It is not often that cheese is associated with William Shakespeare. Nevertheless, in his play, King Lear, we hear the King say, “Peace, peace, this piece of toasted cheese will do it”. Perhaps Shakespeare had the right idea. Whether toasted or not, a piece of cheese can be extremely satisfying.

There are thousands of different cheeses. However, let’s take a look at some of the cheese types that can be purchased from almost any cheese shop. Cheese that has not been allowed to age is usually known as fresh cheese. These cheeses don’t have a particular shape because of their soft consistency. Cottage cheese, mascarpone and ricotta are listed under this category. Cottage cheese, especially the low fat type, is often a popular part of any healthy or slimming programme, because of its low calorie content.

Another type of cheese comes under the soft ripened category. These cheeses are produced by allowing bacteria to ripen cheese from its inside out. St. André, Camembert and Brie belong to this group. The consistency of these cheeses can be anything between semi-solid and creamy. These are the cheeses that are easy to spread.

Climbing up the scale from soft to hard, we arrive at the semi-soft cheeses. These can be described as cheeses that have not aged as long as their semi-hard-cheese counterparts. Stilton, Mozzarella and Gouda are well-known examples. They melt well, which is why they are popular pizza ingredients.

The crumbly and stronger smelling cheeses are generally listed under the semi hard group. They are drier and firmer than the semi soft cheeses. Their flavours, which tend to be mild, are popular choices with consumers. Cheddar, Gruyère and Edam are all top-selling semi hard cheeses.

The hard cheese variety is cheese that has been allowed to age. Gouda and Cheddar cheeses that have aged longer than the semi hard types are in this group. The longer they age, the sharper and dryer they become. They last longer than the lesser-aged cheeses and their flavours become stronger. Hard cheeses are firm favourites for grating because of their low moisture content.

Many cheeses are difficult to classify because of the several criteria that are used. One has to consider fat content, the many textures, and the length of time that a cheese has been allowed to age. Some cheeses with the same name often have dissimilar textures. If you aren’t sure which cheese to buy, a cheese shop Sydney online website will assist you. Some cheese delicatessens also provide hampers of mixed cheeses.

Yes, William Shakespeare was a poet before his time but, whether toasted or not, a piece of cheese has the ability to add nourishment and flavour to any meal.