Discover 14 Cheeses That Start With A

With around 1800 types of cheese to choose from, there’s something for everyone. Each cheese offers its own flavor, texture, and (sometimes interesting) odor. Whether you’re creating a themed alliterative event or trying to eat your way through the world’s cheeses from A to Z, don’t miss these 14 cheeses that start with A to kick off your journey.

1. Abondance

This nutty, aromatic, semi-hard cheese is from the Abondance village in South Eastern France. Abondance has a rich history, dating back to the 11th century. Monks of the Abondance Abbey developed this cheese as a form of currency and even presented it to Pope Clement VII as a delicacy. Its ongoing success is considered a lifesaver for this small town that may have otherwise succumbed to financial and economic turmoil over the centuries.

Abondance pairs well with dry, red, and white French wines. Its taste is often compared to Beaufort and other French cheeses.

2. Airedale

This organic cheese is named for the Airedale farming district in New Zealand, where it’s produced from cow’s milk. Airedale cheese is made with vegetarian rennet, an enzyme crucial to the cheese thickening process. Rennet is typically made from animal byproducts, as vegetarian rennet can be inconsistent and impact the flavor (for better or worse).

Airedale has a grassy aroma and salty, tangy flavor. This semi-soft cheese is a white-yellow color encased in a red rind and pairs well with dry red wines like Grenache and Zinfandel.

3. Amalthée

This mild cheese is often compared to brie in taste and texture. A soft cheese with a barely-there rind, Amalthée is primarily produced in the Charentes-Poitou region of France. Charentes-Poitou is renowned for goat cheese, with other incredible options like Bonde de Gatine and Clochette.

Amalthée has a mild flavor with a touch of sweetness, making it perfect on top of salty crackers or crusty breads. This cheese pairs well with fruity wines, like Rieslings or Moscato for white wine lovers or Pinot Noir or Merlot for red wine lovers. Of course, you can always split the difference and choose a rosé!

4. American Cheese Slices

It wouldn’t be a list of cheeses that start with A without mentioning this American legend. A true standout among the artisan cheeses on the list, American cheese — also known as cheese slices — is a highly processed cheddar cheese often served with burgers, melted over nachos, or as a staple ingredient in a classic grilled cheese.

While it may seem like an outlier, this engineered cheese revolutionized the food industry. Several food producers and countries claim this recipe as their own.

American cheese as we know it today is based on a formulation dating back to Switzerland in 1911, which used emmental as the core ingredient. Renowned Canadian food producer J.L. Kraft used the basics of this formulation, swapped emmental for cheddar, and patented the first shelf-stable cheese product, which would later become the iconic Kraft singles and foundation of Kraft Mac & Cheese (Kraft Dinner if you’re Canadian). So, this cheese originated in Switzerland and was executed by a Canadian-born food producer in America.

While American cheese isn’t considered a true cheese due to its formulation, it’s worthy of an honorable mention. This cheese pairs well with comfort food, childhood memories, and your favorite nostalgic drink.

5. Amsterdammer

Don’t let the name fool you: Canada is the top producer of Amsterdammer cheese. This gouda-esque cheese is a tribute to the Netherlands, taking their tried and true formulations and creating a milder alternative.

This semi-hard cheese melts well with a buttery flavor and aroma, making it a great alternative to Gouda. Natural Pastures Cheese Company in British Columbia, Canada, gets credit for this formulation, though you can find other brands’ formulations as far as New Zealand.

Pair this cheese with a fruity red, like Merlot, or a fruity white, like a Reisling.

6. Anari

This soft Greek cheese is comparable to ricotta or cottage cheese in texture and flavor. Cheesemakers create this cheese from byproducts generated during the production of better-known Greek cheeses, like halloumi.

Anari is creamy and flaky with a short lifespan and a mild, salty flavor. Anari is a delicious breakfast cheese, like cottage cheese, especially when paired with honey and fruit. You can also dry this cheese and crumble it over pasta.

Pair with a light, citrusy wine like the Greek Moschofilero or Pinot Grigio.

7. Anthotyros

This soft Greek cheese is a regional variation of anari. While the core process and flavors are the same, Anthotyros has a longer processing period with additional salt added to create a firmer texture. Many people refer to Anari and Anthotyros interchangeably.

Anthotyros also goes well with breakfast, especially when paired with honey, jams, and fruit. Its elevated saltiness also makes it ideal in savory dishes paired with olives.

Pair with a light, citrusy wine like the Greek Moschofilero or Pinot Grigio.

8. Appenzeller

Swiss cheesemakers created this hard cheese in Appenzellerland (Appenzell) over 700 years ago. This iconic cheese has a wide range of flavors, depending on how long it was aged. Depending on what you choose, you may experience a mild aroma and fruity, nutty flavor or a bold aroma and bite with a sharp tang. The longer the aging process, the bolder the taste.

You can find versions of Appenzeller cheese with holes or without. Pair this cheese with a fruity red, like Merlot, or a fruity white, like a Reisling.

9. Applewood Smoked Cheddar

Applewood Smoked Cheddar is another well-known selection in the list of cheeses that start with A. Sometimes referred to simply as “applewood,” this English take on cheddar deserves a standalone mention. This delicious tree originates in Somerset, England. Cheesemakers craft this simple yet tasty semi-hard cheese by smoking cheddar with apple tree wood chips and dusting it with paprika.

Pair with a Shiraz or Merlot to bring out the flavors, or get creative and pour a glass of hard apple cider.

10. Armenian String Cheese

While grouped with cheeses that start with A, this delicious delicacy is known locally as Chechil. This traditional Armenian cheese gets its name from its unique, yarn-like appearance. Cheesemakers pull and braid the cheese throughout the process to give it the unique, fibrous texture and appearance that made it famous. Shops and cheesemakers store this cheese in a salty brine, but you can rinse it to adjust the flavor.

The flavor and texture of Armenian String Cheese is comparable to fresh mozzarella, except instead of cutting slices, you get the joy of peeling off strings until you have your desired serving! The core flavor is mild and salty, though many cheese artisans add herbs and spices to their formulation.

This mild cheese pairs well with a glass of red or white Zinfandel.

11. Asiago

Of the cheeses that start with A, Asiago is well-known. In fact, Asiago is one of the most recognized cheeses in North America and is a common ingredient in dips and sauces. However, Asiago, like Champagne, has D.O.P. status. That means only Asiago produced in Italy’s Vicenza and Trento provinces are authentic Asiago products. If you see cheese listed as Asiago D.O.P., it’s the real deal.

This famous cheese boasts various textures and flavors, which vary depending on the aging process. The Asiago Pressato (Fresh Asiago) aging process typically takes no longer than a month. Fresh Asiago traditionally contains raw, unpasteurized milk. However, North American versions use pasteurized milk to comply with food regulations. This mild and smooth variation makes it perfect for melting and adding to dips.

Asiago d’Allevo (Aged Asiago) is harder, with a bolder flavor and crumbly texture. The aging process takes anywhere from a few months to a couple of years. You’d typically serve this on a cheese board or grate it like parmesan.

Asiago pairs well with fruity red wines like Merlot and sweet white wines like Riesling.

12. Azeitão

The locals call this flavorful and pungent Portuguese cheese Queijo de Azeitão (cheese of Azeitão, a village). This semi-soft cheese has a buttery, creamy center, a pudding-like consistency, and a salty, savory flavor. Some note a lingering tanginess.

The Portuguese people are proud of this delicious cheese and recommend travelers add Azeitão to their list of stops to give it a try. Pair this flavorful cheese with a vibrant, sparkling wine from the Palmela region.

13. Añejo Enchilado

Like Asiago, Añejo Enchilado has a wide range of textures and flavors depending on its age. Less-aged formulations are softer and crumbly, while more-aged formulations harden, requiring cutting or grating to consume.

Many compare the flavor of this Mexican cheese to parmesan, with a punch of flavor from the paprika coating and a hefty dose of saltiness. Some prefer to swap it out with Cotija, which is similar in flavor and texture but typically made with cow’s milk instead of goat’s milk.

This cheese pairs best with light, crisp white wines, like Chardonnay or Sauvignon Blanc, or take it up a notch with a sparkling white.

14. Ädelost

Blue cheese may be an acquired taste, but Sweden has nailed it with Ädelost. This veiny cheese is semi-soft and creamy with a bold flavor and pungent aroma. It’s salty and tangy with a lingering bite. Some call this the Swedish take on French blue cheese.

Like other blue cheeses, you can pair Ädelost with fruity or floral wines. Try a Muscat, Sauvignon Blanc, or Cabernet Sauvignon.

A Summary of Cheeses That Start With A

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