Cheese is one of the great joys in life. From the simple slices that go on a grilled cheese sandwich to the acquired taste necessary to appreciate the funkiest of goat cheeses, there’s a cheese out there for everyone. This list includes all the cheese classics, as well as a couple that you may have never encountered.
This is the go-to cheese manual for cheese lovers everywhere. It’s written by a group of cheese experts, and each one gives a discussion about the cheeses in their home region. It’s a comprehensive guide to cheeses from all over the world, with profiles of flavor, shape, and ideal food pairings.
$18.00
They don’t call them cheeseheads for nothing. Wisconsin has long been known for its superior dairy products, chief among these being their signature cheeses. This pack of two, one pound cheese wheels includes a selection of Colby, Monterey Jack, Mild Cheddar, and Co-Jack.
$18.95
Brie cheese is known worldwide as “Le Roi des Fromage” or “The King of Cheeses”. Legend has it that it was invented during the reign of Charlemagne. It’s known for its sweet, buttery, creamy interior and its milky white rind. It goes best with Champagne or a light red wine.
Prices Vary
This is a four pound wheel of the cheese that’s often called “the heavenly cheese” because of its pure, milky white look. It’s got a dense, silky center and a uniquely nutty flavor with a distinctive salty tang. Saint Andre is produced in the Normandy region of northwestern France.
$89.90
Camembert is another of the famous cheese from Normandy. Camembert is closely related to Brie because of its texture and white rind. It comes in smaller wheels than Brie and has a more robust flavor, but retains the same buttery texture, with a subtle hint of almond.
Prices Vary
Roquefort cheese is the origin of what many people today call “blue” cheese. It has a sharp, tangy flavor and odor—an acquired taste, to be certain. It’s slightly moist, very crumbly, and laced with tell-tale veins of blue mold. This is a three pound wheel.
$87.08
Fourme D’Ambert is a specialist’s cheese. It’s mainly used for melting, which makes it perfect for the fondues and soufflés of the Auvergne region of France. It’s aged for two months in damp, dark caves, then hints of fruit are added. It’s a perfect match for a medium-bodied Bordeaux.
$70.20
This crisp, tasty cheese is the French version of English cheddar. It has a mild sharpness, with sweet and buttery overtones. This twenty pound block of this rare cheese comes with specks of blue mold. Scrape them off before you enjoy this wonderful Cantal variation.
$294.98
Muenster cheese is not for the faint of heart. It has a strong, pungent odor and powerful flavor to match. This variation comes from the Alsace region of France, close to the border with Germany. It’s a two-pound wheel with a hard, yellow rind and creamy white center.
Prices Vary
Gorgonzola is the most famous and copied “blue” cheese in the world. It comes from Italy Most famous cheese producing region, Lombardy. Dolce Gorgonzola is sweeter than its cousin, Gorgonzola Mountain. This cheese is tangy, creamy, and perfect for spreading on bread or crumbled up in salads.
$11.99
Great Goat Cheeses of the World
People who like goat cheese really like goat cheese, and people that don’t like it really don’t like it at all. This gift collection is for people who love goat cheese. It comes with a selection of four cheeses from four countries: Ibores from Spain, Buche de Chevre from France, Dorothea from Holland, and Goat Cheddar from the USA.
$38.99
Feta cheese is similar to goat cheese in that if you like it, you probably love it, and if you don’t, it sends you running. This sampler includes three cheeses from countries famous for feta. There’s Valbreso from France, Tangre from Bulgaria, and a traditional barrel-aged selection from Greece.
Prices Vary
Ireland is not a country the average cheese lover associates with cheese. But we’re here to set you straight on the matter. The Irish do cheese, and they do it well. This assortment includes a tangy Tipperary Farmhouse Blue, a dark and mysterious Cahill Porter Ale, a Dubliner, and a sweet, grassy, Shamrock Cheddar.
$37.99
What most of us know and love as simply parmesan—or the cheese we tend to put on pasta—is really a special creation called Grana Padano. It’s traditionally a very hard cheese that sweet and fruity, with hidden pineapple undertones. This selection comes in a thick, five pound wedge.
Prices Vary
This soft and creamy mozzarella is made fresh in the USA with pure whole milk. It’s creamier and tastier than mass produced brands. It’s the perfect cheese for pizzas, baked pasta dishes, and veal or chicken scallopini. You can choose between whole milk and skim milk, depending on your taste and the recipe you have in mind.
$5.99
Cheddar is the most popular style of cheese in the USA. Americans use it on everything from cheeseburgers to baked potatoes to grilled chilled cheese sandwiches and our national dish, Macaroni and Cheese. We even use it on most of our Tex-Mex dishes. Extra sharp means it’s been aged and has a strong, rich flavor.
$25.99
Artisan American Cheese Sampler
When people think of gourmet cheese, they think of Europe. We’ve got news: the USA is upping their cheese game. This sampler of American artisanal cheeses is a must have for foodies. It’s got six delicious selections from the best cheesemakers in the country. Look out, Europe—here we come!
Prices Vary
Here’s another one for the die-hard foodie. It’s a hand-made, small batch delicacy made by the gourmet geniuses at Gustus Vitae: powdered blue cheese mixed with California Sea Salt. Put it on potatoes, salads, steamed vegetables, or pasta. With its distinctive, tangy flavor, you can’t go wrong.
$8.83
Dairy farms abound in the lush green valleys found nestled in the Austrian mountains. Where there are green valleys, there are dairy farms. And where there are dairy farms, there’s cheese. Krauterschatz means “herbal treasure”, and that’s exactly what you get with this special, semi-soft cheese—a treasure.
$10.49
Despite the fact that the country to the south, across the channel, gets all the cheese love, the truth is that England produces over five hundred types of cheese. This sampler includes four of the best. There’s half a pound each of Collier’s Cheddar, Royal Blue Stilton, Sage Derby, and Cotswold.
$33.99
The Spanish make cheese in all varieties, from hard to creamy, from tangy to mild. This assortment gives you the best hard cheeses Spain has to offer. It includes Manchego, Mahon Reserva, Idiazabal, and Murcia al Vino. Each cheese comes individually wrapped in an eight ounce package.
$30.00
For cheese lovers curious about what it takes to make cheese at home, this book is the perfect way to get started. It walks you through the entire process from start to finish, and offers suggestions based on time-honored theories and practices. Hint: your first batch will take four to six weeks.
$23.99
This is the cheese grater you need. No more scraping blocks of cheese across old box-style graters, afraid you’re going to cut your knuckles or fingertips. No more wasting the last piece of cheese because it’s too small to grate. Just plop a block in, turn the handle, and out comes your perfectly grated cheese.
$16.98
We can’t resist putting this gift on our wonderful cheese gift list. What could be more American than Macaroni and Cheese? And what could be cheesier than a pair of socks with yellow Mac n Cheese elbows printed on a light blue field, with a bright red heel and trim? Nothing, we say. Nothing at all.
$9.28
Snoopy and Woodstock Grilled Cheese Maker
Well, that’s what we get for hyperbole: we found something a little more American and maybe just a tad bit cheesier than Mac n Cheese socks. It’s a Snoopy and Woodstock grilled cheese maker! Put in your bread and cheese, and this sandwich press toasts images of the Peanuts characters on the bread.
$19.35
Cheese for White Wine Pairing Box
You know that certain types of cheeses are supposed to go with certain wines, but that’s where your knowledge ends. Fill in those holes with this sampler box. It includes three cheeses that pair well with white wine: Alpine Cheddar, American Grana, and Red Wax Gouda. Now you know.
$32.00
This cheese slicer will let you cut your cheese just how you want it: uniform and even, every time. It’s adjustable, made of heavy duty zinc alloy, and comes with a spare stainless steel cutting wire. The four and a half inch handle fits comfortably in your hand and the smooth roller makes slicing easier than ever.
$10.99
Some like it hot. This cheese is for adventurous cheese lovers looking to spice up their cheese world. It’s a four pound ball of Edam cheese infused with chili peppers. Don’t say we didn’t warn you. We recommend trying this with your favorite Dutch beer close at hand, just in case it’s too much.
Prices Vary
Cheddar cheese makes everything better. Spread this powder over popcorn, baked potatoes, pretzels, pasta dishes or salads, and you won’t regret it. This cheddar powder is made by the cheese experts at Hoosier Hill Farm, so you know it’s a cut above your regular grocery store cheddar powder.
$11.27
Scandinavian Cheese Assortment
The thing that makes Scandinavian cheeses special is purity. Their dairy farms are far from the contaminants that make their way into most farms in the industrialized world. This sampler includes four cheese from the rarified northern air: Gjeost from Norway, Finland Swiss, Vadenost from Sweden, and Danish Blue.
$44.98
This marble board kills two birds with one stone. It’s the best way to slice your cheese, and it can be used as a stylish serving platter at the same time. The marble keeps the cheese cool while the durable stainless steel wire cuts easily through both hard and soft cheeses.
$15.37
Cheesecloth is the hidden cooking tool that all real cooks and foodies know about. Cheesecloth is used every day around the world to make cheese, of course, but the everyday kitchen uses are virtually endless. You can baste turkey or chicken, strain broth, use it to make homemade jam or vinegar—the list goes on and on.
$10.99
You don’t know you need this special cheese knife, but you do. We’ve all been there. We cut the cheese, and have a devil of a time getting it off the knife. Not with this knife. It’s designed to the cheese falls right off where it’s supposed to be—which means anywhere but sticking to the knife blade.
$14.95
Picnic Board and Cheese Tool Set
This curved, zebra striped bamboo cutting board is the ideal cheese accessory. It’s got a drawer that slides out to reveal a dual prong cheese fork, and chisel knife for crumbly cheese, and a pointed knife for hard cheese. It’s also got four porcelain markers and a dry-erase pen, so your guest will know what they’re eating.
$25.49
Fondue is a fun party food that’s incredibly easy to prepare if you have the right fondue set. This one is made for entertaining. It’s bright red, made of porcelain enamel cast iron, and comes with six long dipping forks. We’ll let you in on a secret: you can also put chocolate in it.
$79.95
For those of you who wonder how to melt cheese on a burger, the answer is simple. You use a cheese melting dome. It catches the heat coming off the grill or pan, and melts the cheese so your burger comes out just like in a restaurant.
$10.03
Cheese Display with Marble Base
Go ahead, admit it. You have cheese pride. You know your cheeses, and you want to show the world—or your dinner guests, at least—the delicious cheeses you have hanging around in your kitchen. This is the perfect display: it’s a seven and a half inch marble slab with a thick glass dome.
$23.98
The Complete Cheese Making Set
Go all the way and don’t hold back. Get this home cheese making kit and you’ll be all set with everything you need to make just about every cheese under the sun. This kit comes with and instruction manual, your first portions of rennet and cultures—everything but the milk.
$169.99
Feta, Greek Yogurt, Yogurt Making Kit
Maybe you don’t want to go all the way yet. You just want to keep it simple and try out a couple of different recipes before you jump in over your head. This kit will get you started with feta cheese and Greek yogurt.
$29.00
Mozarella and Ricotta Making Kit
If Italian cheeses are your favorite, then this is the right beginner’s cheese making kit for you. It has all the ingredients you’ll need to make fresh, homemade mozzarella and ricotta cheese. The next step is to put it on your pizza and in your world famous homemade lasagna.
$19.19
This wonderful kit comes with everything you need to make four classic hard cheeses: Parmesan, Cheddar, Colby, and Gouda. It comes with a set of easy to follow instructions. We did warn you about cheesemaking, didn’t we? Seriously. Clear the calendar. It’s on.
$82.00
Some like it mild, some like it funky. If you’re a fan of goat cheese, you definitely like it funky. This kit makes a pound and a half of the funky stuff. You can choose which texture you like: creamy or crumbly. And the directions give you the option of adding the fruits or herbs of your choice. It’s a personalized cheese party.
$34.00
Queso Blanco is the best kept secret in cooking cheeses. It’s versatile: you can use it in baked entrees, pies, or as an accent for salad. This kit includes a recipe book, a piece of muslin, cheese molds, citric acid for fermentation, and cheese salt. There’s enough of everything to make at least fifteen batches of cheese.
$21.45
2 DIY Cheese Gifts
Perhaps you’re a fan of bagels. Or maybe you like to make cream cheese brownies. This seven step tutorial is ridiculously simple and yields delicious, fresh cream cheese. You’ll wonder why you haven’t been making your own cream cheese all along.
Paneer: Homemade Indian Cheese
Warning: once you enter the wonderful world of cheesemaking, you may never come back. Tell your family and your friends. Sell the condo. Sell the car. This easy recipe takes only forty-five minutes, and makes twelve ounces of yummy Indian Paneer. Presto! You’re a foodie.
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