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| Starter Culture | Also called a "friendly" culture, starter cultures are added to milk at the start of the cheesemaking process. The cultures change the lactose or milk sugar, the carbohydrate in milk, into lactic acid. This equalizes the pH so the milk protein will form curds when the rennet is added. The cultures used by the cheesemaker are a closely guarded secret as they contribute to the distinct qualities of each cheese. The California Milk Advisory Board
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| Stracchino | Stracchino is a type of Italian cow's-milk cheese, about 50% milkfat, found in the Italian region of Lombardy. The name derives from the Italian word stracca, which means "tired". The belief is that the milk from tired cows is richer in fats and more acidic; according to legend, these qualities were discovered in the milk of "tired" cows that were moved up and down the Alps to different pastures. Gorgonzola is in the stracchino family, but aged.
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| String | A popular snack, especially with children who enjoy the chewy, stringy texture. Also used in cooked foods. (Mild, White, Semi-firm, chewy)
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| Strong | A cheese with a penetrating aroma and flavor. The California Milk Advisory Board
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| Supple | A descriptive term describing a cheese's texture, e.g., firm but not hard; pliable and resilient. Fontina is an example.
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| Surface Ripened | A cheese that ripens from the exterior when a special bacteria, mold or yeast is applied to the surface. Bloomy-rind cheeses, like Brie and Camembert, and washed-rind cheeses, such as Pont L'Eveque and Taleggio, are surface-ripened. The California Milk Advisory Board
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| Surface Ripened Rinds | Surface Ripened Rinds fall into two categories. Washed Rind: created by washing the surface of the rind with whey, brine or a beverage such as beer to encourage moisture-loving bacteria, yeasts and molds to colonize on the surface. 'White' or "Bloomy Rind"; created by adding white mold strains to the curd or wiping the surface.
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| Swiss Cheese | Swiss cheese is the generic name used in the United States for several related varieties of cheese, originally made in Switzerland. Emmentaler is the cheese Americans think of as the generic Swiss cheese. While Americans believe that Swiss cheese has holes, properly known as eyes, not all kinds of Swiss cheese do.There are 450 known Swiss cheeses, classified into five categories: extra-hard, hard, semi-hard, semi-soft and soft. Cow's milk is used in 99% of the cheeses produced.
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| Syrian (Armenian String) | A Syrian-style string cheese, similar to regular string cheese. Also for snacks and in cooked foods. (Mild, White, Firm)
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