Cheese Quiz

1. How many varieties of cheese does France reportedly produce?

1. Over 1,000
2. Over 100
3. Over 200
4. Over 400

2. Roquefort cheese must be aged in caves in which French region?

1. Alsace
2. Burgundy
3. Normandy
4. Roquefort-sur-Soulzon, Aveyron

3. What is the difference between hard and soft cheeses in terms of moisture?

1. Hard cheeses are older; soft cheeses are younger only
2. Hard cheeses have lower moisture content (pressed and aged longer); soft cheeses have higher moisture
3. Soft cheeses always use goat's milk
4. The distinction is purely about shape

4. Halloumi is a firm, squeaky cheese that is famously grilled or fried. It originates from which island?

1. Crete
2. Cyprus
3. Malta
4. Sardinia

5. What animal's milk is Manchego cheese traditionally made from?

1. Buffalo
2. Cow
3. Goat
4. Sheep

6. What is 'affinage' in the context of cheesemaking?

1. Adding mould cultures to blue cheese
2. The curdling of milk
3. The final coating of wax or cloth
4. The initial curdling process
5. The maturing and ageing of cheese — the art of turning young cheese into a finished product

7. Which country consumes the most cheese per capita in the world?

1. Denmark
2. France
3. Greece
4. Italy

8. What gives blue cheeses like Gorgonzola and Stilton their characteristic blue-green veins?

1. Food colouring added during production
2. Mineral deposits from cave ageing
3. Natural oxidation of the cheese over time
4. Penicillium mould spores introduced to the cheese and allowed to grow through air channels

9. Gruyère originates from which country?

1. Austria
2. France
3. Germany
4. Switzerland

10. What is the texture and taste profile of fresh mozzarella di bufala (buffalo mozzarella)?

1. Firm, mild, and slightly rubbery like block mozzarella
2. Hard, salty, and crumbly like feta
3. Soft, milky, slightly tangy, and elastic — releasing cream when cut
4. Spreadable and strongly flavoured

11. Which English cheese is named after a village in Somerset where it was traditionally sold rather than made?

1. Cheddar
2. Double Gloucester
3. Red Leicester
4. Wensleydale

12. What is cheese fondue traditionally made from and which countries are most associated with it?

1. Cheddar and beer — UK and Ireland
2. Gouda melted with mustard — Netherlands
3. Gruyère and Emmental melted in white wine — Switzerland and France
4. Mozzarella in tomato sauce — Italy

13. Burrata is a fresh Italian cheese. How does it differ from mozzarella?

1. It has a mozzarella shell filled with stracciatella and cream
2. It is aged for 6 months; mozzarella is fresh
3. It is made from sheep's milk; mozzarella from buffalo
4. It is smoked; mozzarella is not

14. Which Scandinavian cheese is brown, sweet, and made from whey?

1. Brunost
2. Havarti
3. Jarlsberg
4. Räucherkäse

15. What is 'pasteurisation' in the context of cheese, and why do some artisan cheesemakers prefer raw milk?

1. A French technique for adding cultures
2. Adding salt to preserve cheese; artisans prefer no salt
3. Ageing cheese in cool cellars; raw milk is aged at room temperature
4. Heating milk to kill pathogens; raw milk cheesemakers argue pasteurisation kills flavour-giving microorganisms

16. Pecorino Romano is an ancient Italian sheep's milk cheese. 'Pecorino' means what in Italian?

1. Hard cheese
2. Of sheep
3. Roman-style
4. Salt-cured

17. Emmental cheese — known for its large holes — comes from which country?

1. Denmark
2. France
3. Netherlands
4. Switzerland

18. What is 'affinage' in cheese — and what does a 'fromager-affineur' do?

1. Adds flavourings after production
2. Makes cheese from scratch
3. Sells cheese wholesale
4. Specialises in maturing and developing cheeses, creating optimal ageing conditions for each variety

19. Which blue cheese is made in Stilton, Leicestershire, and has PDO protection in the UK?

1. Bleu d'Auvergne
2. Dolcelatte
3. Gorgonzola
4. Stilton

20. The term 'cheese' in 'big cheese' (meaning an important person) — where does this slang phrase originate?

1. From Napoleon's fondness for demanding the finest cheeses
2. From the size of wheels of Parmesan, indicating wealth
3. From the Urdu/Hindi word 'chiz' meaning 'thing' — 'the real chiz' meaning the real thing
4. From Victorian England's cheese-rolling festivals rewarding the winner