Life would have less meaning without a nice piece of cheese that can be added to your favorite pasta, pizza, canapés, in a burger, or a simple sandwich. If we’re going to be completely honest, cheese can be eaten alone, without any other addition. Have you noticed that cheese goes well with a glass of wine? However, it could be said that this food is often neglected, but there are also those countries that are considered the homeland of this dairy product, where the inhabitants use every opportunity to awaken their senses with sweet little bites.
Many countries are known for their cheese production, but the most famous is France. The largest number of different cheeses are produced in this country, and their quality is superb. Cheeses, just like wine, have their terroir, which is actually their “biometric” characteristic. The basic characteristics of terroir are climate, soil, topography, and surrounding vegetation, and the quality of cheese depends on all of this, just like the quality of the wine.
French cheeses are therefore much more than ordinary foodstuffs, they are the best souvenir and representative of their region, and the attentive taster will recognize the basic characteristics of the terroir in every bite. There are many kinds of cheese, and we are sure that even the pickiest will find something just to their taste. Each country has several cheese producers, and below we will mention some of the most prominent ones in Europe.
Each country has several cheese producers, and below we will mention some of the most prominent ones in Europe.
France
Source: uk.france.fr
We have already said that this country is the cradle of premium cheeses. You may have already heard that the former president of France called this country the home of 300 types of cheese. In fact, there are more than a thousand different types in France, which is more than enough to enjoy a new flavor every day.
You can start your journey with a visit to the town of Roquefort, where the famous soft sheep’s cheese with noble mold is produced. It is dotted with characteristic dark blue-green veins. You can visit the cellars where huge rolls of this sharp cheese are matured and see exactly how it is made. Tasting the finished product is mandatory.
Italy
Source: civitatis.com
Parma is an Italian city located in the north of the country and is known for the production of Parmesan, a hard cheese that can be several years old. Italian cuisine is, among other things, famous in the world for its hard cheeses with an intense flavor, and it is this type that holds the title of the king of cheeses. The only ingredients needed to make it are cow’s milk, salt, and rennet, with the cows being fed only grass and hay.
Netherlands
From this beautiful Scandinavian country and the city of Gauda comes the cheese of the same name. Thanks to the high percentage of fat, Gouda is very melty and is perfect for preparing dishes such as pizza, lasagna, carbonara sauce, and many others. If you visit this city, be sure to go to the museum where you can see how cheeses are ripened, or to attend an event organized in honor of this dairy product.
Croatia
Source: motherlindas.com
From Croatia, from the island of Pag, we receive a unique cheese, which is made from sheep’s milk, and in which you can find admixtures of specific herbs such as sage.
Russia
Source: vetandlife.ru
In the Volga River region, there is a small town called Mari El, which is famous for its cheese factory. The secret of the quality of their products is that they have their own goat farms from which they get their milk, while they get blood milk from local producers. Camembert cheese is their main asset. If you didn’t know which cheese it was, you will easily recognize it – it is included in soft cheeses with a natural rind. This soft, fatty cheese is strong on the palate, its taste is fruity and woody, it is light yellow and soft in the middle.
The ripening of Camembert starts from the outside, when the surface is covered with a thin mold and a layer of salt, and lasts at least three weeks. After opening, camembert can be stored for a maximum of seven days, always in its original packaging, which protects it from drying out.
Latvia
Although most people would say that the first association with cheese is France, we will not be wrong if we say that the countries of Eastern Europe are very successful in creating good tastes. Serene diary is a company from Latvia, known for various cheese kinds – kashkaval, grill cheese, akkawi, msnara chees, and many others. Therefore, these cheeses are not only in demand in their homeland but also in other European countries. Tourists are happy to taste it when they visit this country, and they often buy it and take a sample home so that others can try these incredible flavors.
Cheese lovers should visit at least some of these locations. Someone like museums or say churches, and someone visits locations where the best cheeses are eaten. Generally, fans of this dairy product have a wide choice in Europe.
Cheese is a foodstuff in the literature usually defined as a natural product obtained by the coagulation of milk and processing of cheese grains that are eaten fresh or in different degrees of maturity. However, this is too simple and too ordinary a definition for something so fine and so present in the everyday kitchen. Indeed, it is very difficult for me to imagine life without cheese, which has so many culinary applications. The world of cheeses is big and there is a really diverse selection, from cheap to the most expensive and highest quality ones.
