Zodiac Signs

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The Signs as Cheese:

Aries: Tarentaise Reserve - It has a savory flavor and dense, fudgy texture that sets it apart from other cheeses on the market. Though lesser known, Tarentaise is starting to build some serious street cred: Last year, it won best in show at the American Cheese Society competition.

Taurus: Parmigiano Cravero - Proof that greatness takes time, this cheese is matured for 18 to 24 months in Bra, Italy, and is "the best parmigiano on the planet," Blais says. The flavor isn't overpowering; it's a softer, sweeter take on the Italian cooking staple.

Gemini: Calcagno - Calcagno is perfect for anyone with a short attention span, because it gives you a quick burst of sweet, buttery flavor that doesn't linger on your palate, Blais says. (You won't be worrying about whether you have cheese breath two hours after snacking.)

Cancer: Taleggio Latte - This classic Italian cheese shouldn't be judged by its rind - which can look gnarled or blacken due to its fussy, washed-rind maturing process. But inside, the cheese itself is mellow and creamy. If you're not into taleggio, you could also try another mild cheese, like Ribiola due Latte.

Leo: Toma Bettelmatt - It's made so high in the mountains that it has to be helicoptered down, and Eataly only gets one shipment a year, Blais says, and it's ideal for anyone who appreciates #finerthings. It has a grassy, lactic flavor that pairs well with full-bodied red wines.

Virgo: Essex Comté - Blais calls this creamy-yet-dense comté "the best gruyere in the world" due to the strict standards it adheres to in ensuring every batch is locally made and aged (which, by the way, happens to be in a World War I fortress-turned-cheese-cellar in the Jura Mountains). It's very dense yet very creamy.

Libra: Sola di Bufala - Why: This soft-ripened cheese features rich buffalo milk, but the overall flavor isn't so strong that it's off-putting, making it pair well with just about any wine.

Scorpio: Gorgonzola - This flavor is more intense than a basic bitch's love of all things pumpkin spice - it's very spicy with hints of sweet and a gritty texture. If the 200-day-aged gorgonzola isn't strong enough for you, Blais suggests upping the ante with a 300-day-aged one.

Sagittarius: Ricotta Passita - This incredibly rare cheese comes from a small dairy in Abruzzo, Italy, and it's only made using the milk of sheep that are herded to higher pastures in the mountains to graze, which gives it a different flavor from other ricottas - and can make the texture vary from spongy to creamy. This ricotta is aged for three months, smoked with juniper wood shavings and speckled with red pepper flakes.

Capricorn: Paglierino - This pale, dense cheese has a rich, slightly citrusy flavor that's perfect for baking (try it in a Danish and you'll make people cry). It ages well, so you can nibble on it for weeks on end - if you have the willpower, that is.

Aquarius: Reading Raclette - You'll inhale this cheese for its salty, slightly nutty flavor, but what's even more delightful is the mission behind the Vermont-based farm that makes it: Spring Brook Farm runs the Farms for City Kids Foundation, which helps urban students learn about agriculture and sustainability.

Pisces: Ricotta Scorza Nera - Because this cheese is brine-soaked and aged for at least 100 days, it has a funky, salty flavor unlike other ricottas. During the aging process, a thin, black mold develops on the outside, which helps keep the semi-soft cheese moist. And, like the Pisces, each one is shaped differently, so there's nothing cookie-cutter or generic about it.