Cheese Definitions

Go to the Cheese Types page for more information on the categories of cheese
Go to the Cheese Varieties page for more information on specific cheeses

Choose a cheese term below to learn more:

• Cheesemonger
• Cheesehead
• Dutch-Type Cheese
• Imitation Pasteurized Process Cheese Spread
• Kase
• Longhorn
• Midget
• Mild (Young) Cheese
• Natural
• Pasteurization
• Pasteurized Process Cheese
• Pasteurized Process Cheese Food

• Pasteurized Process Cheese Spread / Cheese Spread
• Raw Milk
• Smoked Cheese
• Swiss-Type Cheese
• Texture
• Variety
• Waxed Cheese
• Wheel/Round Cheese
• Whey
• Wisconsin State Brand/Wisconsin Grade A

Cheesemonger - A cheese salesperson who really knows his/her cheese!

Cheesehead -

1. A person from the state of Wisconsin
2. A fan of the Green Bay Packer football team - also known as a Packer Backer
3. A foam hat carved into the shape of a cheese wedge and worn in support of the Green Bay Packers.

Check out a few of our cheesehead gifts:

Dutch-Type Cheese - Cheeses that are similar to those produced in the Netherlands. Edam and Gouda are considered Dutch-type.

Check out a few of our dutch-type cheeses:

Imitation Pasteurized Process Cheese Spread - Similar to pasteurized process cheese, but the FDA requires it to be labeled differently since it has a significantly lower amount of butterfat.

Käse - The German word for cheese.

Longhorn - A cylinder of cheese that is 6-inches in diameter and 13-inches long, and is usually of the Colby or Colby Jack varieties.

Check out a few of our longhorn cheeses:

Midget Cheese - A block of cheese (usually cheddar) that weighs about 12 pounds.

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Mild (Young) Cheese - A term describing light cheese flavors that have yet to develop.

Check out a few of our mild (young) cheeses:

Natural - Refers to cheese made directly from milk.

Pasteurization - A process where cheesemakers heat milk to a certain temperature for a certain amount of time to destroy disease producing bacteria.

Pasteurized Process Cheese- A blend of natural cheeses that is shredded, mixed and cooked with an emulsifier salt which stops the cheese from ripening.

Pasteurized Process Cheese Food- Similar to Pasteurized Process cheese, but with less fat and more moisture.  Nonfat dry milk, or whey solids and water have been added so there is a lower percentage of real cheese in the finished product.

Pasteurized Process Cheese Spread / Cheese Spread - A type of Pasteurized Process cheese with a higher moisture content and lower milk fat content than Process Cheese Food.

Raw Milk - Milk that has not been pasteurization.

Smoked Cheese - Cheese that has a smokey flavor either from the addition of liquid smoke or smoking over wood chips.

Check out a few of our smoked cheeses:

Swiss-Type Cheese - A cheese variety with characteristic holes inside as a result of gas being trapped and expanding during the curing process.  Baby Swiss has small, pea-sized holes, and Aged Swiss has larger holes.

Check out a few of our swiss-type cheeses:

Texture - The way a cheese feels when touched or tasted. Some words to describe texture include smooth, grainy, creamy, flaky, dense, crumbly, etc.

Variety - The name of a type of cheese used to identify it - Cheddar, Havarti, Gouda, etc.

Waxed Cheese - Before airtight shrink bags were invented, cheesemakers would rap cheese in a cheesecloth then dip it in wax to preserve the cheese. Sometimes wax denotes the age of the cheese. With Cheddar for example, red wax indicates a medium cheddar and black wax indicates sharp cheddar.  Wax is also sometimes used to make fun cheese shapes, like the State of Wisconsin or a cow.

Check out our waxed cheese:

Wheel/Round Cheese - A circular style or form that is usually flat on the top and bottom.

Check out our wheel/round cheese:

Whey - The watery part of the milk that separates from the curds during the cheese making process.

Wisconsin State Brand/Wisconsin Grade A - Cheese carrying this title meets the State of Wisconsin's highest quality standards.

Source: All information is from the Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board.