Popular throughout Mediterranean cuisine for thousands of years, soft fresh cheeses are now enjoyed around the world. Often crumbly in texture, they have a clean fresh taste that blends well with a variety of flavors. The soft fresh category also includes creamy, flavored cheeses meant to be spread on toast or crackers as a snack or appetizer.

Soft fresh cheese varieties include:

• Feta
• Goat
• Mascarpone
• Boursin

Top chicken breasts with herbs, lemon juice and crumbled Feta for a quick Greek-style meal or toss warm pasta with sliced goat cheese, sun-dried tomatoes and kalamata olives for an easy, flavorful, light dinner.

Wine Pairing: Beaujolais, Merlot, Sancerre, Vouvray, Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Syrah, Beaujolais