Bitto Cheese vs Puzzone di Moena Cheese
Bitto Cheese
Puzzone di Moena 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 Puzzone di Moena Cheese is semi-cooked, medium-hard, elastic and made from cow milk, originating in Italy.
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 Puzzone di Moena Cheese?
Puzzone di Moena is a semi-hard Italian PDO cheese made from raw cow's milk in Val di Fassa, Val di Fiemme and Valle di Primiero. Its washed rind is brick red and greasy, and the cheese is known for a penetrating odor with hints of ammonia.
What's the Difference Between Bitto Cheese and Puzzone di Moena Cheese?
- Milk type: Bitto Cheese (Cow's milk primarily, with non-mandatory addition of raw goat’s milk up to 10%), Puzzone di Moena Cheese (Cow)
- Milk treatment: Bitto Cheese (Raw), Puzzone di Moena Cheese (Raw, partially skimmed by natural surface skimming)
- Texture: Bitto Cheese (fine-grained, sometimes with very few small holes; hard cheese from one year), Puzzone di Moena Cheese (Semi-cooked, medium-hard, elastic)
- Rind: Bitto Cheese (smooth, 2 to 4 mm thick, straw-yellow turning brownish yellow with age), Puzzone di Moena Cheese (Smooth or with a few wrinkles, unctuous, yellow ochre to reddish brown)
- Aging: Bitto Cheese (Minimum of 70 days), Puzzone di Moena Cheese (Minimum 90 days, mature after 150 days)
- Taste: Bitto Cheese (mild and sweet when young, stronger and spicier with age), Puzzone di Moena Cheese (Strong, intense, slightly salty and/or sharp, with a barely-perceptible bitter aftertaste)
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Bitto Cheese | Puzzone di Moena Cheese | |
|---|---|---|
| Country of Origin | Italy | Italy |
| Specific Origin | Province Of Sondrio, Lombardy, Including Neighboring Upland Pastures Of Lecco And Bergamo | Province Of Trento And Province Of Bolzano |
| Milk Type | Cow's milk primarily, with non-mandatory addition of raw goat’s milk up to 10% | Cow |
| Milk Treatment | Raw | Raw, partially skimmed by natural surface skimming |
| Texture | Fine-grained, sometimes with very few small holes; hard cheese from one year | Semi-cooked, medium-hard, elastic |
| Rind | Smooth, 2 to 4 mm thick, straw-yellow turning brownish yellow with age | Smooth or with a few wrinkles, unctuous, yellow ochre to reddish brown |
| Aging | Minimum of 70 days | Minimum 90 days, mature after 150 days |
| Taste | Mild and sweet when young, stronger and spicier with age | Strong, intense, slightly salty and/or sharp, with a barely-perceptible bitter aftertaste |
Taste Comparison: Does Bitto Cheese Taste Like Puzzone di Moena Cheese?
Bitto Cheese reads as mild and sweet when young, stronger and spicier with age, while Puzzone di Moena Cheese brings strong, intense, slightly salty and/or sharp, with a barely-perceptible bitter aftertaste character. More specifically, Bitto Cheese shows cooked at 118–126°f, finely cut curd, matured for a minimum of 70 days, while Puzzone di Moena Cheese leans toward slightly bitter aftertaste. Aging plays into this as well. Bitto Cheese at minimum of 70 days develops a different profile than Puzzone di Moena Cheese at minimum 90 days, mature after 150 days.
Can You Substitute Bitto Cheese for Puzzone di Moena Cheese?
Bitto Cheese can stand in for Puzzone di Moena 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-cooked, medium-hard, elastic. Flavor-wise, Bitto Cheese reads as mild and sweet when young, stronger and spicier with age while Puzzone di Moena Cheese brings strong, intense, slightly salty and/or sharp, with a barely-perceptible bitter aftertaste notes.
Which Is Better, Bitto Cheese or Puzzone di Moena 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-cooked, medium-hard, elastic profile, Puzzone di Moena 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 Puzzone di Moena Cheese fits dishes calling for strong, intense, slightly salty and/or sharp, with a barely-perceptible bitter aftertaste.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Is Bitto Cheese the same as Puzzone di Moena Cheese?
No, they're distinct cheeses. Bitto Cheese is made from cow and goat milk; Puzzone di Moena Cheese uses cow. Aging also differs: Bitto Cheese is typically aged minimum of 70 days, Puzzone di Moena Cheese minimum 90 days, mature after 150 days.
Is Bitto Cheese similar to Puzzone di Moena Cheese?
Not closely. They use different milk bases and have distinct profiles.
Can I substitute Bitto Cheese for Puzzone di Moena Cheese?
You can, but expect a shift in richness and milk character.
Does Bitto Cheese taste like Puzzone di Moena Cheese?
Bitto Cheese reads as mild and sweet when young, stronger and spicier with age, while Puzzone di Moena Cheese is strong, intense, slightly salty and/or sharp, with a barely-perceptible bitter aftertaste.
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 Puzzone di Moena Cheese made of?
Puzzone di Moena Cheese is made from cow milk (raw, partially skimmed by natural surface skimming), using bovi rennet. It's typically aged minimum 90 days, mature after 150 days. It originates in Italy.
Which should I choose, Bitto Cheese or Puzzone di Moena 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 Puzzone di Moena Cheese is semi-cooked, medium-hard, elastic.