Semi-hard cheeses

Cheddar, Edam, Manchego and the tommes: pressed, firm and aged for months.

A drum: a tall cylinder or truckle, often bound in cloth. Stilton and clothbound cheddar are made in drums.

Semi-hard cheeses are the firm, pressed cheeses that fill most of the world's cheese counters: cheddar, Edam, Manchego, Cantal, Red Leicester, the tommes of the French mountains and the many farm cheeses made in their image. The curd is cut small, sometimes warmed, drained and pressed into wheels or blocks that ripen for two months to a year or more, turning from mild and springy to firm, flaky and deep.

Pressing and ripening

After the milk is set and cut, the curd is stirred and sometimes warmed to drive off whey. It is packed into moulds and pressed, which closes the texture and lowers the moisture so the cheese can age. Rinds may be natural, rubbed with oil, bound in cloth, coated in wax or sealed in plastic for rindless blocks. Gouda and Edam are made by washing the curd, which keeps them sweet, while cheddar has a step of its own. Edam is shaped into balls and, for export, often coated in red wax.

Cheddaring

Cheddar is named after the Somerset village of Cheddar, near the caves of the Mendip Hills. Its signature is cheddaring: slabs of curd are stacked and turned on the floor of the vat until they become smooth and fibrous, then milled into chips, salted and pressed. Traditional farmhouse cheddars are bound in muslin, rubbed with lard and aged for a year or more. The method travelled with British settlers to North America, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa, and cheddar is now made almost everywhere.

Southern and mountain styles

Spain's Manchego, made from the milk of Manchega sheep in La Mancha, is pressed in moulds that print a zigzag on the rind, a pattern once left by plaited esparto grass. France's Cantal and Salers are among the oldest cheeses of the Auvergne. The tommes of Savoie and the Pyrenees are smaller mountain cheeses with grey, dusty rinds. In Mexico, queso Chihuahua, first made by Mennonite farmers, follows the same broad method and melts well in queso fundido.

Worth knowing

Cheddar: Somerset-born cheese now made around the world
Edam: Dutch ball cheese, often in red wax
Manchego: Sheep's milk cheese of La Mancha with a zigzag rind
Cantal: Ancient pressed cheese of the Auvergne
Tomme de Savoie: Grey-rinded mountain cheese of the Savoie
Red Leicester: English cheese coloured with annatto
Chihuahua cheese: Mennonite cheese of northern Mexico

Good to know

Keep cut semi-hard cheese wrapped in paper inside a loose bag in the vegetable drawer of the fridge.
Cut from a block with a wire or a long, thin knife for clean slices.
Grate it cold, but serve it at room temperature.
Waxed cheeses keep for months unopened.

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.

Semi-hard on EveryCheese

The cheeses written up so far, best known first.

🇸🇪 SwedenHushållsost A mild, semi-hard Swedish cow's-milk cheese aged for about two months.Cow · Semi-hard · Tangy and lactic

🇬🇧 United KingdomCornish Yarg A semi-hard cow's milk cheese from Cornwall wrapped in nettle leaves.Cow · Semi-hard · Tangy and lactic

🇮🇹 ItalyMonte Veronese A semi-hard cow's-milk cheese from Verona with fresh and aged varieties.Cow · Semi-hard · Sweet and caramel

🇮🇹 ItalyValtellina CaseraCasera de la Valtolina A semi-hard cow's milk cheese from the Sondrio province of Italy, aged for a complex flavour.Cow · Semi-hard · Tangy and lactic

🇸🇪 SwedenPrästost A semi-hard Swedish cow's-milk cheese with a mild, nutty flavour and a washed rind.Cow · Semi-hard · Nutty

🇨🇭 Switzerland and 1 moreVacherin Fribourgeois A Swiss semi-hard washed-rind cheese from the canton of Fribourg with a resiny taste.Cow · Semi-hard · Tangy and lactic

🇮🇹 ItalyRagusano A firm stretched-curd cow's-milk cheese from Sicily with protected status.Cow · Stretched curd

🇫🇷 FranceTomme des PyrénéesToma de Pirenèus A rustic pressed cheese from the French Pyrenees, made from cow, sheep or goat milk.Cow · Semi-hard · Salty

🇮🇹 ItalyFormaggio di fossa A sharp Italian cheese aged in sealed underground pits for a distinct anaerobic fermentation.Cow · Semi-hard · Sharp and tangy-aged

🇪🇸 SpainSan Simón da Costa A pear-shaped, smoked cow's milk cheese from Galicia with a smooth brown rind.Cow · Semi-hard · Salty 🇮🇹 ItalySalvaSalva cremasco A washed-rind cow's milk cheese from Lombardy, aged for several months.Cow · Washed rind · Savoury and brothy

🇺🇸 United StatesColby-Jack A mild American semi-hard cheese made by blending Colby and Monterey Jack curds.Cow · Semi-hard

🇧🇷 BrazilQueijo Coalho A squeaky, semi-hard cow's-milk cheese from Brazil, often grilled on sticks.Cow · Semi-hard · Salty 🇮🇹 ItalySpressa delle Giudicarie A semi-hard cow's milk cheese from the Giudicarie valley in Trentino-Alto Adige.Cow · Semi-hard · Nutty

🇬🇷 GreeceMetsovoneΜετσοβόνε A semi-hard smoked pasta filata cheese from the Greek village of Metsovo.Cow · Semi-hard · Savoury and brothy

🇲🇽 MexicoCotija A salty, aged cow's milk cheese from Michoacán that crumbles but does not melt.Cow · Semi-hard · Salty 🇧🇷 BrazilColony cheesequeijo de colônia A semi-hard cow's-milk cheese from southern Brazil with a yellow crust and creamy interior.Cow · Semi-hard · Tangy and lactic

🇮🇹 ItalyCacioricotta A southern Italian cheese made from milk and whey using a hybrid method.Sheep · Semi-hard · Savoury and brothy

🇪🇸 SpainCasín cheesequeso Casin A semi-hard cow's-milk cheese from southern Asturias with a protected origin status.Cow · Semi-hard · Savoury and brothy

🇮🇹 ItalyFormai de Mut dell'Alta Valle Brembana A semi-hard cow's milk cheese from the high pastures of Lombardy, Italy.Cow · Semi-hard · Sweet and caramel

🇳🇱 NetherlandsBoerenkaas A Dutch semi-hard raw milk cheese with TSG protection, often spiced and farm-made.Cow · Semi-hard · Salty

🇧🇷 BrazilCanastra cheese A raw cow's-milk cheese from Brazil's Serra da Canastra highlands.Cow · Semi-hard · Savoury and brothy 🇨🇱 ChileChanco A semi-hard Chilean cow's milk cheese with a soft texture and low lactose.Cow · Semi-hard

🇪🇸 SpainMallorcaformatge mallorquí A semi-hard cow, goat or sheep milk cheese from the Balearic Islands with an olive-oiled rind.Cow · Semi-hard · Milky and fresh

🇺🇾 UruguayColoniaQueso Colonia A semi-hard Uruguayan cheese with pale yellow paste and small eyes, inspired by Emmental.Cow · Semi-hard

🇷🇺 RussiaRussian cheeseРоссийский сыр A semi-hard cow's milk cheese aged for two months, developed in the Soviet Union.Cow · Semi-hard · Tangy and lactic 🇧🇷 BrazilQueijo prato A mild, semi-hard Brazilian cow's milk cheese with a yellow paste and low salt content.Cow · Semi-hard · Salty

🇮🇹 ItalyCaprino An Italian goat's-milk cheese made in fresh or aged styles across several regions.Goat · Fresh · Tangy and lactic 🇮🇹 ItalyProvola silana A semi-hard stretched-curd cheese from the Sila mountains of southern Italy.Cow · Semi-hard

🇮🇹 ItalyPallone di Gravina A firm pasta filata cow's milk cheese from southern Italy, aged for at least a year.Cow · Stretched curd · Nutty 🇺🇸 United StatesBrick cheese A Wisconsin cow's-milk cheese shaped like a brick with an orange rind.Cow · Semi-hard · Sweet and caramel

🇨🇴 ColombiaPaipa cheeseQueso Paipa A semi-hard cow's-milk cheese from the Valley of Sogamoso in Colombia.Cow · Semi-hard 🇳🇱 NetherlandsParrano A semi-firm Dutch cow's milk cheese aged five months with a nutty, salty-sweet profile.Cow · Semi-hard · Nutty 🇳🇱 Netherlands and 1 moreMaaslander A mild Dutch cow's milk Gouda with reduced salt and distinctive striped rinds.Cow · Semi-hard · Salty 🇫🇷 France and 1 moreMaredsous A semi-hard cow's milk washed-rind cheese with an orange crust and pungent aroma.Cow · Semi-hard · Pungent and funky 🇺🇸 United StatesPinconning cheese A semi-hard American Colby-style cow's milk cheese aged to various sharpness levels.Cow · Semi-hard · Sharp and tangy-aged 🇬🇧 United KingdomLittle Derby A semi-hard cow's milk cheese from England with a washed red wine rind.Cow · Semi-hard · Savoury and brothy 🇬🇧 United KingdomDorset Drum A small cylindrical farmhouse cheddar from west Dorset, clothbound and matured for six to nine months.Cow · Semi-hard · Savoury and brothy

🇨🇦 CanadaBleu d'Élizabeth A thermized cow's milk blue cheese from Sainte-Élizabeth-de-Warwick, Quebec.Cow · Semi-hard · Buttery and creamy 🇦🇹 AustriaMondseer A semi-hard Austrian cow's milk cheese with a washed rind and mild sharp taste.Cow · Semi-hard · Sweet and caramel

🇫🇷 FranceBrouère A firm cow's-milk cheese from the Vosges, aged in wooden molds with artisan patterns.Cow · Semi-hard

🇮🇹 ItalyProvola A semi-hard stretched curd cheese from southern Italy, often smoked or aged.Cow · Semi-hard · Sweet and caramel 🇬🇧 United KingdomSuffolk Gold A semi-hard cow's milk cheese from Suffolk with a buttery taste.Cow · Semi-hard · Buttery and creamy

🇨🇦 CanadaFriulano A rindless Canadian cow's-milk cheese with a salty hazelnut flavour, aged to improve its character.Cow · Semi-hard · Salty

🇦🇷 ArgentinaProvoleta A firm Argentine pulled-curd provolone cheese shaped for grilling and served with spices.Cow · Stretched curd · Savoury and brothy

🇪🇬 EgyptEgyptian cheeseجبنة (gebna) A broad category of cheeses central to Egyptian cuisine, ranging from fresh white types to aged blue varieties.Cow · Fresh · Salty

🇺🇸 United StatesMonterey Jack A mild, semi-hard cow's milk cheese from California with a creamy texture and slight sweetness.Cow · Semi-hard · Sweet and caramel

🇬🇧 United KingdomCheddar A pressed cow's-milk cheese from England, defined by the cheddaring process and long aging.Cow · Semi-hard · Nutty

Photo credits on this page

The small pictures above come from Wikimedia Commons under free licences. Some are cropped to fit.

Provola: Enzian44, CC BY 3.0, source
Brouère: Ermitage, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
Valtellina Casera: Distretto Agroalimentare di Qualità della Valtellina, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
Friesian Clove: Takeaway, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
Formaggio di fossa: Zeugma fr ( talk ) (Antoine FLEURY-GOBERT), CC BY-SA 3.0, source
Cornish Yarg: Tristan Ferne, CC BY 2.0, source
Monte Veronese: La Casara Caseificio Dal 1920, CC BY 2.0, source
Prästost: Nordelch, CC BY 3.0, source
Tomme des Pyrénées: Julie333411, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
San Simón da Costa: Tamorlan, CC BY 3.0, source
Colby-Jack: Stephen Shep, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
Russian cheese: Original photo by User:Водник , label removal by User:Алексей Гоманков, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
Vacherin Fribourgeois: Tombat24, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
Ragusano: Popaitaly, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
Caprino: Number55, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
Hushållsost: Grönmossan, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
Metsovone: C messier, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
Cotija: Leslie Seaton, CC BY 2.0, source
Pallone di Gravina: Antucco at Italian Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
Queijo Coalho: Carioca, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
Formai de Mut dell'Alta Valle Brembana: MOs810, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
Casín cheese: Shalbat, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
Cacioricotta: Andrew Green, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
Paipa cheese: Lácteos CampoReal, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
Canastra cheese: [https://www.flickr.com/people/8100764@N03 Marcelo Costa ], CC BY 2.0, source
Colonia: Coquimbo58, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
Mallorca: Tamorlan, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
Friulano: VerifiedCactus, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
Monterey Jack: Daniel Olsen ( talk ), CC BY 1.0, source
Bleu d'Élizabeth: Lëa-Kim Châteauneuf, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
Provoleta: Horacio Cambeiro, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
Cheddar: Gary Bembridge, CC BY 2.0, source
Egyptian cheese: Tour d'Afrique, CC BY 2.0, source