Why is there such a cost difference between cheeses? Which cheeses are most expensive?

Why is there such a cost difference between cheeses? Which cheeses are most expensive?

There are a few factors that affect the price of cheese, including ingredients, where it is manufactured, and the length of the aging process. Additionally, natural products are more expensive than processed alternatives.

The Ingredients
Most cheese is made from cow's milk, which is common and is easy to find. When made from goat's milk, sheep's milk, or even camel's milk, the resulting product will be more expensive because of their relative rarity and because of the lesser amount of milk actually produced by these animals. In fact, one very expensive cheese is made from moose milk, which, as you can imagine is quite difficult to obtain.

The Aging Process
Cheese is made by adding an enzyme to milk as well as some other ingredients and allowing it to age over a period of time. Those cheeses that must age for a relatively long time to achieve the proper taste and texture will be more expensive than an alternative that does not take as long. Obviously, the first option would cost more in resources and time, driving the cost up on these cheeses. Gouda is an example of this. Gouda grows sharper as it ages, so a well-aged sharp Gouda will be a more costly alternative than a milder version.

Where Was It Made?
There are a number of countries that are known for their cheeses. Gouda, for example, is a Dutch product, and provolone is a popular product of Italy. While there are similar products made here in the United States in attempts to make cheaper duplicates of these products, the genuine products are imported and therefore are more expensive than their domestic counterparts like cheddar and domestic Swiss cheese, which, by the way, is only imported if the word, Swiss, does not appear on the label.

Some products on the market can be gauged, at least somewhat, by price. If it is too inexpensive, it must not be of any quality. This is not the case with cheese. A less expensive product may simply be a variety that is made domestically and that takes a relatively short period of time to age. The issue is not value or quality as much as it is personal taste. Gouda is a great option to serve with wine, and Provolone is delicious on a sandwich, but cheddar and Colby jack are excellent on a burger, a cracker, or sprinkled on tacos.