France
This is back woods Brie! A very simply made, acid curd cheese. Tart and fluffy when young, but will ripen into a very runny, earthy, zippy cheese. It's a perfect lunch with some pilsner, crusty bread and a cacciatorini.
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Grayson
Galax, Va, USA
Produced by Meadow Creek Dairy
The farmers at Meadow Creek have produced a truly astonishing cheese. They aimed for a Taleggio-style, but hit perhaps closer to a Trappist style. The cheese is big and beefy, with the strong aromatics of a washed rind, but still soft enough for anyone to enjoy. The color is a bold bright yellow, an indicator of the very high quality raw milk they coax from their Jersey cows. This will please the cheese initiate, and open the eyes of the novice.
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Pecorino Di Pienza
Tuscany, Italy
Of all the Pecorinos in Italy, those of Pienza are perhaps the greatest. Wonderful when eaten young, they age in a mature balanced way, and never fall to the extremes as other aged pecorinos do. They are studies in subtle power, elegant, nutty, slightly salty, and perfect with some Chianti.
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Fium'Orbu
Corsica
This rare, washed sheep from Corsica is a real treat. The power of sheep's milk coupled with a strong washed rind means a rich, fatty paste that's also super stank. It's like eating rancid bacon fat and mayo, and loving it.
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Piave
Veneto, Italy
We all know how wonderful Parmigianino is, but sometimes it can be a little overwhelming. Enter Piave. This is a grana you can eat all day long. The sharp, fruity kick is balanced by a sweet cooked cream taste, and a faint hint of the mountain pastures the animals graze in. Ideal for grating or eating.
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Sally Jackson Sheep/Goat
Oroville, WA, USA
Produced by Sally Jackson Farm
Sally Jackson makes one type of cheese, a simple pressed cheese wrapped in leaves. Whether she uses goat, cow, or sheep's milk, her cheese showcases the power of excellent quality raw milk. They are fragrant and earthy, and taste distinctly of the various microflora present in the milk. Seek out their yeasty tang whenever you can.
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Charolais
Burgundy, France
Usually you want French goat's milk from the Loire, but Burgundy makes some great goat too. Be sure to find this guy. He's still fluffy and tart like a Loire chevre, but the flavor is a little more dirt, a little less stone. Some of the best Charolais have a touch of cow's milk added. When these cheeses are aged, they pick up a great lemony quality that sits nicely with Pinot Noir.
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Add a comment or suggestion to this list.
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Sat. December 31, 2011 7:24 AM - by: Tim Proctor
You are definitely missing one cheese here. It is Ossau/Iraty AOC brebis. This is a ewes milk cheese from the Pyrenees Atlantique (that's the furthest department in SW France adjoining Spain. One producer Fromagerie Agour of Helette a village in that department produces a 12 month matured Ossau/Iraty brebis that has won the World Cheese Awards title of Supreme Champion in both 2006 and 2011 with gold medals for it's class in the intervening years. Truly one of the worlds best cheeses.
Fri. November 18, 2011 2:43 PM - by: Wallace
What's wrong with Wendsleydale?
Thu. October 27, 2011 12:22 PM - by: Drew Crowley
Great selection of cheeses. Afterall taste is quite an individual phenomenon. I want to at least plug in a good swiss cheese from the Monastery in Engelberg, Switzerland. Ernst Odermatt has made cheese for over 50 years now and if I must choose one of his current 16 base cheeses, I will go with the Truffel Symphonie.
Tue. August 23, 2011 11:24 PM - by: Sarah and cheesr
What about Edam????
Sat. July 23, 2011 9:14 PM - by: Joe
Where's Gouda!?
Thu. June 30, 2011 3:10 PM - by: Brandon
I'd recommend Dofino's cheeses.
Tue. June 21, 2011 6:45 PM - by: Skip
How can they have a list without including Havarti?
Sat. June 18, 2011 12:31 AM - by: Eric
I was a little perplexed that Mimolette cheese didn't make the list.
Wed. April 27, 2011 12:49 PM - by: Brandino!
I would say havarti is my favorite. Other notable mentions: Castello - http://castellocheeseusa.com Dofino - http://www.dofinousa.com Saga Blue Cheese - http://saga-blue.com
Thu. April 14, 2011 5:01 PM - by: Maria
Serra da Estrela --- Creamy sheeps milk---Portugal
Mon. April 11, 2011 11:02 AM - by: carl beluga
You need to add "västerbotten" cheese on your list...one of the best kept secrets in the world of cheese,,,,from northern sweden...similiar to parmesan but a soft cheese...give it a go!
Thu. March 24, 2011 1:53 PM - by: José Nogueira
add to your list the portuguese "Serra da Estrela", surely one of the best sheep milk cheeses in the world.
Sun. March 20, 2011 3:14 AM - by: Remo Prete
Hi from Italy, I love cheeses been all over Europe but then visit the Netherlands and omg Old Amsterdam and Gouda chees are the best I ever tasted so delicious!
Fri. March 18, 2011 4:02 AM - by: Barcode Generate
I never seen this much variety of cheese. Thanks for providing me such type of knowledge. Very interesting. Title : Bar code Maker URL : http://barcodelabelsoftware.net
Mon. February 28, 2011 4:31 PM - by: bob
cheese rocks man yeah
Sat. February 5, 2011 4:47 PM - by: Pita
oh dear...relax y'all, it's just cheese for god's sake!
Tue. February 1, 2011 4:12 AM - by: Tom
I can not stop recommending Jarlberg from Norway and Reypenaer XO Reserve from Nederlands
Wed. January 26, 2011 11:57 PM - by: Manos
National pride even when it comes to cheeses(and im talking about the comments,many of them at least). "Where are the cheeses of my country(or the country i have roots in)? You ... Americans..." PATHETIC.
Sat. January 8, 2011 7:08 AM - by: Martin
I can not stop recommending some more Spanish kings: Torta del casar (really unique!!!) Valdeon Queso de Burgos (The Spanish Ricotta) Tetilla
Tue. December 21, 2010 2:54 PM - by: Jean Lafitte
I know that it's impossible to make a list like this but if you have room for Oregon Blue Vein and American Farmhouse Cheddar I think it's quite a big problem that Comté and Danablu didn't make the list...
Sat. December 18, 2010 9:19 PM - by: Bek
I cant believe some of the USA cheeses are called as such, every knows europeans make the best cheese. Why is there no German/Austrian Cheeses?
Tue. December 14, 2010 8:25 PM - by: Mike
Well, most of the so called American Cheeses you speak of are in fact NOT American cheeses. They are by immigrants who BROUGHT the recipes with them from all over the world. You have to understand America is the Nation with no Nationality. In other-words, the Swiss style cheeses are from Swiss families, the French style, from French families. Being bias about them based on location shows jealousy.
Fri. December 3, 2010 8:39 PM - by: Kristina
The country that makes Cheese Whiz and American Cheese tops the list with 14? Allow me a selection from only France or Switzerland til the day I die and I'll be happy.
Fri. December 3, 2010 5:49 PM - by: Robert
A very good list of cheese for a start. Might I suggest Parrano from the Netherlands.
Sat. November 20, 2010 5:07 AM - by: ymn
I've never even heard most of those american cheese listed above. One of them call ricotta something, I mean is more like italian cheese dupe. That american cheese list is mostly a waste of space on 50 best cheese.
Tue. November 16, 2010 9:06 AM - by: Jake
Yes, 14 American cheeses do deserve to be here--- if not more. European cheeses are only good when used as a laxative.
Fri. November 12, 2010 1:16 AM - by: Andre
I find it kind of strange that there is no Canadian cheese listed here. When in 2009 a Canadian Brie won the worlds best. Thou the cheese listed here are very good. They are a an American view only.
Thu. October 14, 2010 6:02 AM - by: Michael de Leur
Some very good suggestions, but clearly this list is made by a US jury , why? I mean 14 cheeses of the US amongst the 50 best? Come on get real!! Sure they have very very good cheeses but i think it needed more worldwide cheeses like from Denmark, holland (not only gouda cheese they got much more) Belgium and yes New Zealand, wide your horizon please!
Mon. October 11, 2010 1:01 AM - by: Robert
What about Danish and New Zealand cheese - the world's two great dairy countries!
Thu. September 30, 2010 10:44 PM - by: Andre
Cabrales!!!! My favorite blue! Just dirty! Robiola... had to force myself to stop eating half a pound for breakfast! Clean, creamy, nutty... Ossau Iraty Brebis... semi-hard with floral, grassy notes... delicious pecan finish.
Sun. September 19, 2010 5:40 PM - by: cheese lea
i love cheese i am crazy for cheese
Sat. August 14, 2010 11:21 PM - by: shan
who is the biggest rival of nolan cheddar cheese in the US?
Sat. June 26, 2010 8:09 PM - by: mwatkins
I had my first taste of Piave cheese on the recommendation of the owner of Romma Market in Pasadena N. Lake Ave. I was blown away.....I went back the next day and purchased 4 pounds. My wife and I are planning a trip to Italy just for the purpose of exploring cheese and wine. If you're ever in the Pasadena area, please visit this wonderful delightful market.
Fri. June 25, 2010 5:44 AM - by: Halaric
Comte AOC, is fantastic.
Sun. June 6, 2010 9:16 AM - by: Thomas
My all-time favorite cheese is Valio Mustaleima (Valio Blacklabel).. it's a very mature emmental. Very smelly and it "cries" a lot, the taste is mouth-watering. I've also heard that Finland has EU's healthiest milk, yum! http://jaakaappi.fi/static/images/tuotekuvat/6408430031276-i.jpg
Sat. May 29, 2010 8:02 PM - by: kelly U.S.A
Smoked Gouda is so far my best tasting cheese
Fri. March 26, 2010 6:24 PM - by: Connor Ireland
Red hawk should be on this list.
Sat. February 6, 2010 8:48 PM - by: aslam
Thanks
Tue. December 22, 2009 3:53 PM - by: Ken Carpenter
You must list La Sauvagine, a fantastic washed rind cow's milk cheese from Quebec. It might be my favourite cheese of all.
Thu. September 10, 2009 12:00 PM - by: elodie
What about Reblochon from France?? One of the best i LOVE it !
Thu. June 18, 2009 12:00 PM - by: Jeffrey Vandenberghe
Did you know that monks in Belgium not only made fantastic beers but excellent cheeses. This country has over 250 different cheeses. Worth looking into I suggest. Jeffrey