Brin d'Amour Cheese vs Mont d'Or Cheese

Brin d'Amour Cheese is a soft to firm sheep-milk cheese from France, while Mont d'Or Cheese is soft and made from cow milk, originating in France.

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 Mont d'Or Cheese?

Mont d'Or is a seasonal soft cow's milk cheese from the Jura region of France and Switzerland, wrapped in a band of spruce that gives it its flavor. It sells from September 10 to May 10 and is usually warmed in its spruce box and eaten like fondue.

What's the Difference Between Brin d'Amour Cheese and Mont d'Or Cheese?

• Milk type: Brin d'Amour Cheese (sheep's milk), Mont d'Or Cheese (Cow's milk)
• Texture: Brin d'Amour Cheese (Soft to firm), Mont d'Or Cheese (Soft)
• Rind: Brin d'Amour Cheese (Natural), Mont d'Or Cheese (Washed rind)
• Aging: Brin d'Amour Cheese (1 to 3 months), Mont d'Or Cheese (21 to 60 days)
• Taste: Brin d'Amour Cheese (Earthy), Mont d'Or Cheese (Resinous, mild to pungent)

Side-by-Side Comparison

Taste Comparison: Does Brin d'Amour Cheese Taste Like Mont d'Or Cheese?

Brin d'Amour Cheese reads as earthy, while Mont d'Or Cheese brings resinous, mild to pungent character. More specifically, Brin d'Amour Cheese shows pronounced milk flavor, intensifies with age; herb influence grows, while Mont d'Or Cheese leans toward known for its creamy taste and powerful aroma; gets resinous flavor from spruce bark. Aging plays into this as well. Brin d'Amour Cheese at 1 to 3 months develops a different profile than Mont d'Or Cheese at 21 to 60 days.

Can You Substitute Brin d'Amour Cheese for Mont d'Or Cheese?

Brin d'Amour Cheese can stand in for Mont d'Or 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 soft. Flavor-wise, Brin d'Amour Cheese reads as earthy while Mont d'Or Cheese brings resinous, mild to pungent notes.

Which Is Better, Brin d'Amour Cheese or Mont d'Or 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 soft profile, Mont d'Or Cheese is the better fit. Flavor-wise, Brin d'Amour Cheese suits recipes that want earthy notes, while Mont d'Or Cheese fits dishes calling for resinous, mild to pungent.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Brin d'Amour Cheese the same as Mont d'Or Cheese?

No, they're distinct cheeses. Brin d'Amour Cheese is made from sheep milk; Mont d'Or Cheese uses cow. Aging also differs: Brin d'Amour Cheese is typically aged 1 to 3 months, Mont d'Or Cheese 21 to 60 days.

Is Brin d'Amour Cheese similar to Mont d'Or Cheese?

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

Can I substitute Brin d'Amour Cheese for Mont d'Or Cheese?

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

Does Brin d'Amour Cheese taste like Mont d'Or Cheese?

Brin d'Amour Cheese reads as earthy, while Mont d'Or Cheese is resinous, mild to pungent.

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 Mont d'Or Cheese made of?

Mont d'Or Cheese is made from cow milk (raw), using animal rennet. It's typically aged 21 to 60 days. It originates in France.

Which should I choose, Brin d'Amour Cheese or Mont d'Or Cheese?

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