Whether it's the centerpiece of a party display, a creamy addition to pastas and salads, or melted between two slices of bread, cheese is one of the most versatile — and flavorful — foods you'll find in the dairy aisle. We'll help you navigate the often intimidating world of fromage and you'll be master of the cheese counter in no time.

Gruyère is basically the fancy version of the "Swiss cheese" you grew up with. It's a cow's milk cheese, and it's creamy and sharp-ish. It's great on cheese plates as a firm option and  awesome with ham in a grilled cheese, or baked into any savory baked good. It also makes a killer potato gratin. It's expensive, but a little goes a long way in the flavor department.

Goat cheese is — as you'd expect — cheese made out of goat's milk. Goat's milk can be used to make almost every style of cheese, but usually when a recipe talks about goat cheese, it's talking about fresh goat cheese, which is creamy, soft, and fresh. It's generally an amazing complement to vegetables or salads and great in crostini, on top of roasted peppers or eggplant. 

Pepper Jack is the undisputed quesadilla champion. It's just spicy enough and perfectly melty, and works wonderfully for anything with a Tex-Mex twist. It's also great on burgers or in grilled sandwiches. Plain Jack cheese — sometimes called Monterey Jack — works just as well if you're not a fan of heat.