Welcome to this, the Great and Glorious Guide to Cheese, Pinnacle of Western Gastronomy. This article contains the wisdom of the GWS cheese thread condensed and organized for optimal utility. Whether you be a total newbie, or a grizzled cheese veteran, this article aims to expand your horizons and stimulate your salivary glands.

Look at this fucking cheese.

Organization

This guide divides cheese into several categories, such as blue, washed rind, etc. When a cheese doesn't obviously fit into one of the categories, it is categorized by the type of milk used. Any further ambiguous cheeses are gathered in the miscellaneous section.

Cheese

Blue

Just look at it.

Blue cheeses are those that have been intentionally inoculated with or exposed to a kind of mold, usually Penicillium roqueforti or Penicillium glaucum, which produces that blue-to-green veining and a flavor that can only be described as "blue." Seriously, it is almost impossible to describe the flavor of blue cheeses through analogy. It is totally unique, and totally awesome. Though many blues have a "bite" that can be be off-putting for cheese newbs, there are some great cheeses out there that are totally accessible and great for starting off. And of course if you want a cheese that will leave your tongue numb for 10 minutes afterward, you can find those too.

There is pretty wide variation within the category of "blue cheese." Blues range in texture from creamy to crumbly, and are typically either described as "dirty" or "fruity." Most have no rind, although some do, such as Stilton or Shropshire Blue. Blues are often paired with strong flavors, such as beef or fruit, and can be overpowering if just eaten alone. I personally like to drizzle a little bit of honey on my blues, especially the dirty ones.