Paste
The inside of a cheese, beneath the rind, as described by its colour, texture and openness.
Also: pâte, pasta, interior
Paste is the cheese trade's word for the interior of a cheese, from the French pâte. It is described by colour, from chalk white to deep straw or amber; by texture, from runny to flaky; and by openness, from close and dense to full of eyes or cracks. French styles are named after it: pâte molle, soft paste, for Camembert; pâte pressée non cuite for Reblochon and Tomme; pâte pressée cuite, cooked pressed paste, for Comté and Beaufort; pâte persillée, parsleyed paste, for blue cheeses; and pâte filée for stretched cheeses. A grader looking at a plug from a cheese iron judges the paste above all.