Which Is The Best Hard Cheese? The Ultimate Guide!
Cheese is one of the favorite dairy products of people that come in a variety of forms. This yummy, multi-flavored dairy product is manufactured in different parts of the world, and each of them contains a particular specialty based on the region where it is produced.
Top 6 Hard Cheeses You Need To Try Today
Do you know what makes cheese unique from other dairy products? You can pair your favorite cheese with different foods, even wine.
When classifying different types of cheeses, you can divide them based on their texture, hard cheese, and soft cheese. When compared to soft cheese, hard cheese has a more customer base. Do you know why?
It has more shelf-life than soft cheese and can be used in a variety of cuisines. When you travel to countries like France, Italy, and America, you will find the majority of cuisines are made with the best hard cheese in the world.
If you are a cheese lover who wants to find some of the best hard cheese, then don’t skip the article.
The article will give what you need the most. Read on to learn about the best hard cheese and what makes the cheese outstanding from the rest.
- Parmesan Cheese
Parmesan cheese, also known as Parmigiano Reggiano is one of the most popular cheeses in Italy. It is widely recognized for its grainy, dense, and crystalline texture with a tangy, nutty flavor. Parmesan has a brownish-gold oily rind in the maturing process but, gradually changes color as it ages.
Parmesan cheese is traditionally made from unpasteurized cow’s milk. It has a hard, gritty texture with a fruit flavor. Parmesan can be used as an alternative to many hard cheeses, such as cheddar and aged gouda. If you consider parmesan cheese, you can pair it with soups, risotto, zesty pear, champagne, sparkling wine, and many more.
- Pecorino Romano PDO
Pecorino Romano PDO is a cheese made from whole sheep milk and highly nutritious romano cheese. The cheese is rich in complex flavor and slightly spicy, so if you want to get the desired taste, the cheese must mature for 5 to 8 months. There are two different varieties of pecorino available in the market.
The young form of pecorino called fresco has a softer texture with a creamy flavor. The aged Pecorino cheese is called Stagionato. Pecorino becomes harder and crumbly in texture over the maturing process. Pecorino Romano doesn’t contain lactose, and it has a delicious taste when paired with raw vegetables.
- Gouda Cheese
Gouda cheese is one of the tasty hard cheeses in the world that is produced in the regions of the Netherlands. The younger Gouda cheese has a mild, soft, and sweet taste. As it matures, you can find crunchy, white crystals throughout the cheese. It is made from both pasteurized and unpasteurized cow’s milk.
The cheese becomes semi-hard to hard texture over the maturing process. Gouda has excellent melting qualities, so you can add cheese to a variety of dishes, such as sandwiches, soups, and pasta dishes.
4. Provolone
Provolone is a plastic curd cheese that is made from cow’s milk. The production of provolone cheese started in Vento and Lombardy, in the Po valley region of southern Italy. Provolone has two varieties called Provolone Piccante and Provolone Doice. The cheese is noted for its sweet, buttery, sharp, mild, and spicy flavor. The mouth-watering flavors of provolone are used for plenty of dishes, including baked pasta dishes, fruits, sausages, etc. However, Provolone is an excellent option for sandwiches and is often served as a table cheese.
5. Cheddar Cheese
Cheddar cheese is a hard cheese notable for its sharp taste. It is the most commonly consumed cheese that originated from the English village of Cheddar in somerset. The cheese is made from cow’s milk and it appears with a slightly crumbled texture. When it is young, it appears in a smooth texture.
Usually, cheddar cheese takes 9 to 24 months for maturing. The color ranges from white to pale based on the time it is taken for maturing. Cheddar has a central rind, and the colors vary from yellow to orange depending on the time it is taken for the maturing process. It is better to take aged cheddar in your cuisines. Cheddar pairs well with wine, beer, fruits, crackers, and french bread.
6. Pepato Cheese
Pepato originated in Italy, but now, it is manufactured all over the world. It is a semi-hard cheese made of raw sheep’s milk. The full name of the cheese is Pecorino Pepato which means pepper.
It maintains a nutty, spicy, floral, and grassy flavor. To give a sharp and spicy flavor to the cheese, peppercorns are added in the making process of Pepato cheese. It is one of the finest table cheeses that is used for a variety of dishes such as pasta, salads, or soups.
