Blue Cheese vs Frinault Cheese

Blue Cheese is a crumbly, creamy, semi-soft cow, goat, or sheep-milk cheese from France, while Frinault Cheese is soft, soft-ripened and made from cow milk, originating in France.

What Is Blue Cheese?

Blue cheese is any cheese made with edible mold cultures that form blue-green spots and veins through the paste. It ranges from mild and slightly sweet to salty and sharp, and from almost liquid to hard.

What Is Frinault Cheese?

Frinault is a soft cheese from the countryside around Orléans in France, made with pasteurized whole cow's milk at 50% fat. It comes as a small 120 g disc in three versions: plain, ash-ripened Frinault cendré, and the longer-aged Frinault sec.

What's the Difference Between Blue Cheese and Frinault Cheese?

• Milk type: Blue Cheese (Cow, Sheep, Goat), Frinault Cheese (cow's milk)
• Milk treatment: Blue Cheese (Pasteurized or Raw), Frinault Cheese (pasteurized)
• Texture: Blue Cheese (Crumbly, Creamy, Semi-Soft), Frinault Cheese (soft, soft-ripened)
• Rind: Blue Cheese (Natural), Frinault Cheese (natural)
• Aging: Blue Cheese (Typically aged 2-6 months), Frinault Cheese (about 2 weeks)
• Taste: Blue Cheese (Sharp, Tangy, Savory, Salty, Pungent), Frinault Cheese (spicy)

Side-by-Side Comparison

Taste Comparison: Does Blue Cheese Taste Like Frinault Cheese?

Blue Cheese reads as sharp, tangy, savory, salty, pungent, while Frinault Cheese brings spicy character. On the nose, Blue Cheese offers strong, pungent, earthy, funky, contrasted with Frinault Cheese's fermented. More specifically, Blue Cheese shows earthy, spicy, peppery, slightly sweet, umami, nutty, bitter, while Frinault Cheese leans toward fruity and more perfumed in the cendré version, close to olivet cendré. Aging plays into this as well. Blue Cheese at typically aged 2-6 months develops a different profile than Frinault Cheese at about 2 weeks.

Can You Substitute Blue Cheese for Frinault Cheese?

Blue Cheese can stand in for Frinault Cheese in many dishes, but the switch will shift the overall character of the recipe. Expect crumbly, creamy, semi-soft bite and body where the recipe calls for soft, soft-ripened. Flavor-wise, Blue Cheese reads as sharp, tangy, savory, salty, pungent while Frinault Cheese brings spicy notes.

Which Is Better, Blue Cheese or Frinault Cheese?

There's no single winner. It depends on your recipe and the profile you want. If you want a crumbly, creamy, semi-soft cheese, go with Blue Cheese. For a soft, soft-ripened profile, Frinault Cheese is the better fit. Flavor-wise, Blue Cheese suits recipes that want sharp, tangy, savory, salty, pungent notes, while Frinault Cheese fits dishes calling for spicy.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Blue Cheese the same as Frinault Cheese?

No, they're distinct cheeses. Blue Cheese is made from cow, goat, or sheep milk; Frinault Cheese uses cow. Aging also differs: Blue Cheese is typically aged typically aged 2-6 months, Frinault Cheese about 2 weeks.

Is Blue Cheese similar to Frinault Cheese?

Not closely. They use different milk bases and have distinct profiles.

Can I substitute Blue Cheese for Frinault Cheese?

You can, but expect a shift in richness and milk character.

Does Blue Cheese taste like Frinault Cheese?

Blue Cheese reads as sharp, tangy, savory, salty, pungent, while Frinault Cheese is spicy. Aromas also diverge. Blue Cheese leans strong, pungent, earthy, funky, and Frinault Cheese is closer to fermented.

What is Blue Cheese made of?

Blue Cheese is made from cow, goat, or sheep milk (pasteurized or raw), using traditional (animal rennet) or microbial (varies by producer) rennet. It's typically aged typically aged 2-6 months. It originates in France.

What is Frinault Cheese made of?

Frinault Cheese is made from cow milk (pasteurized). It's typically aged about 2 weeks. It originates in France.

Which should I choose, Blue Cheese or Frinault Cheese?

It depends on the dish. The texture difference is the biggest practical tell. Blue Cheese is crumbly, creamy, semi-soft, while Frinault Cheese is soft, soft-ripened.