Brin d'Amour Cheese vs Graviera Naxou Cheese

Brin d'Amour Cheese is a soft to firm sheep-milk cheese from France, while Graviera Naxou Cheese is elastic and made from cow, goat, or sheep milk, originating in Greece.

What Is Brin d'Amour Cheese?

Brin d'amour is a Corsican raw sheep's milk cheese created in the 1950s. It is known for a natural rind dusted with herbs of the maquis, which pass their flavor into the soft ivory paste as the cheese ages.

What Is Graviera Naxou Cheese?

Graviera Naxou is a yellow hard cheese from the Greek island of Naxos, made with pasteurized cow's milk and up to 20 percent sheep's milk. It is known for its delicate, slightly sharp aroma and its PDO status, held since 1996.

What's the Difference Between Brin d'Amour Cheese and Graviera Naxou Cheese?

• Origin: Brin d'Amour Cheese (France), Graviera Naxou Cheese (Greece)
• Milk type: Brin d'Amour Cheese (sheep's milk), Graviera Naxou Cheese (Predominantly cow's milk, sheep’s or goat’s milk (up to 20%))
• Milk treatment: Brin d'Amour Cheese (raw), Graviera Naxou Cheese (pasteurized)
• Texture: Brin d'Amour Cheese (Soft to firm), Graviera Naxou Cheese (Elastic)
• Rind: Brin d'Amour Cheese (Natural), Graviera Naxou Cheese (Smear rind)
• Aging: Brin d'Amour Cheese (1 to 3 months), Graviera Naxou Cheese (3 months)

Side-by-Side Comparison

Taste Comparison: Does Brin d'Amour Cheese Taste Like Graviera Naxou Cheese?

Their flavor profiles are distinct. On the nose, Brin d'Amour Cheese offers herbaceous, contrasted with Graviera Naxou Cheese's delicate, slightly sharp. More specifically, Brin d'Amour Cheese shows pronounced milk flavor, intensifies with age; herb influence grows, while Graviera Naxou Cheese leans toward produced traditionally, small-scale, without starter, renneted at 91–97°f, aged at least 3 months. Aging plays into this as well. Brin d'Amour Cheese at 1 to 3 months develops a different profile than Graviera Naxou Cheese at 3 months.

Can You Substitute Brin d'Amour Cheese for Graviera Naxou Cheese?

Brin d'Amour Cheese can stand in for Graviera Naxou Cheese in many dishes, but the switch will shift the overall character of the recipe. Expect soft to firm bite and body where the recipe calls for elastic.

Which Is Better, Brin d'Amour Cheese or Graviera Naxou Cheese?

There's no single winner. It depends on your recipe and the profile you want. If you want a soft to firm cheese, go with Brin d'Amour Cheese. For a elastic profile, Graviera Naxou Cheese is the better fit.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Brin d'Amour Cheese the same as Graviera Naxou Cheese?

No, they're distinct cheeses. Brin d'Amour Cheese originates in France, while Graviera Naxou Cheese comes from Greece. Brin d'Amour Cheese is made from sheep milk; Graviera Naxou Cheese uses cow, goat, or sheep. Aging also differs: Brin d'Amour Cheese is typically aged 1 to 3 months, Graviera Naxou Cheese 3 months.

Is Brin d'Amour Cheese similar to Graviera Naxou Cheese?

Not closely. They use different milk bases and have distinct profiles.

Can I substitute Brin d'Amour Cheese for Graviera Naxou Cheese?

You can, but expect a shift in richness and milk character.

Does Brin d'Amour Cheese taste like Graviera Naxou Cheese?

They have distinct flavor profiles. The taste row in the table above is the best direct comparison.

What is Brin d'Amour Cheese made of?

Brin d'Amour Cheese is made from sheep milk (raw). It's typically aged 1 to 3 months. It originates in France.

What is Graviera Naxou Cheese made of?

Graviera Naxou Cheese is made from cow, goat, or sheep milk (pasteurized), using traditional lamb's stomach rennet. It's typically aged 3 months. It originates in Greece.

Which should I choose, Brin d'Amour Cheese or Graviera Naxou Cheese?

It depends on the dish. The texture difference is the biggest practical tell. Brin d'Amour Cheese is soft to firm, while Graviera Naxou Cheese is elastic.