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EveryCheese

Tangy and lactic

Bright, lemony acidity: goat cheeses, feta, cottage cheese and young cheddar.

Tangy cheeses have a bright, lemony acidity, the taste of lactic acid made by bacteria from milk sugar. The tang is clearest in fresh and young cheeses: goat's milk logs, feta, cottage cheese, quark, Caerphilly, Wensleydale and Lancashire, and young cheddar. It is the flavour that makes a goat cheese salad taste fresh and keeps a cheesecake from tasting flat.

Lactic acid

Every cheese begins with bacteria turning lactose into lactic acid. In lactic cheeses this acid does most of the work of setting the curd, and the finished cheese keeps much of it, giving a fresh, citrus-like sharpness. In rennet cheeses that are aged, other flavours slowly take over as the acid is used up or neutralised, especially near the surface of bloomy and washed rinds. So a clear tang is usually a mark of youth, and it softens as a cheese ripens.

Tangy cheeses of the world

France's young goat cheeses, Greek feta and Bulgarian sirene, and the crumbly British cheeses, Caerphilly, Wensleydale and Lancashire, all have a clear acidity. Quark and tvorog are tangy in the same way as yoghurt. Kalimpong cheese is mild and slightly tangy when young. Ethiopia's ayib, made from soured milk after the butter has been churned, is gently sour and is served beside stews spiced with berbere, where it cools the heat.

In cooking

Tangy cheeses balance richness and sweetness. Crumbled feta lifts lamb and roasted vegetables, goat cheese sets off sweet beetroot, and in Yorkshire, Wensleydale is eaten with fruit cake, especially at Christmas. Quark and tvorog give cheesecake and syrniki their gentle sourness. Indian cooks set paneer with lemon juice or vinegar and rinse it well, which leaves only a faint tang, but home-made paneer set with sour whey often keeps a little more.

Worth knowing

  • Feta: Brined, salty and tangy
  • Crottin de Chavignol: Lemony when young
  • Caerphilly: Welsh crumbly cheese
  • Wensleydale: Yorkshire cheese eaten with fruit cake
  • Lancashire: Crumbly, buttery and tangy
  • Quark: Spoonable lactic cheese
  • Sirene: Bulgarian brined cheese

Sources and further reading

About this page

Original text by the EveryCheese desk, written with AI assistance and checked against the sources above. Customs are described as tradition, not as advice. If we have something wrong, tell us.

Tangy and lactic on EveryCheese

The cheeses written up so far, best known first.

StyleFreshBrinedStretched curdBloomy rindLacticWashed rindSemi-softSemi-hardAlpineHardBlueSmokedWheyDriedProcessed
MilkCowGoatSheepBuffaloYakCamelMixedOther
馃嚝馃嚪 FranceRocamadourR貌camador A small, soft goat's-milk cheese from southwest France with a protected status.Goat 路 Bloomy rind 路 Milky and fresh 馃嚦馃嚨 Nepal and 2 moreChhurpi啶涏啶班啶 A smoked yak and cow milk cheese from the Himalayas, available in soft or hard forms.Yak 路 Smoked 路 Tangy and lactic 馃嚜馃嚫 SpainTetillaQueixo Tetilla A soft, conical cow's-milk cheese from Galicia with a distinctive nipple-like peak.Cow 路 Bloomy rind 路 Buttery and creamy 馃嚨馃嚬 PortugalSerra da EstrelaQueijo Serra da Estrela A soft Portuguese sheep's milk cheese coagulated with thistle and aged for at least a month.Sheep 路 Bloomy rind 路 Buttery and creamy 馃嚝馃嚪 FrancePicodon A small, spicy goat cheese from southern France with a rind that turns golden as it ages.Goat 路 Bloomy rind 路 Tangy and lactic 馃嚞馃嚙 United KingdomRed Leicester A hard, crumbly cow's-milk cheese from England, aged for months and coloured with annatto.Cow 路 Hard 路 Sweet and caramel 馃嚛馃嚜 GermanyHarzer A low-fat German sour milk cheese from the Harz mountains, often spiced with caraway.Cow 路 Fresh 路 Tangy and lactic 馃嚙馃嚞 Bulgaria and 5 moreSirene斜褟谢芯 褋邪谢邪屑褍褉械薪芯 褋懈褉械薪械 A crumbly, brined white cheese from Bulgaria made with sheep or goat milk.Mixed 路 Brined 路 Salty 馃嚙馃嚘 Bosnia and HerzegovinaLivno cheeseLivanjski sir / 袥懈胁邪褮褋泻懈 褋懈褉 A hard cow and sheep milk cheese from Bosnia aged for two monthsMixed 路 Hard 路 Tangy and lactic 馃嚠馃嚦 India and 1 moreChhena喱涏瓏喱ㄠ瓖喱ㄠ / 唳涏唳ㄠ A fresh, acid-set cow or buffalo milk cheese from eastern India and Bangladesh.Cow 路 Fresh 路 Milky and fresh 馃嚝馃嚪 FranceGaperon A dome-shaped Auvergne cheese with a white mold rind and garlic-pepper filling.Cow 路 Bloomy rind 路 Buttery and creamy 馃嚨馃嚫 Palestine and 1 moreNabulsi cheese噩亘賳丞 賳丕亘賱爻賷丞 A white brined semi-hard cheese from Nablus, flavored with mahleb and mastic.Sheep 路 Brined 路 Salty 馃嚞馃嚙 United KingdomLancashire cheese A cow's-milk cheese from England with creamy, nutty, or crumbly varieties.Cow 路 Semi-hard 路 Nutty 馃嚝馃嚪 FranceSelles-sur-Cher A small cylindrical goat cheese with a grey-blue mould rind from Centre-Val de Loire.Goat 路 Bloomy rind 路 Salty 馃嚬馃嚪 TurkeyBeyaz peynir A salty Turkish brine cheese made from sheep, cow, or goat milk.Mixed 路 Brined 路 Salty 馃嚝馃嚪 FranceP茅lardon A small, round soft-ripened goat cheese from the C茅vennes mountains of southern France.Goat 路 Bloomy rind 路 Tangy and lactic 馃嚝馃嚪 FranceSainte-Maure de Touraine A soft-ripened goat's milk cheese from Touraine, aged with a straw through its center.Goat 路 Bloomy rind 路 Milky and fresh 馃嚟馃嚪 CroatiaPag cheesePa拧ki sir A hard sheep's-milk cheese from Croatia's Pag island, aged up to eighteen months.Sheep 路 Hard 路 Salty 馃嚞馃嚙 United KingdomShropshire Blue A pasteurised cow's milk blue cheese with an orange rind and sharp flavour.Cow 路 Blue 路 Sharp and tangy-aged 馃嚜馃嚫 SpainMah贸nformatge de Ma贸 / queso de Mah贸n A cow's-milk cheese from Menorca that ranges from soft and mild to hard and sharp.Cow 路 Semi-soft 路 Buttery and creamy 馃嚞馃嚪 Greece and 5 moreWhey cheese A dairy product made from the liquid remaining after curds are separated during cheesemaking.Mixed 路 Whey 路 Sweet and caramel 馃嚝馃嚪 France and 1 moreTomme A low-fat alpine cheese from France and Switzerland, often made from skimmed milk.Cow 路 Semi-hard 路 Milky and fresh 馃嚜馃嚫 SpainAfuega'l pitu A soft, unpasteurised cow's milk cheese from Asturias, shaped like a mitre or sphere and often dusted with paprika.Cow 路 Milky and fresh 馃嚨馃嚬 PortugalQueijo de Nisa A semi-hard sheep's milk cheese from Alto Alentejo, Portugal, set with thistle.Sheep 路 Semi-hard 路 Savoury and brothy 馃嚝馃嚪 FranceChevrotin A soft, washed-rind goat cheese from the Savoy Alps with a reddish rind.Goat 路 Bloomy rind 路 Tangy and lactic 馃嚫馃嚜 SwedenHush氓llsost A mild, semi-hard Swedish cow's-milk cheese aged for about two months.Cow 路 Semi-hard 路 Tangy and lactic 馃嚝馃嚪 FranceSaint AgurSant Agur A soft, double-cream French blue cheese with olive-green veins and a mild spicy taste.Cow 路 Bloomy rind 路 Tangy and lactic 馃嚬馃嚪 TurkeyTulumtulum peyniri A traditional Turkish goat's milk cheese ripened inside a goatskin casing.Goat 路 Bloomy rind 路 Tangy and lactic 馃嚝馃嚪 FranceSaint-PaulinSaint Paulin A semi-soft French cow's milk cheese with a washed orange rind and buttery flavour.Cow 路 Semi-soft 路 Buttery and creamy 馃嚫馃嚜 SwedenPr盲stost A semi-hard Swedish cow's-milk cheese with a mild, nutty flavour and a washed rind.Cow 路 Semi-hard 路 Nutty 馃嚝馃嚪 FranceFaisselle A fresh, very soft French cheese strained in a faisselle mold, made from cow, goat, or sheep milk.Cow 路 Fresh 路 Milky and fresh 馃嚞馃嚪 Greece and 1 moreKopanisti螝慰蟺伪谓喂蟽蟿萎 A soft, spicy Greek cheese from the Cyclades, made by kneading ripening curds.Mixed 路 Bloomy rind 路 Salty 馃嚝馃嚪 FranceRigotte de Condrieu A small, soft goat cheese from the Lyonnaise region with a white mold rind.Goat 路 Bloomy rind 路 Tangy and lactic 馃嚞馃嚙 United KingdomCornish Yarg A semi-hard cow's milk cheese from Cornwall wrapped in nettle leaves.Cow 路 Semi-hard 路 Tangy and lactic 馃嚝馃嚪 FranceChabichou A cylindrical French goat cheese with a natural rind, aged for two to three weeks.Goat 路 Semi-soft 路 Tangy and lactic 馃嚠馃嚬 ItalyValtellina CaseraCasera de la Valtolina A semi-hard cow's milk cheese from the Sondrio province of Italy, aged for a complex flavour.Cow 路 Semi-hard 路 Tangy and lactic 馃嚜馃嚫 SpainIboresQueso Ibores A firm, salty goat cheese from Extremadura with a natural or paprika-rubbed rind.Goat 路 Semi-hard 路 Salty 馃嚜馃嚞 Egypt and 1 moreDomiati噩亘賳賴 丿賲賷丕胤賶 A soft, salty Egyptian white cheese salted before coagulation.Buffalo 路 Bloomy rind 路 Salty 馃嚚馃嚟 Switzerland and 1 moreVacherin Fribourgeois A Swiss semi-hard washed-rind cheese from the canton of Fribourg with a resiny taste.Cow 路 Semi-hard 路 Tangy and lactic 馃嚦馃嚧 NorwayPultost A soft Norwegian sour milk cheese flavored with caraway seeds and preserved with salt.Cow 路 Bloomy rind 路 Tangy and lactic 馃嚠馃嚬 ItalyPecorino Toscano A firm Tuscan sheep's milk cheese with PDO status since 1996.Sheep 路 Hard 路 Salty 馃嚨馃嚲 ParaguayParaguay cheesekes煤 Paragu谩i A soft, creamy cow's-milk cheese from the eastern wetlands of Paraguay.Cow 路 Fresh 路 Salty 馃嚘馃嚥 ArmeniaMotal沾崭诈铡宅 A soft, brined Armenian cheese aged in leather bags with wild thyme.Sheep 路 Brined 路 Milky and fresh 馃嚜馃嚫 SpainMajorero A semi-hard goat milk cheese from Fuerteventura with a nutty, buttery taste.Goat 路 Semi-hard 路 Milky and fresh 馃嚜馃嚫 SpainGarrotxa A semi-soft Catalan goat cheese with a powdery gray rind and earthy flavor.Goat 路 Semi-soft 路 Earthy and cellar 馃嚠馃嚬 ItalyRobiola A soft-ripened Italian cheese from Piedmont and Lombardy, made from cow, goat, or sheep milk.Cow 路 Bloomy rind 路 Sweet and caramel 馃嚙馃嚪 BrazilColony cheesequeijo de col么nia A semi-hard cow's-milk cheese from southern Brazil with a yellow crust and creamy interior.Cow 路 Semi-hard 路 Tangy and lactic 馃嚝馃嚪 FrancePerailP茅rail A soft ewes-milk cheese from Aveyron with a wrinkly ivory rind.Sheep 路 Bloomy rind 路 Tangy and lactic
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