Who doesn't love cheese? And we've got an entire world to thank for it. Inspired by watching the US embrace National Cheese Lover's Day this week, we've been thinking about our fave cheeses. Below are 13 different types of cheese from around the world (and some recipes to boot). Enjoy!
Paneer or Indian cottage cheese is a staple in several North Indian dishes. The very soft and mild cheese, it's usually served in gravy, or deep fried with seasoning. You can even give it a sweet twist with ! Labne (or labna) blurs the line between cheese and yogurt. Some people even call it a "strained yogurt", thanks to it's thick curd-slash-whey texture. Labne is very sour, not sharp, which compliments many Mediterranean and Middle Eastern dishes. Best of all, you can make it at home. Click for our easy recipe. 3. Manchego (Spain)
Grilled corn with chipotle butter and manchego Source: Benito Martin
Feta is made from a combination of sheep and goat's milk and takes about three months to age. This brined cheese is made by soaking freshly pressed curd into salty water. Typically, brittle and crumbly in texture, Greek feta is a famous addition to salads (like the one above), pastries (hello !), or enjoyed on its own. 5. Danish feta (Denmark)
Unlike its Greek counterpart, Danish feta is typically lighter and creamier. Not aged for quite as long, Danish feta is also used in savoury, with salmon usually, or in dessert dishes.
Traditionally made from sheep's milk, this blue moldy cheese takes five months to age. Sharp and crumbly, with notes of sweet and nutty flavours, Roquefort is best paired with nuts and honey so pop it in a salad with . Gouda is a semi-hard cheese, and similar to cheddar in that it comes in a variety of intensities. Long-aged goudas, that is aged for over a year, have the consistency of a hard parmesan. However, young goudas are soft and have the ability to melt. Oh and Gabriel Gaté's are AMAZING! Cheesy fondue for days. Source: Alan Benson
9. Cotija (Mexico)
A native Mexican cheese, cotija is found topped upon many of our favourite Mexican dishes. But what makes this cheese rather special is that you can eat it at different times of the aging process. Cojita's flavour profile changes as it ages, starting out mild and salty, like a young feta, and then maturing to a nuttier, drier, and sharper cheese over three months.
10. Cheddar (England)
Cheddar originated in Somerset, England and its name is a reference to the curdling process the cheese uses - "to cheddar". Milk is cooked and then milled into tiny pieces. Those pieces are then pressed together to form a block. It's this cheddarring process that gives the cheese its distinct nutty quality. The cheese comes in several varieties ranging from the sharpest of sharps to the creamy milds. It's a sure bet in . 11. Haloumi (Cyprus)
Homemade haloumi Source: SBS Food
12. Mozzarella (Italy)
Italy is known for its famous cheeses. But Mozzarella is a stand out amongst them all. Made from pulled-curd of water buffalo milk (tradionally speaking that is.), making this cheese is a labour intensive process. () For starters, the curds are heated in warm water, stretched and massaged until smooth, and then rolled into balls. This mild cheese can be enjoyed on it's own with a bit of seasoning, or melted to cheesy perfection! 
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