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Blue Cheese vs Mahón-Menorca Cheese
Blue Cheese
Mahón-Menorca Cheese
In this article, we'll explore the answers to the most common questions about Blue Cheese and Mahón-Menorca Cheese, including:
- "What is the difference between Blue Cheese and Mahón-Menorca Cheese?"
- "Is Blue Cheese and Mahón-Menorca Cheese the same?"
- "How does Blue Cheese compare to Mahón-Menorca Cheese cheese?"
- "How does the taste of Blue Cheese compare to Mahón-Menorca Cheese?"
- "Is Blue Cheese or Mahón-Menorca Cheese better?"
Blue Cheese Overview
A type of cheese injected or inoculated with Penicillium mold to create blue or green veins, resulting in a tangy, sharp flavor and creamy or crumbly texture.
Mahón-Menorca Cheese Overview
Mahón-Menorca is a cow's milk cheese from the island of Menorca in the Balearic Islands. It has a square shape with rounded edges and is known for its orange rind and soft to hard texture depending on age. The flavor is slightly salty and tangy, with buttery notes in younger cheeses and a sharper taste in older ones.
Comparing the Two Cheeses
Country of Origin
Blue Cheese comes from France. Mahón-Menorca Cheese originated from Spain.
Certification
Many cheeses have some kind of protected status that makes it so they can only be produced in a certain manner and location. Blue is not a protected cheese. Mahón-Menorca Cheese has a PDO (1996), PDO (1985).
Milk Type and Treatment
Blue Cheese is made with cow, goat, or sheep milk that is typically raw or pasteurized. Mahón-Menorca Cheese is made with cow or sheep milk that is typically raw.
Composition and Texture
Blue Cheese has a fat content of around 25-35% and a moisture content of around 30-50%. Blue's texture can be described as "crumbly, creamy, semi-soft". Mahón-Menorca's texture can be described as "firm".
Taste and Aroma
Blue Cheese has a sharp, tangy, savory, salty, pungent taste. Blue's aroma can be described as "strong, pungent, earthy, funky". Mahón-Menorca Cheese has a salty and spicy taste. Mahón-Menorca's aroma can be described as "lactic, buttery".
Appearance and Aging
Blue Cheese's appearance is colored white to creamy yellow base with blue-green veining , is available in wheel, block, wedge, crumbles and is aged typically aged 2-6 months . Mahón-Menorca Cheese has a color of ivory-yellow to orangey or brownish gray , comes in parallelepiped shape and has an aging period of tender: 21-60 days, semi-cured: 2-5 months, vintage: >5 months .
Rind and Rennet Type
Blue Cheese's rind is described as natural and uses traditional (animal rennet) or microbial (varies by producer) rennet. Mahón-Menorca Cheese's rind is described as characteristic orangish , with vegetable (cynara cardunculus) rennet.
Ranking
Blue is ranked #3 out of 996 types based on community views. Mahón-Menorca is ranked #222 out of 996 types based on community views.
Pairing Comparison
| Blue | Mahón-Menorca | |
|---|---|---|
| Best Pairings | Amaro, Apricot, Asian Pear, Cabernet Sauvignon, Dirty Martini, Dried Figs, Fig Jam, German Riesling, Green Apple, Hard Cider, Honey, Honeycomb, IPA, Malbec, Muscat, Pear, Pecans, Port, Scotch, Steak | No pairings listed. |
| Other Good Pairings | Almonds, Apples, Belgian Blonde, Bordeaux, Burgundy Red, California Viogniers, Dried Cranberries, Grapes, Merlot, Mushrooms, Olives, Prosciutto, Roast Beef | No additional pairings listed. |
For more details, check the full pairing guides on the Blue and Mahón-Menorca pages.
Side-by-Side Comparison Table
| Blue Cheese | Mahón-Menorca Cheese | |
|---|---|---|
| Country of Origin | France | Spain |
| Specific Origin | Not Specified | Menorca, Balearic Islands |
| Certification | Not Specified | PDO (1996), PDO (1985) |
| Milk Type | Cow, Sheep, Goat | Friesian, Menorcan, Brown Alpine cow’s milk, some ewe’s milk (max 5%) |
| Milk Treatment | Pasteurized or Raw | Raw or any authorized preservation technology |
| Fat Content | Around 25-35% | Not Specified |
| Moisture Content | Around 30-50% | Not Specified |
| Rind | Natural | Characteristic orangish |
| Texture | Crumbly, Creamy, Semi-Soft | Firm |
| Taste | Sharp, Tangy, Savory, Salty, Pungent | Salty and spicy |
| Aroma | Strong, Pungent, Earthy, Funky | Lactic, buttery |
| Colors | White to Creamy Yellow base with Blue-Green Veining | Ivory-yellow to orangey or brownish gray |
| Forms | Wheel, Block, Wedge, Crumbles | Parallelepiped shape |
| Age | Typically aged 2-6 months | Tender: 21-60 days, Semi-cured: 2-5 months, Vintage: >5 months |
| Rennet Type | Traditional (animal rennet) or Microbial (varies by producer) | Vegetable (Cynara cardunculus) |
Which One Should You Choose?
If you prefer a crumbly, creamy, semi-soft cheese, go for Blue. But if you enjoy a firm consistency, Mahón-Menorca might be the better pick. Blue has a sharp, tangy, savory, salty, pungent taste, making it great for various dishes. Meanwhile, Mahón-Menorca offers a salty and spicy profile, ideal for different meals.
