Deli and Cheese

Foodie Fresh

Whether you’re looking for a specialty cheese that pairs perfectly with your favorite beverage or sliced meats and cheeses for a sandwich masterpiece, you are sure to find what you are looking for at Culinaria. We proudly feature Boar’s Head meats and cheeses along with our own line of Schnucks Select products. Don’t worry; we still have the St. Louis favorites Volpi Genoa salami and Provel cheese as well. Everything is sliced fresh for you, to your specifications.
We offer a quality selection of specialty cheese featuring both imports and American cheesemakers. Whenever possible, we source our cheeses whole so they can be custom cut in the store and offered in the best possible condition.

• Deli Meats and Cheeses
  • Boar’s Head
  • Schnucks Select

Vicki Decker-Smith Specialty Cheese Category Manager

Explore our varieties of cheese! Learn more about the different types of cheese, their consistency and flavor. Take your new knowledge of cheese to your next party by visiting Culinaria and picking up your favorite variety!

 

Fresh Soft Cheeses

• Unripened cheeses that are ready to eat are called fresh cheeses. These young cheeses have a tangy, fresh and mild flavor. Creamy, silky fresh soft cheeses have a moisture content about 60% and often have the bright whiteness of fresh milk.

• Examples include Crème Fraiche, Boursin, French Herb Roule, Chevre, Feta, Fresh Mozzarella, Mascarpone and Ricotta.

• Pairs with crisp, light white wines like Sauvignon Blanc or Pinot Grigio.

• Enjoy with figs, berries, plums, jams, fresh herbs, nuts and pita bread.   

Buyers Recommendation: In the summer months, nothing is better than fresh sliced mozzarella with homegrown ripe tomatoes. I like to slice mine with a few sprigs of basil and aromatic olive oil. Add a quick grind of sea salt and pepper and it’s ready to go.

Soft-Ripened Cheeses

• Soft-ripened cheeses are generally made with cow’s milk and can be mild, smooth and buttery to earthy and mushroomy as it ages. Look for a white velvety, edible rind with a semi-soft interior. Can be flavored with ash, blue mold or peppers.

• Examples include Brie, Camembert, St. Andres Triple Crème, Bucheron and Cambozola.

• Pairs well with big red wines like Bourdeaux and Burgundy.

• Serve with berries, grapes, chutney, pecans, croissants and muffins.  

Buyers Recommendation: When you can find it, the La Chatelaine brie is one of the best you’ll ever eat. It’s as close to the raw milk French original as you’ll find on this side of the globe.

Blue Cheeses

• Blue veined cheeses are marbled with a bluish-green mold. They have a tangy, piquant and slightly spicy flavor with a tendency to be sharp and a bit salty. The texture can be moist and creamy or dry and crumbly.

• Examples include French Roquefort, Italian Gorgonzola, English Stilton, Maytag Blue, Danish Blue, Saga Blue and Rosenborg Blue.

• Mild blue cheese pairs nicely with light, fruity white wines. Piquant blue cheese is great with robust, spicy red wines. Pair saltier blue cheese with sweeter wines like Zinfandel or Chardonnay.

• Serve with apples, pear paste, honey, nuts and French or Italian breads. 

Buyers Recommendation: My favorite right now is Dolce Gorgonzola from Italy or Sartori Foods. It’s sweet and creamy with nice finish. I always want a steak and big red wine when I taste this.

Cheddar Cheeses

• Cheddar is a popular cheese that has a smooth, firm texture and a rich, nutty flavor. As cheddar ages, the texture becomes more granular and the flavor is sharper. Traditionally a light straw color, cheddar can be colored orange with annatto.

• Examples include mild, Hoop, Aged English Cheddar, Black Diamond, Vermont and New York.

• Enjoy with a full-bodied Chardonnay or Merlot as well as Syrah or Cabernet Sauvignon.

• Serve with apples, melons, dates, prosciutto, chutney and sourdough bread.    

Buyers Recommendation: We are in the Midwest and cheddar is king. We have yellow and white from all over the country and some really nice selections from England as well. You can’t go wrong.

Semi-Soft Cheeses

• Semi-soft cheeses range from mild and buttery to pungent, earthy and full flavored. The texture is creamy with a very light to rich yellow color. Cheese classified as semi-soft when young, like Gouda, will become harder during the aging process.

• Examples include Havarti, Edam, Gouda, Doux De Montagne, Jackby, Colby Longhorn, and Monterey Jack.

• Pair with light red wines such as Beaujolais, Pinot Noir or fruity white wines like Riesling or Gewürztraminer.    

• Serve with figs, peaches, melons, grapes, cashews, cured meats, pesto and water crackers.

Buyers Recommendation: It’s an old stand by, but Havarti is one that never fails to please a crowd. Spice it with our Peppadew or Horseradish versions.

Semi-Hard Cheeses

• Semi-hard cheeses have a wonderfully complex flavor with a balance of earthiness, sweetness and sometimes a buttery flavor. As these cheeses age, they become more firm, more pungent and crumbly.

• Examples include Manchego, Gruyere, Jarlsberg, Swiss, Cabra A Vino, Beemster Classic, Parrano Gouda, Dry Jack and Bellavitano.

• Pair milder cheese with Sauvignon Blanc, Chenin Blanc or Chardonnay. More aged cheese is great with heavier red wines like Cabernet or Zinfandel.

• Serve with figs, apples, dates, walnuts, pistachios, peppers and sourdough, rye or wheat breads.      

Buyers Recommendation: The Beemster cheeses from Holland are tough to beat. If they are good enough for the Netherlands royal family, they are probably good enough for me.

Hard Cheeses

• Hard cheeses are usually very low in moisture with a granular texture and robust flavor. They are pale yellow with a buttery, sweet and nutty taste that intensifies with age.

• Examples include Parmigiano-Reggiano, Pecorino Romano, Asiago, and Grana Padana.

• Great paired with a full bodied Chardonnay, Merlot, Cabernet or Pinot Noir.

• Serve with figs, pears, mirabelles, prosciutto, pasta, olive oil, garlic and crusty breads.

Buyers Recommendation: Parmegiano-Reggiano, enough said.

Processed Cheeses

• These cheeses are heat treated and generally a blend of several natural cheeses. Cheeses in this category are often flavored and blended with spices. They have some of the best meltability in the case.

• Examples include American, Provel, Cheese Balls, Alouette Spreads, Hoffman Cheese Bars, cubes and cracker-style cuts.  

• Pair with light, fruity wines.

• Serve with apples, grapes, breads and crackers.      

Buyers Recommendation: Give them a break, they are the perfect melters.