In most cases, one must wait after eating hard cheese that was aged 6 mo9nths or more before eating meat the same amount of time that they wait after eating meat before eating dairy. For most of the world that amount of time is 6 ours. The following list, compiled by the O/U, shows which types of cheese are generally aged long enough to be considered a “Hard Cheese.”…
Appenzeller (Swiss-made): Classic: 3-4 months; surchoix: 4-6 months Extra: over 6 months
Asiago: Fresh Asiagosiago Pressato: 306 weeks; Asiago d’ Allevo/Mezzano: 308 months, Asiage d’ Allevo/Vecchio: 9-18 months, Asiago d’ Allevo/Stravecchio: over 18 months
Caciocavallo: Fresh variety: 2 months; semi-aged variety: up to 6 months; aged variety: well beyond 6 months
Caciotta Alpina: Up to 1 year
Dry Monterey Jack: 7-10 months
Cheddar, Medium, Sharp and Aged: Close to 6 months, and up to 7 years.
Chevre (Goat Cheese): Usually aged for 2 weeks or less; however, if label says “aged” or states a specific cheese variety, may be aged much longer
Emmental (Swiss Cheese-Switzerland): 6-14 months
Feta (goat or sheep milk) : Brined 3-6 months
Fiore Sardo: 4-8 months
Fontina: 1-8 months
Gruyere: 5 months-12 months
Havarti (Regular): 3 months; however, Aged Havarti: 1 year
Kashkaval: 3-6 months
Marble Cheese: 4-6 months
Monchego: Monchego Fresco: 2 weeks; Monchego Curado: 3-6 months; Monchego Viejo: 1 year
Montasio: Fresh Variety: 2 months; semi-aged variety: 5-9 months; aged variety: 10 months
Monterey Jack (in American Markets): 2 months (although foreign market Monterey Jack can be aged 6 months to 1 year)
Parmesan: 10-24 months or more
Pecorino Sardo: 8 months
Pecorino Romano: 6-8 months
Pepper Jack: Same as Monterey Jack
Piccante Provolone: 6-12 months
Provola dei Nebrodi: at least 6 months
Provolone: see Dolce Provolone and Piccante Provolone
Reggianito: 6 months
Speedy Piccante: at least 9 months
Stravecchio: 1-3 years
Tilsit: 6 months (when produced correctly, although it is suspected that much Tilsit cheese is not aged anywhere near a 6 month period)
