Bitto Cheese vs Glarner Alpkäse Cheese
Bitto Cheese
Glarner Alpkäse 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 Glarner Alpkäse Cheese is a cow-milk cheese.
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 Glarner Alpkäse Cheese?
Glarner Alpkäse is a Swiss raw cow's milk cheese made on the alpine pastures of Glarus during the summer grazing season. The wheels have no holes and reach the market in mild, spicy and sharp grades. It has held AOP protection since 2014.
What's the Difference Between Bitto Cheese and Glarner Alpkäse Cheese?
- Milk type: Bitto Cheese (Cow's milk primarily, with non-mandatory addition of raw goat’s milk up to 10%), Glarner Alpkäse Cheese (cow)
- Rind: Bitto Cheese (smooth, 2 to 4 mm thick, straw-yellow turning brownish yellow with age), Glarner Alpkäse Cheese (natural, formed in a salt bath)
- Taste: Bitto Cheese (mild and sweet when young, stronger and spicier with age), Glarner Alpkäse Cheese (mild when young, more pungent with longer ripening)
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Bitto Cheese | Glarner Alpkäse Cheese | |
|---|---|---|
| Country of Origin | Italy | — |
| Specific Origin | Province Of Sondrio, Lombardy, Including Neighboring Upland Pastures Of Lecco And Bergamo | Glarus, Switzerland |
| Milk Type | Cow's milk primarily, with non-mandatory addition of raw goat’s milk up to 10% | Cow |
| Milk Treatment | Raw | Raw |
| Texture | Fine-grained, sometimes with very few small holes; hard cheese from one year | — |
| Rind | Smooth, 2 to 4 mm thick, straw-yellow turning brownish yellow with age | Natural, formed in a salt bath |
| Aging | Minimum of 70 days | — |
| Taste | Mild and sweet when young, stronger and spicier with age | Mild when young, more pungent with longer ripening |
Taste Comparison: Does Bitto Cheese Taste Like Glarner Alpkäse Cheese?
Bitto Cheese reads as mild and sweet when young, stronger and spicier with age, while Glarner Alpkäse Cheese brings mild when young, more pungent with longer ripening character.
Can You Substitute Bitto Cheese for Glarner Alpkäse Cheese?
Bitto Cheese can stand in for Glarner Alpkäse Cheese in many dishes, but the switch will shift the overall character of the recipe. Flavor-wise, Bitto Cheese reads as mild and sweet when young, stronger and spicier with age while Glarner Alpkäse Cheese brings mild when young, more pungent with longer ripening notes.
Which Is Better, Bitto Cheese or Glarner Alpkäse Cheese?
There's no single winner. It depends on your recipe and the profile you want. Flavor-wise, Bitto Cheese suits recipes that want mild and sweet when young, stronger and spicier with age notes, while Glarner Alpkäse Cheese fits dishes calling for mild when young, more pungent with longer ripening.
Which is your favorite?
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Frequently Asked Questions
Is Bitto Cheese the same as Glarner Alpkäse Cheese?
No, they're distinct cheeses. Bitto Cheese is made from cow and goat milk; Glarner Alpkäse Cheese uses cow.
Is Bitto Cheese similar to Glarner Alpkäse Cheese?
Not closely. They use different milk bases and have distinct profiles.
Can I substitute Bitto Cheese for Glarner Alpkäse Cheese?
You can, but expect a shift in richness and milk character.
Does Bitto Cheese taste like Glarner Alpkäse Cheese?
Bitto Cheese reads as mild and sweet when young, stronger and spicier with age, while Glarner Alpkäse Cheese is mild when young, more pungent with longer ripening.
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 Glarner Alpkäse Cheese made of?
Glarner Alpkäse Cheese is made from cow milk (raw).
Which should I choose, Bitto Cheese or Glarner Alpkäse Cheese?
It depends on the dish. The table above is the fastest way to decide based on your recipe.