Soft-Ripened

Soft-ripened cheeses are distinguished by their distinctive rind and ripening process. After the milk is coagulated, these cheeses are placed in molds to shape them and then transferred to straw mats and exposed to particular bacteria (including penicillium) that cause them to develop a soft, powdery white covering known as a “bloomy” rind. These cheeses age from the exterior inward, softening as they mature until their centers are creamy and oozy. They remain moist in the interior, thanks to the moldy coating.