| Term | Definition |
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| California Cheese Categories | California cheeses are commonly organized into five categories: Fresh, Soft & Soft-Ripened, Semi-Hard & Hard, Very Hard, and Spiced & Flavored. The California Milk Advisory Board
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| Camembert | Uses are same as for Brie. (Similar to Brie, but with slightly more flavor, White, Soft crust with soft, creamy white interior)
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| Carmody | A firm, flavorful, smooth-textured table cheese that also melts well. Typically aged four to six months. (Medium sharp, Light yellow, Firm)
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| Casein | The most important protein in milk for cheesemaking. Coagulated casein can hold moisture like a sponge, then shrink and expel moisture when exposed to acid and heat. It is modified during the fermentation and ripening of cheese to create the structure and flavor of the cheese. The California Milk Advisory Board
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| Caseophile | A cheese lover. Also known as a turophile.
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| Cave | A room, sometimes underground, where cheeses are left to ripen. Some cheeses, like Roquefort, are ripened in caves from which they pick up bacteria that give them their distinctive flavors. The California Milk Advisory Board
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| Cellar | A room, sometimes underground, where cheeses are left to ripen. Some cheeses, like Roquefort, are ripened in caves from which they pick up bacteria that give them their distinctive flavors. The California Milk Advisory Board
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| Chantaleno | Hispanic-style cheese similar to Cotija. It is used the same way as Cotija in cooked foods. (Salty, flavorful, White, Semi-firm to firm)
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| Cheddar | Refers to any cheese made by the traditional process known as "cheddaring". Cheddaring means cutting curds into small pieces, cooking them, then stacking the cut pieces to allow them the whey to drain. There is no trademark protection for the word cheddar and it can be made anywhere. However, Cheddar is most commonly associated with English farmhouse cheddar cheeses, some of which are members of Royalty Cheesedom (Montgomery's and Keen's). These cheeses are made in Somerset, U.K. from raw cow's milk, cream-colored without orange dye added, and typically wrapped in cloth. The Gourmet Cheese Detective
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| Cheddar (Raw Milk) | Unpasteurized (raw) milk plus aging gives cheddar a delicious sharpness. Eaten as is and with crackers, bread, or fruit. (Sharp, aged, White, Firm)
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| Cheddaring | A cheese production technique where the curd is cut into blocks, which are turned and stacked at the bottom of the cheese vat at intervals of ten to fifteen minutes for about one-and-a-half hours. This is an additional step in the production of Cheddar-style cheeses, and one of the most complex techniques in cheesemaking. The California Milk Advisory Board
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| Cheesemonger | A person who sells cheese. The California Milk Advisory Board
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| Chevre Cheese | Chevre is the French word for goat and goat cheese is characterized by its whiteness and tangy, distinctive flavor.
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| Clabber | Clabber essentially means the same thing as curdle, except that clabbered milk is allowed to curdle naturally by souring without adding any rennet or starter culture. It often refers to an old-fashioned version of thickened cream. The California Milk Advisory Board
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| Close | Used to describe a cheese's texture: A close-textured cheese is one which is smooth, unblemished and devoid of holes or cracks.
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