Anthotyro Cheese vs Picodon Cheese
Anthotyro Cheese is a hard, whey goat or sheep-milk cheese from Greece, while Picodon Cheese is homogeneous, smooth, and fine; can become crumbly if matured longer and made from goat milk.
What Is Anthotyro Cheese?
Anthotyros is a Greek cheese made from sheep or goat milk mixed with whey, about nine parts milk to one. It comes fresh, soft and sweet with no salt, or dried into a hard salty cheese similar to Mizithra.
What Is Picodon Cheese?
Picodon is a small goat's milk cheese from the Rhône area of southern France, made mainly in the Ardèche and Drôme. Its name means spicy in Occitan, and it is known for a dry, fine paste that hardens and sharpens with age.
What's the Difference Between Anthotyro Cheese and Picodon Cheese?
- Milk type: Anthotyro Cheese (goat's or sheep's milk), Picodon Cheese (Goat's milk)
- Milk treatment: Anthotyro Cheese (unpasteurized where law allows), Picodon Cheese (Raw, non-standardized, unhomogenized)
- Texture: Anthotyro Cheese (hard, whey), Picodon Cheese (Homogeneous, smooth, and fine; can become crumbly if matured longer)
- Rind: Anthotyro Cheese (natural), Picodon Cheese (Fine, lightly covered with uniform or speckled moulds)
- Taste: Anthotyro Cheese (salty, tangy), Picodon Cheese (Frank, capric with notes of nut and mushroom, occasional pungency)
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Anthotyro Cheese | Picodon Cheese | |
|---|---|---|
| Country of Origin | Greece | — |
| Specific Origin | Macedonia, Thrace, Thessalia, Peloponissos, Ionian Islands, Aegean Islands, Crete Island And Epirus | Ardèche And Drôme Regions, Including Parts Of Gard And Vaucluse |
| Milk Type | Goat's or sheep's milk | Goat's milk |
| Milk Treatment | Unpasteurized where law allows | Raw, non-standardized, unhomogenized |
| Texture | Hard, whey | Homogeneous, smooth, and fine; can become crumbly if matured longer |
| Rind | Natural | Fine, lightly covered with uniform or speckled moulds |
| Aging | — | Marketed starting 12 days after renneting; 30 days for "matured and washed" or "matured using the Dieulefit method" |
| Taste | Salty, tangy | Frank, capric with notes of nut and mushroom, occasional pungency |
Taste Comparison: Does Anthotyro Cheese Taste Like Picodon Cheese?
Anthotyro Cheese reads as salty, tangy, while Picodon Cheese brings frank, capric with notes of nut and mushroom, occasional pungency character. More specifically, Anthotyro Cheese shows sweet, creamy and unsalted when fresh, while Picodon Cheese leans toward nut, light notes of mushroom, occasional pungency, possible fermentative taste.
Can You Substitute Anthotyro Cheese for Picodon Cheese?
Anthotyro Cheese can stand in for Picodon Cheese in many dishes, but the switch will shift the overall character of the recipe. Expect hard, whey bite and body where the recipe calls for homogeneous, smooth, and fine; can become crumbly if matured longer. Flavor-wise, Anthotyro Cheese reads as salty, tangy while Picodon Cheese brings frank, capric with notes of nut and mushroom, occasional pungency notes.
Which Is Better, Anthotyro Cheese or Picodon Cheese?
There's no single winner. It depends on your recipe and the profile you want. If you want a hard, whey cheese, go with Anthotyro Cheese. For a homogeneous, smooth, and fine; can become crumbly if matured longer profile, Picodon Cheese is the better fit. Flavor-wise, Anthotyro Cheese suits recipes that want salty, tangy notes, while Picodon Cheese fits dishes calling for frank, capric with notes of nut and mushroom, occasional pungency.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Is Anthotyro Cheese the same as Picodon Cheese?
No, they're distinct cheeses. Anthotyro Cheese is made from goat or sheep milk; Picodon Cheese uses goat.
Is Anthotyro Cheese similar to Picodon Cheese?
Not closely. They use different milk bases and have distinct profiles.
Can I substitute Anthotyro Cheese for Picodon Cheese?
You can, but expect a shift in richness and milk character.
Does Anthotyro Cheese taste like Picodon Cheese?
Anthotyro Cheese reads as salty, tangy, while Picodon Cheese is frank, capric with notes of nut and mushroom, occasional pungency.
What is Anthotyro Cheese made of?
Anthotyro Cheese is made from goat or sheep milk (unpasteurized where law allows). It originates in Greece.
What is Picodon Cheese made of?
Picodon Cheese is made from goat milk (raw, non-standardized, unhomogenized), using small amount used, lactic coagulation rennet. It's typically aged marketed starting 12 days after renneting; 30 days for "matured and washed" or "matured using the dieulefit method".
Which should I choose, Anthotyro Cheese or Picodon Cheese?
It depends on the dish. The texture difference is the biggest practical tell. Anthotyro Cheese is hard, whey, while Picodon Cheese is homogeneous, smooth, and fine; can become crumbly if matured longer.