Brie de Meaux Cheese vs Picodon Cheese
Brie de Meaux Cheese is a soft cow-milk cheese from France, while Picodon Cheese is homogeneous, smooth, and fine; can become crumbly if matured longer and made from goat milk.
What Is Brie de Meaux Cheese?
Brie de Meaux is a soft cheese made from raw cow's milk in the Brie region of France, an AOC product since 1980. Wheels run 36 to 37 cm (14 to 14+1/2 in) across, with a delicate white rind and a straw-yellow, creamy interior.
What Is Picodon Cheese?
Picodon is a small goat's milk cheese from the Rhône area of southern France, made mainly in the Ardèche and Drôme. Its name means spicy in Occitan, and it is known for a dry, fine paste that hardens and sharpens with age.
What's the Difference Between Brie de Meaux Cheese and Picodon Cheese?
- Milk type: Brie de Meaux Cheese (cow's milk), Picodon Cheese (Goat's milk)
- Milk treatment: Brie de Meaux Cheese (unpasteurized), Picodon Cheese (Raw, non-standardized, unhomogenized)
- Texture: Brie de Meaux Cheese (Soft), Picodon Cheese (Homogeneous, smooth, and fine; can become crumbly if matured longer)
- Rind: Brie de Meaux Cheese (White mold), Picodon Cheese (Fine, lightly covered with uniform or speckled moulds)
- Aging: Brie de Meaux Cheese (Minimum of 4 weeks), Picodon Cheese (Marketed starting 12 days after renneting; 30 days for "matured and washed" or "matured using the Dieulefit method")
- Taste: Brie de Meaux Cheese (Cream, butter, hazelnuts), Picodon Cheese (Frank, capric with notes of nut and mushroom, occasional pungency)
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Brie de Meaux Cheese | Picodon Cheese | |
|---|---|---|
| Country of Origin | France | — |
| Specific Origin | Meaux | Ardèche And Drôme Regions, Including Parts Of Gard And Vaucluse |
| Milk Type | Cow's milk | Goat's milk |
| Milk Treatment | Unpasteurized | Raw, non-standardized, unhomogenized |
| Texture | Soft | Homogeneous, smooth, and fine; can become crumbly if matured longer |
| Rind | White mold | Fine, lightly covered with uniform or speckled moulds |
| Aging | Minimum of 4 weeks | Marketed starting 12 days after renneting; 30 days for "matured and washed" or "matured using the Dieulefit method" |
| Taste | Cream, butter, hazelnuts | Frank, capric with notes of nut and mushroom, occasional pungency |
Taste Comparison: Does Brie de Meaux Cheese Taste Like Picodon Cheese?
Brie de Meaux Cheese reads as cream, butter, hazelnuts, while Picodon Cheese brings frank, capric with notes of nut and mushroom, occasional pungency character. More specifically, Brie de Meaux Cheese shows delicate aromas of cream, butter, and hazelnuts, while Picodon Cheese leans toward nut, light notes of mushroom, occasional pungency, possible fermentative taste. Aging plays into this as well. Brie de Meaux Cheese at minimum of 4 weeks develops a different profile than Picodon Cheese at marketed starting 12 days after renneting; 30 days for "matured and washed" or "matured using the dieulefit method".
Can You Substitute Brie de Meaux Cheese for Picodon Cheese?
Brie de Meaux Cheese can stand in for Picodon Cheese in many dishes, but the switch will shift the overall character of the recipe. Expect soft bite and body where the recipe calls for homogeneous, smooth, and fine; can become crumbly if matured longer. Flavor-wise, Brie de Meaux Cheese reads as cream, butter, hazelnuts while Picodon Cheese brings frank, capric with notes of nut and mushroom, occasional pungency notes.
Which Is Better, Brie de Meaux Cheese or Picodon Cheese?
There's no single winner. It depends on your recipe and the profile you want. If you want a soft cheese, go with Brie de Meaux Cheese. For a homogeneous, smooth, and fine; can become crumbly if matured longer profile, Picodon Cheese is the better fit. Flavor-wise, Brie de Meaux Cheese suits recipes that want cream, butter, hazelnuts notes, while Picodon Cheese fits dishes calling for frank, capric with notes of nut and mushroom, occasional pungency.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Is Brie de Meaux Cheese the same as Picodon Cheese?
No, they're distinct cheeses. Brie de Meaux Cheese is made from cow milk; Picodon Cheese uses goat. Aging also differs: Brie de Meaux Cheese is typically aged minimum of 4 weeks, Picodon Cheese marketed starting 12 days after renneting; 30 days for "matured and washed" or "matured using the dieulefit method".
Is Brie de Meaux Cheese similar to Picodon Cheese?
Not closely. They use different milk bases and have distinct profiles.
Can I substitute Brie de Meaux Cheese for Picodon Cheese?
You can, but expect a shift in richness and milk character.
Does Brie de Meaux Cheese taste like Picodon Cheese?
Brie de Meaux Cheese reads as cream, butter, hazelnuts, while Picodon Cheese is frank, capric with notes of nut and mushroom, occasional pungency.
What is Brie de Meaux Cheese made of?
Brie de Meaux Cheese is made from cow milk (unpasteurized), using bovi rennet. It's typically aged minimum of 4 weeks. It originates in France.
What is Picodon Cheese made of?
Picodon Cheese is made from goat milk (raw, non-standardized, unhomogenized), using small amount used, lactic coagulation rennet. It's typically aged marketed starting 12 days after renneting; 30 days for "matured and washed" or "matured using the dieulefit method".
Which should I choose, Brie de Meaux Cheese or Picodon Cheese?
It depends on the dish. The texture difference is the biggest practical tell. Brie de Meaux Cheese is soft, while Picodon Cheese is homogeneous, smooth, and fine; can become crumbly if matured longer.