Blue Cheese vs Tulum Cheese
Blue Cheese is a crumbly, creamy, semi-soft cow, goat, or sheep-milk cheese from France, while Tulum Cheese is a goat-milk cheese, originating in Turkey.
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 Tulum Cheese?
Tulum is a Turkish goat's milk cheese ripened inside a goatskin casing, which is what the word tulum means in Turkish. It is made in several regions, and versions from Erzincan, İzmir, Divle, Çimi and Kargı each taste different.
What's the Difference Between Blue Cheese and Tulum Cheese?
- Origin: Blue Cheese (France), Tulum Cheese (Turkey)
- Milk type: Blue Cheese (Cow, Sheep, Goat), Tulum Cheese (goat)
- Milk treatment: Blue Cheese (Pasteurized or Raw), Tulum Cheese (raw)
- Aging: Blue Cheese (Typically aged 2-6 months), Tulum Cheese (about 6 months)
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Blue Cheese | Tulum Cheese | |
|---|---|---|
| Country of Origin | France | Turkey |
| Specific Origin | — | Turkey |
| Milk Type | Cow, Sheep, Goat | Goat |
| Milk Treatment | Pasteurized or Raw | Raw |
| Texture | Crumbly, Creamy, Semi-Soft | — |
| Rind | Natural | — |
| Aging | Typically aged 2-6 months | About 6 months |
| Taste | Sharp, Tangy, Savory, Salty, Pungent | — |
Taste Comparison: Does Blue Cheese Taste Like Tulum Cheese?
Their flavor profiles are distinct. Aging plays into this as well. Blue Cheese at typically aged 2-6 months develops a different profile than Tulum Cheese at about 6 months.
Can You Substitute Blue Cheese for Tulum Cheese?
Blue Cheese can stand in for Tulum Cheese in many dishes, but the switch will shift the overall character of the recipe.
Which Is Better, Blue Cheese or Tulum Cheese?
There's no single winner. It depends on your recipe and the profile you want.
Which is your favorite?
One click, anonymous. See what others chose.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Blue Cheese the same as Tulum Cheese?
No, they're distinct cheeses. Blue Cheese originates in France, while Tulum Cheese comes from Turkey. Blue Cheese is made from cow, goat, or sheep milk; Tulum Cheese uses goat. Aging also differs: Blue Cheese is typically aged typically aged 2-6 months, Tulum Cheese about 6 months.
Is Blue Cheese similar to Tulum Cheese?
Not closely. They use different milk bases and have distinct profiles.
Can I substitute Blue Cheese for Tulum Cheese?
You can, but expect a shift in richness and milk character.
Does Blue Cheese taste like Tulum 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 Tulum Cheese made of?
Tulum Cheese is made from goat milk (raw). It's typically aged about 6 months. It originates in Turkey.
Which should I choose, Blue Cheese or Tulum Cheese?
It depends on the dish. The table above is the fastest way to decide based on your recipe.