Cabrales Cheese vs Queso de Flor de Guía

Cabrales Cheese is a crumbly, open paste cow-milk cheese from Spain, while Queso de Flor de Guía is dense, compact, pasty and made from cow, goat, and sheep milk.

What Is Cabrales Cheese?

Cabrales is a strong, pungent blue cheese from the Asturias region in northern Spain. It is traditionally made from a mixture of raw cow's, goat’s, and sheep's milk that is aged in natural limestone caves, facilitating the development of its intense flavor and blue veining. Cabrales is known for its deep, spicy earthiness and can be quite sharp, making it a favorite among blue cheese aficionados.

What Is Queso de Flor de Guía?

Queso de Flor de Guía is a full-fat or half-fat cheese from Spain, specifically produced in Gáldar, Moya, and Santa María de Guía in Gran Canaria. It is made primarily from Canary Island sheep’s milk, with up to 40% Canary Island cattle milk and up to 10% Canary Island goat milk. The milk is curdled exclusively using vegetable rennet derived from the dried flower heads of Cynara cardunculus var. ferocissima and Cynara scolymus. The cheese has a cylindrical shape and varies in size from 0.5 to 5 kg. Its texture is dense, compact, and pasty, with a very soft and creamy interior when semi-mature and a harder body when fully matured. The flavor is highly aromatic, acidic, and bitter, with mild burning and astringent sensations. It matures for at least 15 days for semi-mature cheese and over 60 days for mature cheese.

What's the Difference Between Cabrales Cheese and Queso de Flor de Guía?

• Milk type: Cabrales Cheese (cow's milk), Queso de Flor de Guía (Sheep (Canary Island breed), with up to 40% cow and 10% goat milk)
• Texture: Cabrales Cheese (Crumbly, open paste), Queso de Flor de Guía (Dense, compact, pasty)
• Rind: Cabrales Cheese (Natural), Queso de Flor de Guía (Soft and elastic when young, dark brown and harder when mature)
• Aging: Cabrales Cheese (2 to 3 months), Queso de Flor de Guía (15+ days (semi-mature), 60+ days (mature))
• Taste: Cabrales Cheese (Intense, piquant), Queso de Flor de Guía (Aromatic, acidic, and bitter)

Side-by-Side Comparison

Taste Comparison: Does Cabrales Cheese Taste Like Queso de Flor de Guía?

Cabrales Cheese reads as intense, piquant, while Queso de Flor de Guía brings aromatic, acidic, and bitter character. On the nose, Cabrales Cheese offers strong, contrasted with Queso de Flor de Guía's medium intensity, with lactic and vegetal notes. More specifically, Cabrales Cheese shows hints of hazelnuts, dark cocoa, sharp, metallic finish; intensely acid curd, while Queso de Flor de Guía leans toward lactic, vegetal (cardoon and nuts). Aging plays into this as well. Cabrales Cheese at 2 to 3 months develops a different profile than Queso de Flor de Guía at 15+ days (semi-mature), 60+ days (mature).

Can You Substitute Cabrales Cheese for Queso de Flor de Guía?

Cabrales Cheese can stand in for Queso de Flor de Guía in many dishes, but the switch will shift the overall character of the recipe. Expect crumbly, open paste bite and body where the recipe calls for dense, compact, pasty. Flavor-wise, Cabrales Cheese reads as intense, piquant while Queso de Flor de Guía brings aromatic, acidic, and bitter notes.

Which Is Better, Cabrales Cheese or Queso de Flor de Guía?

There's no single winner. It depends on your recipe and the profile you want. If you want a crumbly, open paste cheese, go with Cabrales Cheese. For a dense, compact, pasty profile, Queso de Flor de Guía is the better fit. Flavor-wise, Cabrales Cheese suits recipes that want intense, piquant notes, while Queso de Flor de Guía fits dishes calling for aromatic, acidic, and bitter.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Cabrales Cheese the same as Queso de Flor de Guía?

No, they're distinct cheeses. Cabrales Cheese is made from cow milk; Queso de Flor de Guía uses cow, goat, and sheep. Aging also differs: Cabrales Cheese is typically aged 2 to 3 months, Queso de Flor de Guía 15+ days (semi-mature), 60+ days (mature).

Is Cabrales Cheese similar to Queso de Flor de Guía?

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

Can I substitute Cabrales Cheese for Queso de Flor de Guía?

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

Does Cabrales Cheese taste like Queso de Flor de Guía?

Cabrales Cheese reads as intense, piquant, while Queso de Flor de Guía is aromatic, acidic, and bitter. Aromas also diverge. Cabrales Cheese leans strong, and Queso de Flor de Guía is closer to medium intensity, with lactic and vegetal notes.

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 Queso de Flor de Guía made of?

Queso de Flor de Guía is made from cow, goat, and sheep milk, using vegetable (cynara cardunculus var. ferocissima, cynara scolymus) rennet. It's typically aged 15+ days (semi-mature), 60+ days (mature).

Which should I choose, Cabrales Cheese or Queso de Flor de Guía?

It depends on the dish. The texture difference is the biggest practical tell. Cabrales Cheese is crumbly, open paste, while Queso de Flor de Guía is dense, compact, pasty.