Blue Cheese vs Salva Cremasco Cheese
Blue Cheese is a crumbly, creamy, semi-soft cow, goat, or sheep-milk cheese from France, while Salva Cremasco Cheese is compact, granular, with irregular thin eyes and made from cow milk, originating in Italy.
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 Salva Cremasco Cheese?
Salva is a PDO washed-rind cow's milk cheese from the central plain of Lombardy, made from full-cream pasteurized milk and aged for months in squared truckles. It came from the habit of saving surplus spring milk, and locals eat it with pickled green peppers.
What's the Difference Between Blue Cheese and Salva Cremasco Cheese?
- Origin: Blue Cheese (France), Salva Cremasco Cheese (Italy)
- Milk type: Blue Cheese (Cow, Sheep, Goat), Salva Cremasco Cheese (Whole raw or pasteurized cow’s milk)
- Milk treatment: Blue Cheese (Pasteurized or Raw), Salva Cremasco Cheese (pasteurized)
- Texture: Blue Cheese (Crumbly, Creamy, Semi-Soft), Salva Cremasco Cheese (Compact, granular, with irregular thin eyes)
- Rind: Blue Cheese (Natural), Salva Cremasco Cheese (Thin, wrinkled, pinkish; molds possible)
- Aging: Blue Cheese (Typically aged 2-6 months), Salva Cremasco Cheese (At least seventy-five days)
- Taste: Blue Cheese (Sharp, Tangy, Savory, Salty, Pungent), Salva Cremasco Cheese (Mild, fruity, and rich)
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Blue Cheese | Salva Cremasco Cheese | |
|---|---|---|
| Country of Origin | France | Italy |
| Specific Origin | — | Provinces Of Bergamo, Brescia, Cremona, Lecco, Lodi, Milan |
| Milk Type | Cow, Sheep, Goat | Whole raw or pasteurized cow’s milk |
| Milk Treatment | Pasteurized or Raw | Pasteurized |
| Texture | Crumbly, Creamy, Semi-Soft | Compact, granular, with irregular thin eyes |
| Rind | Natural | Thin, wrinkled, pinkish; molds possible |
| Aging | Typically aged 2-6 months | At least seventy-five days |
| Taste | Sharp, Tangy, Savory, Salty, Pungent | Mild, fruity, and rich |
Taste Comparison: Does Blue Cheese Taste Like Salva Cremasco Cheese?
Blue Cheese reads as sharp, tangy, savory, salty, pungent, while Salva Cremasco Cheese brings mild, fruity, and rich character. On the nose, Blue Cheese offers strong, pungent, earthy, funky, contrasted with Salva Cremasco Cheese's aromatic and fragrant, with marked aromatic complexity. More specifically, Blue Cheese shows earthy, spicy, peppery, slightly sweet, umami, nutty, bitter, while Salva Cremasco Cheese leans toward more intense with ripening. Aging plays into this as well. Blue Cheese at typically aged 2-6 months develops a different profile than Salva Cremasco Cheese at at least seventy-five days.
Can You Substitute Blue Cheese for Salva Cremasco Cheese?
Blue Cheese can stand in for Salva Cremasco 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 compact, granular, with irregular thin eyes. Flavor-wise, Blue Cheese reads as sharp, tangy, savory, salty, pungent while Salva Cremasco Cheese brings mild, fruity, and rich notes.
Which Is Better, Blue Cheese or Salva Cremasco 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 compact, granular, with irregular thin eyes profile, Salva Cremasco Cheese is the better fit. Flavor-wise, Blue Cheese suits recipes that want sharp, tangy, savory, salty, pungent notes, while Salva Cremasco Cheese fits dishes calling for mild, fruity, and rich.
Which is your favorite?
One click, anonymous. See what others chose.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Blue Cheese the same as Salva Cremasco Cheese?
No, they're distinct cheeses. Blue Cheese originates in France, while Salva Cremasco Cheese comes from Italy. Blue Cheese is made from cow, goat, or sheep milk; Salva Cremasco Cheese uses cow. Aging also differs: Blue Cheese is typically aged typically aged 2-6 months, Salva Cremasco Cheese at least seventy-five days.
Is Blue Cheese similar to Salva Cremasco Cheese?
Not closely. They use different milk bases and have distinct profiles.
Can I substitute Blue Cheese for Salva Cremasco Cheese?
You can, but expect a shift in richness and milk character.
Does Blue Cheese taste like Salva Cremasco Cheese?
Blue Cheese reads as sharp, tangy, savory, salty, pungent, while Salva Cremasco Cheese is mild, fruity, and rich. Aromas also diverge. Blue Cheese leans strong, pungent, earthy, funky, and Salva Cremasco Cheese is closer to aromatic and fragrant, with marked aromatic complexity.
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 Salva Cremasco Cheese made of?
Salva Cremasco Cheese is made from cow milk (pasteurized), using calf rennet. It's typically aged at least seventy-five days. It originates in Italy.
Which should I choose, Blue Cheese or Salva Cremasco Cheese?
It depends on the dish. The texture difference is the biggest practical tell. Blue Cheese is crumbly, creamy, semi-soft, while Salva Cremasco Cheese is compact, granular, with irregular thin eyes.