Bitto Cheese vs Traditional Welsh Caerphilly Cheese
Bitto Cheese
Traditional Welsh Caerphilly 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 Traditional Welsh Caerphilly Cheese is hard and made from cow milk.
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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 Traditional Welsh Caerphilly Cheese?
Traditional Welsh Caerphilly is a hard cheese made in Wales from locally sourced cow’s milk. It can be produced using raw or pasteurized milk and either organic or non-organic methods. The cheese has a mild, slightly lemony taste when young and develops a fuller but still mild flavor with age. It is shaped into flat rounds with a smooth, creamy white texture and may have a slightly molded coat. The texture is smooth, close, and flaky, with natural variations due to artisanal production. It is traditionally made by hand, including cutting the curds into large cubes and lightly pressing the cheese to maintain moisture. The cheese is eaten young from 10 days old but can mature for up to 6 months. Unlike modern block Caerphilly, Traditional Welsh Caerphilly is sold as a "naked" cheese, unbound by cloth.
What's the Difference Between Bitto Cheese and Traditional Welsh Caerphilly Cheese?
- Milk type: Bitto Cheese (Cow's milk primarily, with non-mandatory addition of raw goat’s milk up to 10%), Traditional Welsh Caerphilly Cheese (Cow)
- Milk treatment: Bitto Cheese (Raw), Traditional Welsh Caerphilly Cheese (Raw or Pasteurized)
- Texture: Bitto Cheese (fine-grained, sometimes with very few small holes; hard cheese from one year), Traditional Welsh Caerphilly Cheese (Hard)
- Rind: Bitto Cheese (smooth, 2 to 4 mm thick, straw-yellow turning brownish yellow with age), Traditional Welsh Caerphilly Cheese (Smooth and intact, may have a slightly molded coat, historically dusted with flour or oatmeal)
- Aging: Bitto Cheese (Minimum of 70 days), Traditional Welsh Caerphilly Cheese (10 days to 6 months)
- Taste: Bitto Cheese (mild and sweet when young, stronger and spicier with age), Traditional Welsh Caerphilly Cheese (Mild, slightly lemony when young, fuller but still mild when aged)
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Bitto Cheese | Traditional Welsh Caerphilly Cheese | |
|---|---|---|
| Country of Origin | Italy | — |
| Specific Origin | Province Of Sondrio, Lombardy, Including Neighboring Upland Pastures Of Lecco And Bergamo | — |
| Milk Type | Cow's milk primarily, with non-mandatory addition of raw goat’s milk up to 10% | Cow |
| Milk Treatment | Raw | Raw or Pasteurized |
| Texture | Fine-grained, sometimes with very few small holes; hard cheese from one year | Hard |
| Rind | Smooth, 2 to 4 mm thick, straw-yellow turning brownish yellow with age | Smooth and intact, may have a slightly molded coat, historically dusted with flour or oatmeal |
| Aging | Minimum of 70 days | 10 days to 6 months |
| Taste | Mild and sweet when young, stronger and spicier with age | Mild, slightly lemony when young, fuller but still mild when aged |
Taste Comparison: Does Bitto Cheese Taste Like Traditional Welsh Caerphilly Cheese?
Bitto Cheese reads as mild and sweet when young, stronger and spicier with age, while Traditional Welsh Caerphilly Cheese brings mild, slightly lemony when young, fuller but still mild when aged character. More specifically, Bitto Cheese shows cooked at 118–126°f, finely cut curd, matured for a minimum of 70 days, while Traditional Welsh Caerphilly Cheese leans toward fresh, slightly acidic, with a lingering aftertaste. Aging plays into this as well. Bitto Cheese at minimum of 70 days develops a different profile than Traditional Welsh Caerphilly Cheese at 10 days to 6 months.
Can You Substitute Bitto Cheese for Traditional Welsh Caerphilly Cheese?
Bitto Cheese can stand in for Traditional Welsh Caerphilly 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 hard. Flavor-wise, Bitto Cheese reads as mild and sweet when young, stronger and spicier with age while Traditional Welsh Caerphilly Cheese brings mild, slightly lemony when young, fuller but still mild when aged notes.
Which Is Better, Bitto Cheese or Traditional Welsh Caerphilly 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 hard profile, Traditional Welsh Caerphilly 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 Traditional Welsh Caerphilly Cheese fits dishes calling for mild, slightly lemony when young, fuller but still mild when aged.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Is Bitto Cheese the same as Traditional Welsh Caerphilly Cheese?
No, they're distinct cheeses. Bitto Cheese is made from cow and goat milk; Traditional Welsh Caerphilly Cheese uses cow. Aging also differs: Bitto Cheese is typically aged minimum of 70 days, Traditional Welsh Caerphilly Cheese 10 days to 6 months.
Is Bitto Cheese similar to Traditional Welsh Caerphilly Cheese?
Not closely. They use different milk bases and have distinct profiles.
Can I substitute Bitto Cheese for Traditional Welsh Caerphilly Cheese?
You can, but expect a shift in richness and milk character.
Does Bitto Cheese taste like Traditional Welsh Caerphilly Cheese?
Bitto Cheese reads as mild and sweet when young, stronger and spicier with age, while Traditional Welsh Caerphilly Cheese is mild, slightly lemony when young, fuller but still mild when aged.
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 Traditional Welsh Caerphilly Cheese made of?
Traditional Welsh Caerphilly Cheese is made from cow milk (raw or pasteurized), using traditional rennet. It's typically aged 10 days to 6 months.
Which should I choose, Bitto Cheese or Traditional Welsh Caerphilly 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 Traditional Welsh Caerphilly Cheese is hard.