Asiago is an Italian cheese with a nutty, sharp flavor and a light-yellow interior with holes. Asiago is semifirm when young, but grows harder as it ages, making it better suited to grating. (Asiago-Pepper Bread)

Blue cheese has a robust, sharp, tangy flavor. Its white interior with bluish veining and crumbly texture is its distinguishing feature. Some of the world's oldest and most famous cheeses--Stilton, Gorgonzola, Roquefort--are blues. (Mashed Potatoes with Blue Cheese and Parsley)

Brie has a delicate buttery flavor and a soft, thin, edible crust. It should be ripe (soft and springy to the touch) before it is cut. (Brie-and-Caramelized Onion-Stuffed Chicken Breasts)

Cheddar, a perennial favorite, ranges from mild to sharp in flavor and has a slightly nutty state. Depending on its age, cheddar can be cream-colored to deep orange-yellow. (Perfect Pasta and Cheese)

Feta is a semifirm, somewhat crumbly snow-white cheese with a distinctive salty flavor. It is made from ewe's or cow's milk and is usually packed in brine. (Peruvian Sarsa Salad)

Gouda is a semisoft to hard cheese that is smooth with small holes. Flavor ranges from mild and nutty when young to sharp when aged. (Smoked-Gouda Risotto With Spinach and Mushrooms)

Monterey Jack is a semisoft, mild-flavored cheese made from cow's milk. It is named for its originator, David Jacks, who made cheese in the California's Monterey region during the 19th century. (Chicken-and-Rajas Enchiladas)

Mozzarella is smooth and elastic with a mild flavor and creamy white interior. Fresh mozzarella is more sweet and delicate and has a softer texture than its pizza-topping relative. (Spaghetti Alla Norma)

Parmesan is pressed and aged, intensifying its fresh, clean, nutty flavor. It is very hard, granular, and light yellow in color. (Rapid Risotto)

Provolone is smooth and creamy white like mozzarella, but has a smokier, slightly acid flavor. Provolone hardens into a rich-flavored grating cheese as it ages, but in its younger stage, it's great for the table or cooking. (Fresh-Tomato Lasagna)

Ricotta is technically not a cheese, but a byproduct of cheese making. Most ricottas are a combination of milk and the whey left from processing other cheeses. Smoother than cottage cheese, ricotta has a slightly sweet flavor. (Ricotta Cheesecake)

Swiss is the generic name for cheese modeled after Switzerland's Gruyere and Emmental cheeses. Firm, smooth, and pale yellow with large holes, it has a slightly nutty, mellow flavor that grows more intense with age. (Asparagus Tart)

Maximum Cheesiness

Looking to boost flavor? Add dry mustard and a dash of ground red pepper to recipes calling for cheese to make the dish taste cheesier. Also, use goat cheese, blue cheese, feta cheese, or other pungent cheeses in place of a milder cheese for more intense flavor.