Alsatian Münster From the old form of the word "monastery" and a French village of the same name, Münster is the most famous example of the semi-soft cow's milk cheeses with washed rinds produced by religious orders. At once piercingly sharp, beefy and nutty with a creamy consistency, Alsatian Münster is the only one to consider. German, Danish and Wisconsin Münster are boring and not even vaguely related to the true Alsatian version. Choose either young or ripe, but be careful of buying old Münster. Young Münster is firm with a smooth, dry russet-colored rind. Ripe Münster will have a darker rind, bolder aroma and a viscous, straw-colored interior. Old Münster has a drab khaki-colored rind that may be cracked or slimy, a runny reddish-colored interior and a pungent barnyard odor. Pair with salad or fruits, especially plums, peaches, cherries and pears. Münster also complements flavors of rye bread, caraway, cumin, fennel and anise. Enjoy with white wines such as Alsatian Gewürztraminer, Riesling and muscadet or red wines such as Beaujolais, Burgundy and Bordeaux or with beer. Recipe: Prosciutto, Munster & Cumin Corn-Bread Sandwiches Carr Valley Benedictine From Carr Valley, Wisconsin, this award-winning cheese is made with fresh sheep, goat and cow milk. It has a washed rind and an intense earthy flavor. Pairs well with huge tannic red wines, Alsatian whites and Riesling. Carr Valley Mobay An artesian cheese from central Wisconsin that combines a layer of goat milk and a layer of sheep milk separated by a layer of ash and pressed together to form one cheese within an ash crust. The name "Mobay" is a nod to Morbier, a cheese made in the French monastery by separating the morning milk from the evening milk with a layer of ash. The flavor of Mobay is earthy with a clean goat and sheep remnant. Great as an eating cheese. Chimay a la Biere A true artisanal cheese made by the Trappist monks of the Scourmont abbey in Belgium, this full flavor cheese is washed with Chimay beer (also made by the monks) for four weeks during maturation. It is a full-pasteurized cow's milk with a natural rind, semi-soft interior and a smooth texture. Recipe: Crusty Fondue with Chimay a la Biere. Corsendonk Wellness Another Belgium cheese, this one low in fat and salt, making it a perfect choice for health-conscious cheese lovers. Low fat and salt don't mean low flavor, as this medium-full flavored cheese has a well-balanced nutty flavor which pairs well with crisp white wines. Serve alone, on a sandwich or on an antipasto tray. Darsonval From Montchevre, Darsonval is a handcrafted, semi-soft goat cheese. Made from fresh goat's milk and aged 90 days, Darsonval is a traditional natural washed rind goat cheese. With a distinctive yet mildly sweet goat flavor, this is ideal as a table cheese or melted over boiled potatoes; broiled ham, chicken or turkey; scrambled eggs or omelets; steamed or sautéed vegetables such as cauliflower, celery, carrots, bell peppers & eggplant; or sliced unpeeled apples. Fromager d´Affinois In the Brie family, this French double cream, soft-ripened cheese has a creamy white silky smooth interior and a flowery white edible rind. It has a mild flavor that is fully developed when served at room temperature. Pairs well with fresh fruit and walnuts, crusty bread and fruity red wines such as Bordeaux. Gran Mantovano Grana This cheese is steeped in tradition. The milk comes from livestock who graze on lush pastures of grasses and herbs that grow along wetlands abundant with Garda Sea water, free of chemical fertilizers and pesticides in a protected national park in Italy. Once formed, the wheels of cheese are cured for a minimum of 18 months in underground caves that provide the perfect climate to refine the grana. The richness of the milk and its nuances derived from the land combine to form a grand flavor with a well-rounded nutty smoothness and a sweet aftertaste. The golden coloring, grainy texture and thin rind make Gran Mantovano the ideal grating cheese. And, because this cheese is not subject to the same AOC regulations, it is a less expensive alternative to Parmigiano-Reggiano. Pairs well with full flavored white or red wines, fruit preserves, apple mustard and aged balsamic vinegars. Leyden A Dutch cheese made from a blend of partially skimmed cow’s milk and buttermilk and flavored with caraway and/or cumin seeds. A firm, spicy Gouda-type cheese that is very tasty and quite inexpensive. All brands are excellent; authentic versions bear two crossed keys, the trademark symbol of the town of Leyden, on the waxed rind. It is sold in thick, waxed wheels and has a creamy, light-yellow interior. Delicious as a snack, especially when served with dark bread and dark beer or spicy red wines, such as Zinfandel. Also a good grating cheese; use to add interest to baked onions or stuffed tomatoes, potato or leek gratins. Goes great with chili! $10.59/lb Mascarpone Mascarpone cheese is a rich, fresh cheese that is a relative of both cream cheese and ricotta cheese. Some say the name came from "mas que bueno" (Spanish for "better than good"), or more likely, from the Italian "mascarpia," ("ricotta" in the local dialect) because both cheeses are made by a virtually identical process. Closer to a dairy product than a cheese, mascarpone uses no starter, rennet or curds. Pale blond in color, with a smooth, soft texture and a sweet flavor, mascarpone has an extremely high butterfat content of 70-75%, which is as high as it can be without turning into butter. Originally produced in autumn and winter for immediate consumption, the cheese is now available year-round in small tubs, though with an extremely short shelf life. If refrigerated, it will last about a week. In choosing mascarpone, look for smooth texture with absolute no lumps and check the expiration date on the container. Pair with a sparkling wine or a sweet dessert wine such as Marsala or Picolit. The most famous use of mascarpone cheese is in the Italian dessert tiramisu. Recipe: Tiramisu. Other uses for mascarpone. Mimolette Vielle Mimolette, also called Boule de Lille after the city of Lille where it was created, is the French version of Dutch Edam, similar in both flavor and appearance. Mimolette, however, has a thick brown-grey natural rind that, over time, will become rough and pockmarked. The interior is a strikingly rich orange color that ages to an orange-brown color. The texture is firm and dense. When buying, look for Mimolette made by the Isigny-Saint-Mere cheese company of Normandy, as theirs is the only version with flavor: caramelized, smoky, nutty and rich with a slight tang on the finish. Otherwise, Mimolette is one of the blandest cheeses. When buying, avoid dryness and mold. Best eaten as a snack with fruit, bread, crackers and beer or wine. Similar in shredding and melting qualities, it makes a good substitute for mild Cheddar. Saga Blue This well-regarded Danish cheese is a soft-ripened, double cream Brie-style blue cheese. Milder than Gorgonzola, Saga is soft, rich and creamy and more pungent than most grocery store blue cheeses. Its piquant taste pairs wonderfully with sweet wines and fruits, especially sweet pears. Similar to Cambozola, Brie and Blue Castello. Recipe: Veal Chops with Saga Blue Butter; Zucchini Saga Blue Tart. Saint Nectaire One of France's elite cheeses, Saint Nectaire a semi-soft cow's milk cheese that comes from several farms in the very small AOC Saint Nectaire production area in the Auvergne region. According to legend, King Louis XIV at Versailles named Saint-Nectaire in honor of Henri de La Ferte-Senneterre, the marshal who first presented it to him. It has a distinctive yellow color, with a rind ranging in color from pink-orange to purple-grey. The interior is elastic and smooth, full-bodied with a distinct aroma of mold, straw and humidity. It is characterized by a pronounced tang of soil and a delicate nutty and fruity flavor with a hint of salt and spice that hides behind its thick, velvety rind. The typical high-altitude mountain flora also leaves a lingering aftertaste of mushrooms and hazelnuts. Recommended wines: Saint Nectaire pairs well with light and fruity red wines such as Beaujolais, Côteaux d'Auvergne and Cotes Roannaises