Bitto Cheese vs Fontina Cheese
Bitto Cheese
Fontina Cheese
Bitto Cheese is a fine-grained, sometimes with very few small holes; hard cheese from one year cow and goat-milk cheese from Italy, while Fontina Cheese is semi-soft and made from cow milk, originating in Italy.
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What Is Bitto Cheese?
Bitto is a raw-milk PDO cheese from the alpine pastures of Sondrio in Lombardy, made only between 1 June and 30 September from cow's milk, sometimes with up to 10 percent goat's milk. Young wheels taste mild and sweet, and some are aged for years.
What Is Fontina Cheese?
Fontina is a cow's milk cheese from Italy's Aosta Valley, made there since the 12th century. It runs semisoft to hard, tastes creamy and nutty with earthy, mushroomy notes, and melts well enough to carry a fondue.
What's the Difference Between Bitto Cheese and Fontina Cheese?
- Milk type: Bitto Cheese (Cow's milk primarily, with non-mandatory addition of raw goat’s milk up to 10%), Fontina Cheese (cow's milk)
- Milk treatment: Bitto Cheese (Raw), Fontina Cheese (Raw (for traditional Italian Fontina), Pasteurized (for most American versions))
- Texture: Bitto Cheese (fine-grained, sometimes with very few small holes; hard cheese from one year), Fontina Cheese (Semi-Soft)
- Rind: Bitto Cheese (smooth, 2 to 4 mm thick, straw-yellow turning brownish yellow with age), Fontina Cheese (Natural, Often Washed)
- Aging: Bitto Cheese (Minimum of 70 days), Fontina Cheese (Typically 2-3 months (can be aged longer for stronger flavor))
- Taste: Bitto Cheese (mild and sweet when young, stronger and spicier with age), Fontina Cheese (Mild, Buttery, Nutty)
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Bitto Cheese | Fontina Cheese | |
|---|---|---|
| Country of Origin | Italy | Italy |
| Specific Origin | Province Of Sondrio, Lombardy, Including Neighboring Upland Pastures Of Lecco And Bergamo | Aosta Valley, Italy |
| Milk Type | Cow's milk primarily, with non-mandatory addition of raw goat’s milk up to 10% | Cow's milk |
| Milk Treatment | Raw | Raw (for traditional Italian Fontina), Pasteurized (for most American versions) |
| Texture | Fine-grained, sometimes with very few small holes; hard cheese from one year | Semi-Soft |
| Rind | Smooth, 2 to 4 mm thick, straw-yellow turning brownish yellow with age | Natural, Often Washed |
| Aging | Minimum of 70 days | Typically 2-3 months (can be aged longer for stronger flavor) |
| Taste | Mild and sweet when young, stronger and spicier with age | Mild, Buttery, Nutty |
Taste Comparison: Does Bitto Cheese Taste Like Fontina Cheese?
Bitto Cheese reads as mild and sweet when young, stronger and spicier with age, while Fontina Cheese brings mild, buttery, nutty character. More specifically, Bitto Cheese shows cooked at 118–126°f, finely cut curd, matured for a minimum of 70 days, while Fontina Cheese leans toward buttery, earthy, mildly nutty, slightly fruity. Aging plays into this as well. Bitto Cheese at minimum of 70 days develops a different profile than Fontina Cheese at typically 2-3 months (can be aged longer for stronger flavor).
Can You Substitute Bitto Cheese for Fontina Cheese?
Bitto Cheese can stand in for Fontina Cheese in many dishes, but the switch will shift the overall character of the recipe. Expect fine-grained, sometimes with very few small holes; hard cheese from one year bite and body where the recipe calls for semi-soft. Flavor-wise, Bitto Cheese reads as mild and sweet when young, stronger and spicier with age while Fontina Cheese brings mild, buttery, nutty notes.
Which Is Better, Bitto Cheese or Fontina Cheese?
There's no single winner. It depends on your recipe and the profile you want. If you want a fine-grained, sometimes with very few small holes; hard cheese from one year cheese, go with Bitto Cheese. For a semi-soft profile, Fontina Cheese is the better fit. Flavor-wise, Bitto Cheese suits recipes that want mild and sweet when young, stronger and spicier with age notes, while Fontina Cheese fits dishes calling for mild, buttery, nutty.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Is Bitto Cheese the same as Fontina Cheese?
No, they're distinct cheeses. Bitto Cheese is made from cow and goat milk; Fontina Cheese uses cow. Aging also differs: Bitto Cheese is typically aged minimum of 70 days, Fontina Cheese typically 2-3 months (can be aged longer for stronger flavor).
Is Bitto Cheese similar to Fontina Cheese?
Not closely. They use different milk bases and have distinct profiles.
Can I substitute Bitto Cheese for Fontina Cheese?
You can, but expect a shift in richness and milk character.
Does Bitto Cheese taste like Fontina Cheese?
Bitto Cheese reads as mild and sweet when young, stronger and spicier with age, while Fontina Cheese is mild, buttery, nutty.
What is Bitto Cheese made of?
Bitto Cheese is made from cow and goat milk (raw), using calf rennet. It's typically aged minimum of 70 days. It originates in Italy.
What is Fontina Cheese made of?
Fontina Cheese is made from cow milk (raw (for traditional italian fontina), pasteurized (for most american versions)), using traditional (animal) or microbial (varies by producer) rennet. It's typically aged typically 2-3 months (can be aged longer for stronger flavor). It originates in Italy.
Which should I choose, Bitto Cheese or Fontina Cheese?
It depends on the dish. The texture difference is the biggest practical tell. Bitto Cheese is fine-grained, sometimes with very few small holes; hard cheese from one year, while Fontina Cheese is semi-soft.