Bitto Cheese vs Queso de Flor de Guía
Bitto Cheese
Queso de Flor de Guía
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 Queso de Flor de Guía is dense, compact, pasty and made from cow, goat, and sheep milk.
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 Queso de Flor de Guía?
Queso de Flor de Guía is a full-fat or half-fat cheese from Spain, specifically produced in Gáldar, Moya, and Santa María de Guía in Gran Canaria. It is made primarily from Canary Island sheep’s milk, with up to 40% Canary Island cattle milk and up to 10% Canary Island goat milk. The milk is curdled exclusively using vegetable rennet derived from the dried flower heads of Cynara cardunculus var. ferocissima and Cynara scolymus. The cheese has a cylindrical shape and varies in size from 0.5 to 5 kg. Its texture is dense, compact, and pasty, with a very soft and creamy interior when semi-mature and a harder body when fully matured. The flavor is highly aromatic, acidic, and bitter, with mild burning and astringent sensations. It matures for at least 15 days for semi-mature cheese and over 60 days for mature cheese.
What's the Difference Between Bitto Cheese and Queso de Flor de Guía?
- Milk type: Bitto Cheese (Cow's milk primarily, with non-mandatory addition of raw goat’s milk up to 10%), Queso de Flor de Guía (Sheep (Canary Island breed), with up to 40% cow and 10% goat milk)
- Texture: Bitto Cheese (fine-grained, sometimes with very few small holes; hard cheese from one year), Queso de Flor de Guía (Dense, compact, pasty)
- Rind: Bitto Cheese (smooth, 2 to 4 mm thick, straw-yellow turning brownish yellow with age), Queso de Flor de Guía (Soft and elastic when young, dark brown and harder when mature)
- Aging: Bitto Cheese (Minimum of 70 days), Queso de Flor de Guía (15+ days (semi-mature), 60+ days (mature))
- Taste: Bitto Cheese (mild and sweet when young, stronger and spicier with age), Queso de Flor de Guía (Aromatic, acidic, and bitter)
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Bitto Cheese | Queso de Flor de Guía | |
|---|---|---|
| Country of Origin | Italy | — |
| Specific Origin | Province Of Sondrio, Lombardy, Including Neighboring Upland Pastures Of Lecco And Bergamo | Gáldar, Moya, And Santa María De Guía, Gran Canaria |
| Milk Type | Cow's milk primarily, with non-mandatory addition of raw goat’s milk up to 10% | Sheep (Canary Island breed), with up to 40% cow and 10% goat milk |
| Milk Treatment | Raw | — |
| Texture | Fine-grained, sometimes with very few small holes; hard cheese from one year | Dense, compact, pasty |
| Rind | Smooth, 2 to 4 mm thick, straw-yellow turning brownish yellow with age | Soft and elastic when young, dark brown and harder when mature |
| Aging | Minimum of 70 days | 15+ days (semi-mature), 60+ days (mature) |
| Taste | Mild and sweet when young, stronger and spicier with age | Aromatic, acidic, and bitter |
Taste Comparison: Does Bitto Cheese Taste Like Queso de Flor de Guía?
Bitto Cheese reads as mild and sweet when young, stronger and spicier with age, while Queso de Flor de Guía brings aromatic, acidic, and bitter character. More specifically, Bitto Cheese shows cooked at 118–126°f, finely cut curd, matured for a minimum of 70 days, while Queso de Flor de Guía leans toward lactic, vegetal (cardoon and nuts). Aging plays into this as well. Bitto Cheese at minimum of 70 days develops a different profile than Queso de Flor de Guía at 15+ days (semi-mature), 60+ days (mature).
Can You Substitute Bitto Cheese for Queso de Flor de Guía?
Bitto Cheese can stand in for Queso de Flor de Guía 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 dense, compact, pasty. Flavor-wise, Bitto Cheese reads as mild and sweet when young, stronger and spicier with age while Queso de Flor de Guía brings aromatic, acidic, and bitter notes.
Which Is Better, Bitto Cheese or Queso de Flor de Guía?
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 dense, compact, pasty profile, Queso de Flor de Guía is the better fit. Flavor-wise, Bitto Cheese suits recipes that want mild and sweet when young, stronger and spicier with age notes, while Queso de Flor de Guía fits dishes calling for aromatic, acidic, and bitter.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Is Bitto Cheese the same as Queso de Flor de Guía?
No, they're distinct cheeses. Bitto Cheese is made from cow and goat milk; Queso de Flor de Guía uses cow, goat, and sheep. Aging also differs: Bitto Cheese is typically aged minimum of 70 days, Queso de Flor de Guía 15+ days (semi-mature), 60+ days (mature).
Is Bitto Cheese similar to Queso de Flor de Guía?
Not closely. They use different milk bases and have distinct profiles.
Can I substitute Bitto Cheese for Queso de Flor de Guía?
You can, but expect a shift in richness and milk character.
Does Bitto Cheese taste like Queso de Flor de Guía?
Bitto Cheese reads as mild and sweet when young, stronger and spicier with age, while Queso de Flor de Guía is aromatic, acidic, and bitter.
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 Queso de Flor de Guía made of?
Queso de Flor de Guía is made from cow, goat, and sheep milk, using vegetable (cynara cardunculus var. ferocissima, cynara scolymus) rennet. It's typically aged 15+ days (semi-mature), 60+ days (mature).
Which should I choose, Bitto Cheese or Queso de Flor de Guía?
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 Queso de Flor de Guía is dense, compact, pasty.