Cheese is one of the most beloved foods in the world. Whether you enjoy it on a cracker, melted on a sandwich, or on its own, there's no denying the appeal of this delicious dairy product. With so many varieties of cheese available, it can be hard to know where to start.
Why are we talking about cheese today?
Certainly for their goodness, but the main reason is because after the article published by Food Atlas, the rivalry between France and Italy became even more pronounced.
These two magnificent nations have always tried to excel and have found themselves clashing on several fronts.
Baguette or piadina? Nouvelle cuisine or spaghetti with tomato sauce? Zidane or Materazzi?
The battle thickens when it comes to cheese: who can determine whether Roquefort or Parmigiano is better?
Apparently Taste Atlas, an encyclopaedia of flavours, has deemed itself capable of making this decision, going even further and drawing up a ranking of the 10 best cheeses in the world.
Read on to find out which are the 10 best cheeses in the world.
1.Parmigiano Reggiano
Parmigiano Reggiano is a world-renowned cheese that is considered to be one of the finest in the world. Made with raw, semi-skimmed milk from cows that graze on fresh grass and hay, it boasts a hard, gritty texture that is unique to this cheese. Its flavors range from nutty to robust and slightly piquant, depending on the length of time it has been matured.
2.Queijo Serra de Estrela
Serra da Estrela cheese is a semi-soft cheese that is crafted from the milk of two distinct breeds of sheep - Bordaleira Serra da Estrela and Churra Mondegueira. The production process involves milking the sheep by hand and then heating, salting, and curdling the milk with thistle extract.
3. Burrata
Burrata, is an artisanal cheese hailing from the Puglia region of Southern Italy, specifically the provinces of Bari and Barletta-Andria-Trani. This cheese is handcrafted using cow's milk, rennet, and cream. The story goes that the cheese was invented by a cheesemaker named Lorenzo Bianchino Chieppa, who had the brilliant idea of creating a shell of stretched mozzarella strings and filling it with delectable, creamy goodness and smaller, leftover pieces of mozzarella.
4.Reblochon
Reblochon, a compressed cheese weighing around 500 grams, is crafted from unsterilized cow's milk and must age for no less than 15 days in the French provinces of Savoie and Haute-Savoie.
With an ivory body enclosed by a yellow to orange rind, the rind of Reblochon is fit for consumption, and its flavour is redolent of nuttiness and slight fruitiness. The scent is potent and reminiscent of the cellars in which it was aged.
5.Stracchino
Stracchino di crescenza is an Italian cheese that is typically made with cow's milk, but it can also be made with water buffalo's milk. The texture of stracchino is creamy and buttery, so it's often used as a spread. The flavors are mild, fruity, creamy, and sweet.
6.Mozzarella di Bufala Campana
Genuine mozzarella di bufala campana can only be labelled as such if it's made entirely from domestic water buffalo milk and manufactured in the Campania region.The exceptional qualities of buffalo milk, which is high in calcium and protein and low in cholesterol, make this mozzarella cheese a highly sought-after delicacy. Buffalo mozzarella is always packaged in brine, with a mild, slightly tangy flavour that complements a wide range of Italian antipasti dishes, particularly the classic Caprese salad.
7.Pecorino Toscano
This soft to semi-hard cheese is made with whole milk from sheep feasting on pastures nestled between the Apennines and the Tyrrhenian Sea. Compared to other varieties of Pecorino cheese, Toscano is only briefly salted and thus retains its delicate, sweet flavor.
8.Saint-André
St. André, a triple-crème cheese made from cow’s milk, is often referred to as the celestial cheese due to its divine flavour profile. This French delicacy hails from the region of Normandy, specifically Coutances. The cheese boasts a thick, creamy texture that lies beneath a velvety and edible rind. Its mild and rich aromas and flavours are best described as sour, tangy, buttery, and salty, creating an unparalleled sensory experience.
9.Crottin de Chavignol
Chavignol is a small cheese made from raw goat's milk that must weigh at least 60 grams. Its color is white or ivory and it has a dense, moist texture with a thin, moldy rind on the outside. The flavor of Chavignol is full, slightly nutty and 'goaty'.
10.Bundz
Bundz, a type of cheese originating from Poland, is crafted from the milk of sheep and is typically made in the mountainous areas of the country. The flavour and texture of this cheese are reminiscent of cottage cheese, offering a mild and fresh taste to the palate. Interestingly, the production of bundz also yields leftover whey which is utilised in creating a traditional Polish sour beverage known as żętyca.
