Cabrales Cheese vs Formaggio d'alpe ticinese Cheese
Cabrales Cheese is a unctuous, compact, no eyes cow-milk cheese from Spain, while Formaggio d'alpe ticinese Cheese is semi-hard and made from cow or goat milk.
What Is Cabrales Cheese?
Cabrales is a blue cheese made by rural dairy farmers in the Asturias mountains of Spain, from raw cow's milk alone or blended with goat and sheep milk. It is known for its strong, sometimes sharply acidic flavor and for ripening in limestone caves.
What Is Formaggio d'alpe ticinese Cheese?
Formaggio d'alpe ticinese is a semi-hard raw milk cheese made on the alpine pastures of Ticino, Switzerland, during the summer grazing months. It is known for its brown-grey rind and, in some valleys, a share of goat milk blended into the cow milk.
What's the Difference Between Cabrales Cheese and Formaggio d'alpe ticinese Cheese?
- Milk type: Cabrales Cheese (cow's milk), Formaggio d'alpe ticinese Cheese (cow, sometimes with up to 30% goat)
- Milk treatment: Cabrales Cheese (unpasteurized), Formaggio d'alpe ticinese Cheese (raw)
- Texture: Cabrales Cheese (unctuous, compact, no eyes), Formaggio d'alpe ticinese Cheese (semi-hard)
- Rind: Cabrales Cheese (Natural), Formaggio d'alpe ticinese Cheese (natural, washed in brine)
- Aging: Cabrales Cheese (2 to 3 months), Formaggio d'alpe ticinese Cheese (60 days to about 1 year)
- Taste: Cabrales Cheese (Intense, piquant), Formaggio d'alpe ticinese Cheese (mild when young, spicier with age)
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Cabrales Cheese | Formaggio d'alpe ticinese Cheese | |
|---|---|---|
| Country of Origin | Spain | — |
| Specific Origin | Asturias | Ticino, Switzerland |
| Milk Type | Cow's milk | Cow, sometimes with up to 30% goat |
| Milk Treatment | Unpasteurized | Raw |
| Texture | Unctuous, compact, no eyes | Semi-hard |
| Rind | Natural | Natural, washed in brine |
| Aging | 2 to 3 months | 60 days to about 1 year |
| Taste | Intense, piquant | Mild when young, spicier with age |
Taste Comparison: Does Cabrales Cheese Taste Like Formaggio d'alpe ticinese Cheese?
Cabrales Cheese reads as intense, piquant, while Formaggio d'alpe ticinese Cheese brings mild when young, spicier with age character. More specifically, Cabrales Cheese shows hints of hazelnuts, dark cocoa, sharp, metallic finish; intensely acid curd, while Formaggio d'alpe ticinese Cheese leans toward varies by alp according to the local pasture flora. Aging plays into this as well. Cabrales Cheese at 2 to 3 months develops a different profile than Formaggio d'alpe ticinese Cheese at 60 days to about 1 year.
Can You Substitute Cabrales Cheese for Formaggio d'alpe ticinese Cheese?
Cabrales Cheese can stand in for Formaggio d'alpe ticinese Cheese in many dishes, but the switch will shift the overall character of the recipe. Expect unctuous, compact, no eyes bite and body where the recipe calls for semi-hard. Flavor-wise, Cabrales Cheese reads as intense, piquant while Formaggio d'alpe ticinese Cheese brings mild when young, spicier with age notes.
Which Is Better, Cabrales Cheese or Formaggio d'alpe ticinese Cheese?
There's no single winner. It depends on your recipe and the profile you want. If you want a unctuous, compact, no eyes cheese, go with Cabrales Cheese. For a semi-hard profile, Formaggio d'alpe ticinese Cheese is the better fit. Flavor-wise, Cabrales Cheese suits recipes that want intense, piquant notes, while Formaggio d'alpe ticinese Cheese fits dishes calling for mild when young, spicier with age.
Which is your favorite?
One click, anonymous. See what others chose.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Cabrales Cheese the same as Formaggio d'alpe ticinese Cheese?
No, they're distinct cheeses. Cabrales Cheese is made from cow milk; Formaggio d'alpe ticinese Cheese uses cow or goat. Aging also differs: Cabrales Cheese is typically aged 2 to 3 months, Formaggio d'alpe ticinese Cheese 60 days to about 1 year.
Is Cabrales Cheese similar to Formaggio d'alpe ticinese Cheese?
Not closely. They use different milk bases and have distinct profiles.
Can I substitute Cabrales Cheese for Formaggio d'alpe ticinese Cheese?
You can, but expect a shift in richness and milk character.
Does Cabrales Cheese taste like Formaggio d'alpe ticinese Cheese?
Cabrales Cheese reads as intense, piquant, while Formaggio d'alpe ticinese Cheese is mild when young, spicier with age.
What is Cabrales Cheese made of?
Cabrales Cheese is made from cow milk (unpasteurized), using kid rennet. It's typically aged 2 to 3 months. It originates in Spain.
What is Formaggio d'alpe ticinese Cheese made of?
Formaggio d'alpe ticinese Cheese is made from cow or goat milk (raw), using animal rennet. It's typically aged 60 days to about 1 year.
Which should I choose, Cabrales Cheese or Formaggio d'alpe ticinese Cheese?
It depends on the dish. The texture difference is the biggest practical tell. Cabrales Cheese is unctuous, compact, no eyes, while Formaggio d'alpe ticinese Cheese is semi-hard.