Cheese - Semi Hard

Semi-hard cheeses are cheeses that are firm in texture, but not as dry and crumbly a hard cheese. They are easy to slice thinly. They are often semi-cooked and pressed to remove excess whey. Examples include Cheddar such the clothbound classics from Keens, Quickes or Montgomery’s, or, aged stretched curd (pasta filata) cheeses such as provolone and large mountain cheeses such as Comte from France.

A cheese's firmness is mainly a result of two factors: a cheese's age and its moisture content. Cheeses with a low moisture content tend to be semi-hard, such as Gouda, Emmental, and Gruyère.

These styles of cheese use recipes and methods that remove more moisture from the cheese than any other style. Lower water activity reduces the risk of undesirable bacteria whereby preserving the milk and providing long shelf life.