Skip the traditional chocolates & wine pairing this Valentine’s Day and instead indulge in the world’s most exotic cheeses with that special someone. It’s a perfect time to step out of your comfort zone and fall in love with new cheese flavors at home. For many Americans, mozzarella, cheddar, and parmesan are the most beloved cheeses we can’t get enough of. However, there are still many more delicious and extraordinary kinds of cheese out there in the world. Here are five exotic types of cheese we think are worth trying!

Halloumi

This semi-soft, brined, white cheese is made from a mixture of goat’s and sheep’s milk, similar in texture to mozzarella but with a strong salty flavor. Originally from Cyprus, it has become a delicacy found in Middle Eastern cuisine. You’ll often find it paired with watermelon as well as grilled, pan-fried, or thinly sliced on top of a salad.

Pule

What’s more exotic than this Serbian cheese made from the milk of endangered Balkan donkeys from the region of Zasavica? Pule cheese is considered one of the rarest and world’s most expensive cheeses. It’s truly a labor of love to hand milk and produce this white and crumbly cheese since it takes 3.5 gallons of donkey milk to make just one pound. If you’re a cheese lover, trying pule is something you’ll want to check off your bucket list someday!

Burrata

Experience the tastes of Italy with this fresh and creamy cheese made from water buffalo’s milk or cow’s milk. Its solid outer shell made from mozzarella holds a creamy mixture that oozes when sliced open. The buttery consistency inside is unlike any other cheese. Serve burrata fresh at room temperature with tomatoes, crusty bread, and olive oil, or as a dessert with berries.

Yak Cheese

At the time, Tibetans were the rare exception in Asian culture to use dairy products with yak’s milk. On the Tibetan Plateau, nomadic herders relied on yaks for their meat, wool, and milk, which was also used to make butter and yogurt. Eventually, they began making yak cheeses, known for their strong herbal flavor and nutritional benefits. Compared to cow cheese, yak cheese is higher in omega-3 fatty acids and conjugated linoleic acid.  

Roquefort

If you are a blue cheese fanatic, you have to try the strongest tasting blue cheese there is Roquefort. This French cheese is one of the world’s most famous blue cheeses, often referred to as the ‘cheese of kings and popes’ in France. It’s made from sheep’s milk and aged for about three to five months to achieve a creamy and crumbly texture and a sharp, tangy, salty flavor. Although its unique taste isn’t a favorite among everyone, it’s worth trying!

If you happen to give any of these exotic cheeses a try, let us know what you think in the comments! Cheers to discovering and falling in love with a world of cheesy flavors.