What makes different types of cheese taste so different?
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The magics of microbiology. Bacteria and fungi digest protein, sugars and fats in the milk to support their own growth. Some may go ham on milk sugars, some may break down fat preferentially, some produce byproducts to inhibit the growth of their competitors, some eat the waste produced by others; it’s a wild party with a packed buffet table. The waste products and by-products of that digestion include aromatic stuff like organic acids, amines, ketones, esters and more. Cheese typically contains considerable microbial diversity which evolves over time and according to various preparation/ripening parameters like temperature, oxygenation, salt, water and fat content, inoculation of the surface or interior with specific bacteria and fungi, etc. There’s also the notion of terroir, whereby the milk has a certain nutrient and aromatic profile based on what the animals eat and both the milk and the preparation/ripening facility have a specific, desirable microbiological composition, leading to a particular combination of flavors and aromas in the finished product.
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