Blue Cheese vs Glarner Alpkäse Cheese
Blue Cheese
Glarner Alpkäse Cheese
Blue Cheese is a crumbly, creamy, semi-soft cow, goat, or sheep-milk cheese from France, while Glarner Alpkäse Cheese is a cow-milk cheese.
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 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 Blue Cheese and Glarner Alpkäse Cheese?
- Milk type: Blue Cheese (Cow, Sheep, Goat), Glarner Alpkäse Cheese (cow)
- Milk treatment: Blue Cheese (Pasteurized or Raw), Glarner Alpkäse Cheese (raw)
- Rind: Blue Cheese (Natural), Glarner Alpkäse Cheese (natural, formed in a salt bath)
- Taste: Blue Cheese (Sharp, Tangy, Savory, Salty, Pungent), Glarner Alpkäse Cheese (mild when young, more pungent with longer ripening)
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Blue Cheese | Glarner Alpkäse Cheese | |
|---|---|---|
| Country of Origin | France | — |
| Specific Origin | — | Glarus, Switzerland |
| Milk Type | Cow, Sheep, Goat | Cow |
| Milk Treatment | Pasteurized or Raw | Raw |
| Texture | Crumbly, Creamy, Semi-Soft | — |
| Rind | Natural | Natural, formed in a salt bath |
| Aging | Typically aged 2-6 months | — |
| Taste | Sharp, Tangy, Savory, Salty, Pungent | Mild when young, more pungent with longer ripening |
Taste Comparison: Does Blue Cheese Taste Like Glarner Alpkäse Cheese?
Blue Cheese reads as sharp, tangy, savory, salty, pungent, while Glarner Alpkäse Cheese brings mild when young, more pungent with longer ripening character.
Can You Substitute Blue Cheese for Glarner Alpkäse Cheese?
Blue Cheese can stand in for Glarner Alpkäse Cheese in many dishes, but the switch will shift the overall character of the recipe. Flavor-wise, Blue Cheese reads as sharp, tangy, savory, salty, pungent while Glarner Alpkäse Cheese brings mild when young, more pungent with longer ripening notes.
Which Is Better, Blue Cheese or Glarner Alpkäse Cheese?
There's no single winner. It depends on your recipe and the profile you want. Flavor-wise, Blue Cheese suits recipes that want sharp, tangy, savory, salty, pungent notes, while Glarner Alpkäse Cheese fits dishes calling for mild when young, more pungent with longer ripening.
Which is your favorite?
One click, anonymous. See what others chose.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Blue Cheese the same as Glarner Alpkäse Cheese?
No, they're distinct cheeses. Blue Cheese is made from cow, goat, or sheep milk; Glarner Alpkäse Cheese uses cow.
Is Blue Cheese similar to Glarner Alpkäse Cheese?
Not closely. They use different milk bases and have distinct profiles.
Can I substitute Blue Cheese for Glarner Alpkäse Cheese?
You can, but expect a shift in richness and milk character.
Does Blue Cheese taste like Glarner Alpkäse Cheese?
Blue Cheese reads as sharp, tangy, savory, salty, pungent, while Glarner Alpkäse Cheese is mild when young, more pungent with longer ripening.
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 Glarner Alpkäse Cheese made of?
Glarner Alpkäse Cheese is made from cow milk (raw).
Which should I choose, Blue Cheese or Glarner Alpkäse Cheese?
It depends on the dish. The table above is the fastest way to decide based on your recipe.