Cook's Thesaurus: Semi-Firm Cheeses

Abondance = Tomme d'Abondance Pronunciation: ah-bone-DAHNS Notes: This French raw milk cheese has a subtle, nutty flavor. It's a good melting cheese. Substitutes: Gruyere OR Fontina OR Appenzell

	Appenzell = Appenzeller Notes: This is a creamy and pleasantly stinky cheese. Pronunciation: AP-en-zel *Substitutes:* Emmentaler OR Gruyère OR raclette OR Fontina
	Asiago (fresh) Pronunciation: ah-zee-AH-go *Notes:* Don't confuse this with aged Asiago, which is a firm grating cheese. *Substitutes:* Provolone OR other semi-firm cheese
	Beaufort Pronunciation: BOH-furt Notes: This semi-firm cheese is slightly sweet and has a nice texture. It's a great melting cheese, so it's often used in fondues. Substitutes: Emmenthal OR Gruyère OR Fontina OR Tomme OR Reblochon

	Caciotta = Casciotta Pronunciation: kah-CHOH-tah Notes: This mild Italian cheese is made with a blend of sheep's milk and cow's milk cheese.
	Caerphilly Pronunciation: kar-FILL-ee *Notes:* This Welsh cow's milk cheese is crumbly and a good melter. *Substitutes:* Cheddar
	Cantal Pronunciation: kahn-TAHL Notes: This French cheese is sweet when young but earthy and grassy when aged. It's a reliable party-pleaser--mild but complex. *Substitutes:* Cheddar OR Gruyère OR Monterey jack OR Lancashire

Cheddar Notes: The curds of many English cheeses are "cheddared" or cut them into slabs and stacked to allow whey to drain off. Some cheddars have more lactose in them, making them "sharp" or acidic. Less sharp cheddars are often labeled "mild" or "medium." England supplies many fine Cheddars, as does Vermont and Tillamook, Oregon. Substitutes: Colby OR Cheshire OR American cheese OR "Tofu Rella" Amber (a soy-based cheese substitute; use in melted cheese dishes) OR nutritional yeast OR white miso OR cheese substitutes

Cheshire Pronunciation: CHESH-er Notes: Said to be England's oldest cheese, is a good cooking cheese. Blue Cheshire is a blue-veined version. Substitutes: Cheddar OR cheese substitutes

chevre (aged) = chèvre Pronunciation: SHEH-vruh Notes: Don't confuse this aged goat cheese with the far more common chevre frais (fresh chevre). Use within a few days after purchasing. For best flavor, serve at room temperature. Substitutes: feta

Colby Notes: This Wisconsin cheese resembles a mild Cheddar. Substitutes: Cheddar (sharper flavor) OR Tillamook OR American OR cheese substitutes

Comte = Comté = Gruyère du Comté = Comte Gruyere Pronunciation: kohm-TAY Notes: This excellent French cow's milk cheese dates from the time of Charlemagne. It has a mildly sweet, nutty flavor, much like Gruyère. It's a very good melting cheese. Substitutes: Gruyère OR Fontina OR Beaufort OR Emmentaler

Derby cheese = Derbyshire cheese Includes: Derby Sage cheese (pictured), which is flavored with sage. Substitutes: Cheddar OR Vermont Sage (for Derby Sage)

Edam Pronunciation: EE-dum Notes: This has a red wax coating. Substitutes: Gouda (similar, but with a higher milkfat content) OR fontina OR Leyden cheese OR cheese substitutes

Emmental = Emmentaler = Emmenthaler = Emmenthal = Bavarian Swiss cheese Pronunciation: EM-uhn-tall Notes: This Swiss cheese is riddled with holes and has a mild, nutty flavor. It's an excellent melting cheese, and a key ingredient in many fondues. Substitutes: Jarlsberg (similar) OR Beaufort OR Gruyère OR Swiss OR raclette OR cheese substitutes

	fontina Pronunciation: fon-TEE-nuh *Notes:* This well-regarded cheese is mild but interesting, and it's a good melter. Substitutes: Gruyère OR Emmental OR Beaufort OR Edam OR Gouda OR Bel Paese OR Appenzell OR provolone OR rablochon
	gamonedo = queso gamonedo = gamoneú *Pronunciation:* gah-moh-NAY-doh *Notes:* This expensive Spanish cheese is made from the milks of cows, sheep, and goats. It's smoked, giving it a very complex flavor. *Substitutes:* Cabrales (very similar)
	Gjetost Pronunciation: YET-ohst Notes: This tastes a bit like caramelized American cheese. Substitutes: Mysost (very similar)

Gloucester Pronunciation: GLOSS-ter Notes: This orange cheddar-like cheese comes from England. Varieties include Single Gloucester, which is ripened for only two months, and Double Gloucester, which is more highly regarded and flavorful. Huntsman cheese contains layers of Gloucester and Stilton. Substitutes: Cheshire OR Cheddar

Gruyere = Gruyère Pronunciation: grew-YARE Notes: Gruyères are excellent melting cheeses, and they're commonly used to make fondues, soufflés, gratins, and hot sandwiches. Varieties include Swiss Gruyère, Beaufort, and Comté. Substitutes: Emmentaler OR Jarlsberg OR Appenzell OR raclette OR Swiss cheese

Idiazabal cheese = Idiazábal cheese = queso vasco Pronunciation: ih-dee-ah-ZAH-bol Notes: This salty, sharp and crumbly Basque cheese is made with raw sheep's milk. It's usually smoked and aged before it hits the stores. It's a good cheese to grate in salads, melt on meats, or eat with crackers. Try serving it with sherry.

Jarlsberg Pronunciation: YARLZ-berg Notes: This is a Norwegian knock-off of Emmentaler. It's mild, creamy yellow, and has large holes. Substitutes: Emmentaler OR Gruyère OR Swiss OR raclette

Kashkaval = Kachkeval Notes: This is a Bulgarian version of Italy's Caciocavallo cheese. It becomes much firmer as it ages and turns into a good grating cheese. Substitutes: Caciocavallo OR Provolone OR Scarmorza OR mozzarella OR Kashkaval OR Kaser

kasseri Pronunciation: kuh-SAIR-ee Notes: This salty and tangy Greek cheese is made from sheep's milk. It's great on pizza. Substitutes: Kefalotyri (in fried cheese recipes) OR Caciocavallo OR Provolone OR Scarmorza OR mozzarella OR Kashkaval OR Kaser

	Lancashire Pronunciation: LANG-kuh-sheer *Notes:* This is a rich, tangy, and crumbly cow's milk cheese produced in Britain. It's a good melting cheese. *Substitutes:* Cheddar
	Leerdammer Notes: This Dutch cheese is similar to Emmental or Jarlberg, only milder.

Leicester = Red Leicester Pronunciation: LESS-ter Notes: This is an English cheese that's very similar to cheddar. Substitutes: Cheddar cheese (Not as moist as Leicester.)

Leyden = Leiden Notes: This Dutch cheese is flavored with cumin and caraway seeds. Pronunciation: LIE-dehn Substitutes: Gouda OR Edam

	Mahón cheese = Mahon cheese Pronunciation: mah-HONE *Notes:* This well-regarded Spanish cheese is a terrific snacking cheese, but it's also incorporated into casseroles. Try it with sherry. Substitutes: Gouda
	Manchego cheese Notes: Don't confuse this with aged Manchego cheese, which is firm and yellow, and typically used for grating. Younger Manchego cheese is sweet and nutty. It melts nicely and is often used in quesadillas. *Substitutes:* Monterey jack OR mozzarella OR cheddar

Nøkkelost = Nokkelost Notes: This Norwegian cheese is seasoned with caraway seeds, cumin, and cloves. Substitutes: Leyden (a very similar Dutch cheese)

	raclette *Pronunciation:* rah-KLET *Notes:* People often melt this Swiss cheese and dip new potatoes into it. *Substitutes:* Emmental OR Morbier OR Gruyère OR Swiss OR Jarlsberg OR Reblochon
	Saint Nectaire cheese = St. Nectaire cheese Pronunciation: SAHN neck-TARE Notes: This French cheese has a rich, nutty flavor. *Substitutes:* Tomme de Savoie OR Tomme Crayeuse
	Swiss cheese = American Swiss cheese *Notes:* This popular cheese is an American knock-off of Switzerland's Emmentaler cheese. This difference is that our domestic version usually has smaller eyes (making it easier to slice) and is made from pasteurized milk. Emmentaler has a richer, nuttier flavor. *Substitutes:* Emmentaler OR Gruyère OR Jarlsberg OR raclette OR cheese substitutes

Tete de Moine = Tête de Moine Notes: This is a very pungent Swiss cow's milk cheese.

Wensleydale Pronunciation: WENZ-lee-dale Notes: This is a fairly mild English cheese. Substitutes: Cheddar

Visit the excellent CheeseNet for more information--especially their excellent page on Cheese Types. If lactose intolerant or allergic to milk, visit the No Milk Page.