Search
Cheeses
Cheesemakers
Types
Pairings
Cheese Map
Boursin Cheese vs Mahón-Menorca Cheese
Boursin Cheese
Mahón-Menorca Cheese
In this article, we’ll explore the answers to the most common questions about Boursin Cheese and Mahón-Menorca Cheese, including:
- "What is the difference between Boursin Cheese and Mahón-Menorca Cheese?"
- "Is Boursin Cheese and Mahón-Menorca Cheese the same?"
- "How does Boursin Cheese compare to Mahón-Menorca Cheese cheese?"
- "How does the taste of Boursin Cheese compare to Mahón-Menorca Cheese?"
- "Is Boursin Cheese or Mahón-Menorca Cheese better?"
Boursin Cheese Overview
Boursin is a soft, creamy cheese from France, famous for its smooth texture and herb-infused flavors. It is often made with garlic and fine herbs, but other varieties might include pepper or shallot and chive. Boursin is a spreadable cheese, popular on crackers or used in cooking to add a rich, creamy element to dishes.
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
Ranking
Boursin is ranked #104 out of 377 types.
Mahón-Menorca is ranked #221 out of 377 types.
Country of Origin
Boursin 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. Boursin is not a protected cheese. Mahón-Menorca Cheese has a PDO (1985).
Milk Type and Treatment
Boursin Cheese is made with cow milk that is typically pasteurized. Mahón-Menorca Cheese is made with cow or sheep milk that is typically raw.
Composition and Texture
Boursin Cheese has a fat content of high and a moisture content of low. Boursin's texture can be described as "soft and creamy". Mahón-Menorca's texture can be described as "firm".
Flavor and Aroma
Boursin Cheese has a garlic and herbs, pepper, or shallots and chive flavor. Boursin's aroma can be described as "mild". Mahón-Menorca Cheese has a salty and spicy flavor. Mahón-Menorca's aroma can be described as "lactic, buttery".
Appearance and Aging
Boursin Cheese's appearance is colored white , is available in foil-wrapped portions and is aged fresh (not aged) . 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
Boursin Cheese's rind is described as none and uses microbial rennet. Mahón-Menorca Cheese's rind is described as characteristic orangish , with vegetable (cynara cardunculus) rennet.
Side-by-Side Comparison Table
| Boursin Cheese | Mahón-Menorca Cheese | |
|---|---|---|
| Country of Origin | France | Spain |
| Specific Origin | Normandy | Menorca, Balearic Islands |
| Certification | None | PDO (1985) |
| Milk Type | Cow's milk | Friesian, Menorcan, Brown Alpine cow’s milk, some ewe’s milk (max 5%) |
| Milk Treatment | Pasteurized | Raw or any authorized preservation technology |
| Fat Content | High | |
| Moisture Content | Low | |
| Rind | None | Characteristic orangish |
| Texture | Soft and creamy | Firm |
| Flavor | Garlic and herbs, pepper, or shallots and chive | Salty and spicy |
| Aroma | Mild | Lactic, buttery |
| Colors | White | Ivory-yellow to orangey or brownish gray |
| Forms | Foil-wrapped portions | Parallelepiped shape |
| Age | Fresh (not aged) | Tender: 21-60 days, Semi-cured: 2-5 months, Vintage: >5 months |
| Rennet Type | Microbial | Vegetable (Cynara cardunculus) |
