Ways to use this list
- Geography and food lesson: spin a cheese, read its country in the list below, and find the place it is made on a map.
- Cheese board for guests: spin once each from Soft and fresh, Hard and aged and Blue cheeses, then add one wildcard.
- Toastie lab: spin two cheeses from Melts well and grill them together between two slices of bread.
- Tasting club: buy a small piece of whatever the wheel picks each week and score it for smell, texture and flavour.
- Pizza night twist: swap some of the mozzarella for the cheese you spin, such as Taleggio, Gorgonzola or Fontina.
Press Spin the wheel, tap the game or press the Space bar. Change the list in the box as you
like: add your own, delete what doesn't suit you, or write *2 after an entry to give it double the
chance. The game buttons switch the same list to a duck race, hat, claw machine and more.
The full list (57 entries)
- Cheddar – England
- Stilton – England
- Wensleydale – England
- Red Leicester – England
- Double Gloucester – England
- Lancashire – England
- Cheshire – England
- Caerphilly – Wales
- Brie – France
- Camembert – France
- Roquefort – France
- Comté – France
- Reblochon – France
- Munster – France
- Mimolette – France
- Époisses – France
- Goat's cheese – made in many countries, famously France
- Gruyère – Switzerland
- Emmental – Switzerland
- Raclette – Switzerland
- Gouda – Netherlands
- Edam – Netherlands
- Mozzarella – Italy
- Burrata – Italy
- Parmesan (Parmigiano Reggiano) – Italy
- Pecorino Romano – Italy
- Grana Padano – Italy
- Gorgonzola – Italy
- Ricotta – Italy
- Mascarpone – Italy
- Provolone – Italy
- Fontina – Italy
- Taleggio – Italy
- Asiago – Italy
- Manchego – Spain
- Cabrales – Spain
- Mahón – Spain
- Feta – Greece
- Kefalotyri – Greece
- Halloumi – Cyprus
- Havarti – Denmark
- Danish blue – Denmark
- Butterkäse – Germany
- Quark – Germany and central Europe
- Brunost – Norway
- Juustoleipä – Finland
- Monterey Jack – USA
- Colby – USA
- Pepper Jack – USA
- Cream cheese – USA, in its modern spreadable form
- Paneer – India and South Asia
- Queso fresco – Mexico
- Cotija – Mexico
- Oaxaca – Mexico
- Queijo minas – Brazil
- Labneh – Middle East (strained yoghurt cheese)
- Kesong puti – Philippines
Questions people ask
Which cheeses don't melt when cooked?
Halloumi, paneer, juustoleipä and kefalotyri soften but hold their shape, so they can be grilled or fried. Paneer is set with acid rather than rennet, and halloumi curds are heated in whey, and both of these stop the cheese from running.
Why does Swiss cheese have holes?
The holes in Emmental, called eyes, are bubbles of carbon dioxide made by bacteria as the cheese ripens. Swiss researchers found that tiny specks of hay in the milk help the bubbles form, which is why very clean modern milk can mean fewer holes.
What is the difference between Parmesan and Parmigiano Reggiano?
In the EU, Parmesan can only mean Parmigiano Reggiano, made in a set area of northern Italy and aged for at least 12 months. Elsewhere, including the US, "parmesan" is often used for any similar hard grating cheese.
Which cheeses on the list are made from sheep or goat milk?
Roquefort, Manchego and Pecorino Romano are sheep's milk cheeses, feta is sheep's milk with up to 30 per cent goat's milk, and halloumi is traditionally a mix of goat and sheep milk. Goat's cheese, as the name says, is all goat.
How many cheeses should go on a cheese board?
Three to five is plenty: one soft, one hard, one blue and one or two surprises. Take them out of the fridge about an hour before serving, because cold cheese has much less flavour.