Blue Cheese vs Sap Sago Cheese
Blue Cheese is a crumbly, creamy, semi-soft cow, goat, or sheep-milk cheese from France, while Sap Sago Cheese is hard and made from cow milk, originating in Switzerland.
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 Sap Sago Cheese?
Sap Sago is a hard, skimmed-milk cheese from the Canton of Glarus in Switzerland, seasoned and tinted green with blue fenugreek. It is grated as a seasoning rather than eaten in slices, and its 1463 origin stamp makes it the oldest branded product in the country.
What's the Difference Between Blue Cheese and Sap Sago Cheese?
- Origin: Blue Cheese (France), Sap Sago Cheese (Switzerland)
- Milk type: Blue Cheese (Cow, Sheep, Goat), Sap Sago Cheese (cow's milk)
- Milk treatment: Blue Cheese (Pasteurized or Raw), Sap Sago Cheese (skimmed)
- Texture: Blue Cheese (Crumbly, Creamy, Semi-Soft), Sap Sago Cheese (hard)
- Rind: Blue Cheese (Natural), Sap Sago Cheese (natural)
- Aging: Blue Cheese (Typically aged 2-6 months), Sap Sago Cheese (4 to 12 weeks fermentation, then 3 to 8 months in silos)
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Blue Cheese | Sap Sago Cheese | |
|---|---|---|
| Country of Origin | France | Switzerland |
| Specific Origin | — | Canton Of Glarus |
| Milk Type | Cow, Sheep, Goat | Cow's milk |
| Milk Treatment | Pasteurized or Raw | Skimmed |
| Texture | Crumbly, Creamy, Semi-Soft | Hard |
| Rind | Natural | Natural |
| Aging | Typically aged 2-6 months | 4 to 12 weeks fermentation, then 3 to 8 months in silos |
| Taste | Sharp, Tangy, Savory, Salty, Pungent | — |
Taste Comparison: Does Blue Cheese Taste Like Sap Sago Cheese?
Their flavor profiles are distinct. On the nose, Blue Cheese offers strong, pungent, earthy, funky, contrasted with Sap Sago Cheese's herbal. More specifically, Blue Cheese shows earthy, spicy, peppery, slightly sweet, umami, nutty, bitter, while Sap Sago Cheese leans toward salt and blue fenugreek (schabzigerklee). Aging plays into this as well. Blue Cheese at typically aged 2-6 months develops a different profile than Sap Sago Cheese at 4 to 12 weeks fermentation, then 3 to 8 months in silos.
Can You Substitute Blue Cheese for Sap Sago Cheese?
Blue Cheese can stand in for Sap Sago 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 hard.
Which Is Better, Blue Cheese or Sap Sago 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 hard profile, Sap Sago Cheese is the better fit.
Which is your favorite?
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Frequently Asked Questions
Is Blue Cheese the same as Sap Sago Cheese?
No, they're distinct cheeses. Blue Cheese originates in France, while Sap Sago Cheese comes from Switzerland. Blue Cheese is made from cow, goat, or sheep milk; Sap Sago Cheese uses cow. Aging also differs: Blue Cheese is typically aged typically aged 2-6 months, Sap Sago Cheese 4 to 12 weeks fermentation, then 3 to 8 months in silos.
Is Blue Cheese similar to Sap Sago Cheese?
Not closely. They use different milk bases and have distinct profiles.
Can I substitute Blue Cheese for Sap Sago Cheese?
You can, but expect a shift in richness and milk character.
Does Blue Cheese taste like Sap Sago Cheese?
They have distinct flavor profiles. The taste row in the table above is the best direct comparison.
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 Sap Sago Cheese made of?
Sap Sago Cheese is made from cow milk (skimmed), using none, acid-coagulated rennet. It's typically aged 4 to 12 weeks fermentation, then 3 to 8 months in silos. It originates in Switzerland.
Which should I choose, Blue Cheese or Sap Sago Cheese?
It depends on the dish. The texture difference is the biggest practical tell. Blue Cheese is crumbly, creamy, semi-soft, while Sap Sago Cheese is hard.