Caciocavallo Cheese vs Sörmlands Ädel Cheese
Caciocavallo Cheese is a firm to semihard, chewy to crumbly cow-milk cheese from Italy, while Sörmlands Ädel Cheese is soft/semi-soft, elastic and made from cow milk.
What Is Caciocavallo Cheese?
Caciocavallo is a stretched-curd cheese from southern Italy, made with sheep's or cow's milk and shaped like a teardrop. It has a hard edible rind and tastes much like the aged provolone of the same region.
What Is Sörmlands Ädel Cheese?
Sörmlands Ädel is a soft, blue-veined cheese from Sweden, made with low-pasteurized organic whole cow’s milk. It is cylindrical, measuring 19–21 cm in diameter and 10–12 cm in height, with a weight of 2.8–3.0 kg. The cheese matures for 5–12 months and has a moisture content of 45–48%. It has a creamy, round, and complex flavor with acidic, umami, and caramel notes, and an aroma of sour cream butter, damp cellar, mushroom, and truffle. The cheese has a warm yellow surface with walnut brown and dark grey nuances and a homogeneous yellow interior with bluish-green veining. Its texture is soft to semi-soft with a slightly elastic consistency. The production follows traditional methods in Södermanland, Sweden, and uses a unique combination of Penicillium roqueforti strains.
What's the Difference Between Caciocavallo Cheese and Sörmlands Ädel Cheese?
- Texture: Caciocavallo Cheese (Firm to semihard, chewy to crumbly), Sörmlands Ädel Cheese (Soft/semi-soft, elastic)
- Rind: Caciocavallo Cheese (Smooth, thickens with age), Sörmlands Ädel Cheese (Flowery, warm yellow with walnut brown and dark grey nuances)
- Aging: Caciocavallo Cheese (2 to 12 months, up to 5 years), Sörmlands Ädel Cheese (5–12 months)
- Taste: Caciocavallo Cheese (Slightly sweet to sharp, piquant, complex), Sörmlands Ädel Cheese (Wide, round, creamy, and complex)
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Caciocavallo Cheese | Sörmlands Ädel Cheese | |
|---|---|---|
| Country of Origin | Italy | — |
| Specific Origin | Apennine Mountain Range | Södermanland |
| Milk Type | Cow's milk | Cow |
| Milk Treatment | — | Low-pasteurized |
| Texture | Firm to semihard, chewy to crumbly | Soft/semi-soft, elastic |
| Rind | Smooth, thickens with age | Flowery, warm yellow with walnut brown and dark grey nuances |
| Aging | 2 to 12 months, up to 5 years | 5–12 months |
| Taste | Slightly sweet to sharp, piquant, complex | Wide, round, creamy, and complex |
Taste Comparison: Does Caciocavallo Cheese Taste Like Sörmlands Ädel Cheese?
Caciocavallo Cheese reads as slightly sweet to sharp, piquant, complex, while Sörmlands Ädel Cheese brings wide, round, creamy, and complex character. On the nose, Caciocavallo Cheese offers earthy, contrasted with Sörmlands Ädel Cheese's sour cream butter, damp cellar, mushroom, truffle, mild bitter orange. More specifically, Caciocavallo Cheese shows sweet when young; intensifies and becomes piquant and complex with age, dotted with small crystals, while Sörmlands Ädel Cheese leans toward acidic, umami, cellar, stable, caramel. Aging plays into this as well. Caciocavallo Cheese at 2 to 12 months, up to 5 years develops a different profile than Sörmlands Ädel Cheese at 5–12 months.
Can You Substitute Caciocavallo Cheese for Sörmlands Ädel Cheese?
In most recipes, Caciocavallo Cheese and Sörmlands Ädel Cheese can be swapped with reasonable results. Both are cow-milk cheeses, so the base character carries over. Expect firm to semihard, chewy to crumbly bite and body where the recipe calls for soft/semi-soft, elastic. Flavor-wise, Caciocavallo Cheese reads as slightly sweet to sharp, piquant, complex while Sörmlands Ädel Cheese brings wide, round, creamy, and complex notes.
Which Is Better, Caciocavallo Cheese or Sörmlands Ädel Cheese?
There's no single winner. It depends on your recipe and the profile you want. If you want a firm to semihard, chewy to crumbly cheese, go with Caciocavallo Cheese. For a soft/semi-soft, elastic profile, Sörmlands Ädel Cheese is the better fit. Flavor-wise, Caciocavallo Cheese suits recipes that want slightly sweet to sharp, piquant, complex notes, while Sörmlands Ädel Cheese fits dishes calling for wide, round, creamy, and complex.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Is Caciocavallo Cheese the same as Sörmlands Ädel Cheese?
No, they're distinct cheeses. Aging also differs: Caciocavallo Cheese is typically aged 2 to 12 months, up to 5 years, Sörmlands Ädel Cheese 5–12 months.
Is Caciocavallo Cheese similar to Sörmlands Ädel Cheese?
Somewhat. They share a cow-milk base but diverge in texture and flavor.
Can I substitute Caciocavallo Cheese for Sörmlands Ädel Cheese?
You can, but expect a shift in bite and mouthfeel.
Does Caciocavallo Cheese taste like Sörmlands Ädel Cheese?
Caciocavallo Cheese reads as slightly sweet to sharp, piquant, complex, while Sörmlands Ädel Cheese is wide, round, creamy, and complex. Aromas also diverge. Caciocavallo Cheese leans earthy, and Sörmlands Ädel Cheese is closer to sour cream butter, damp cellar, mushroom, truffle, mild bitter orange.
What is Caciocavallo Cheese made of?
Caciocavallo Cheese is made from cow milk. It's typically aged 2 to 12 months, up to 5 years. It originates in Italy.
What is Sörmlands Ädel Cheese made of?
Sörmlands Ädel Cheese is made from cow milk (low-pasteurized), using natural rennet. It's typically aged 5–12 months.
Which should I choose, Caciocavallo Cheese or Sörmlands Ädel Cheese?
It depends on the dish. The texture difference is the biggest practical tell. Caciocavallo Cheese is firm to semihard, chewy to crumbly, while Sörmlands Ädel Cheese is soft/semi-soft, elastic.