Cacioricotta Cheese vs Fontina Cheese

Cacioricotta Cheese is a cow, goat, or sheep-milk cheese from Italy, while Fontina Cheese is semi-soft and made from cow milk, originating in Italy.

What Is Cacioricotta Cheese?

Cacioricotta is a southern Italian cheese from Basilicata, Apulia and Calabria, usually made with sheep or goat milk. Its name comes from the hybrid method behind it, which borrows steps from both ricotta and hard cheese making.

What Is Fontina Cheese?

Fontina is a cow's milk cheese from Italy's Aosta Valley, made there since the 12th century. It runs semisoft to hard, tastes creamy and nutty with earthy, mushroomy notes, and melts well enough to carry a fondue.

What's the Difference Between Cacioricotta Cheese and Fontina Cheese?

• Milk type: Cacioricotta Cheese (Goat's or sheep's milk, sometimes with cow's milk), Fontina Cheese (Cow's milk)
• Milk treatment: Cacioricotta Cheese (Heated), Fontina Cheese (Raw (for traditional Italian Fontina), Pasteurized (for most American versions))
• Rind: Cacioricotta Cheese (None when fresh, straw-color when aged), Fontina Cheese (Natural, Often Washed)
• Aging: Cacioricotta Cheese (Fresh or 3 to 6 months), Fontina Cheese (Typically 2-3 months (can be aged longer for stronger flavor))
• Taste: Cacioricotta Cheese (Sweet to salty, spicy), Fontina Cheese (Mild, Buttery, Nutty)

Side-by-Side Comparison

Taste Comparison: Does Cacioricotta Cheese Taste Like Fontina Cheese?

Cacioricotta Cheese reads as sweet to salty, spicy, while Fontina Cheese brings mild, buttery, nutty character. On the nose, Cacioricotta Cheese offers cooked milk, contrasted with Fontina Cheese's mild to pungent (earthier in aged versions). More specifically, Cacioricotta Cheese shows fresh: cooked milk aroma, sweet ricotta flavor; aged: salty, spicy with goat hints, while Fontina Cheese leans toward buttery, earthy, mildly nutty, slightly fruity. Aging plays into this as well. Cacioricotta Cheese at fresh or 3 to 6 months develops a different profile than Fontina Cheese at typically 2-3 months (can be aged longer for stronger flavor).

Can You Substitute Cacioricotta Cheese for Fontina Cheese?

Cacioricotta Cheese can stand in for Fontina Cheese in many dishes, but the switch will shift the overall character of the recipe. Flavor-wise, Cacioricotta Cheese reads as sweet to salty, spicy while Fontina Cheese brings mild, buttery, nutty notes.

Which Is Better, Cacioricotta Cheese or Fontina Cheese?

There's no single winner. It depends on your recipe and the profile you want. Flavor-wise, Cacioricotta Cheese suits recipes that want sweet to salty, spicy notes, while Fontina Cheese fits dishes calling for mild, buttery, nutty.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Cacioricotta Cheese the same as Fontina Cheese?

No, they're distinct cheeses. Cacioricotta Cheese is made from cow, goat, or sheep milk; Fontina Cheese uses cow. Aging also differs: Cacioricotta Cheese is typically aged fresh or 3 to 6 months, Fontina Cheese typically 2-3 months (can be aged longer for stronger flavor).

Is Cacioricotta Cheese similar to Fontina Cheese?

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

Can I substitute Cacioricotta Cheese for Fontina Cheese?

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

Does Cacioricotta Cheese taste like Fontina Cheese?

Cacioricotta Cheese reads as sweet to salty, spicy, while Fontina Cheese is mild, buttery, nutty. Aromas also diverge. Cacioricotta Cheese leans cooked milk, and Fontina Cheese is closer to mild to pungent (earthier in aged versions).

What is Cacioricotta Cheese made of?

Cacioricotta Cheese is made from cow, goat, or sheep milk (heated), using added after cooling to 38 to 40°c rennet. It's typically aged fresh or 3 to 6 months. It originates in Italy.

What is Fontina Cheese made of?

Fontina Cheese is made from cow milk (raw (for traditional italian fontina), pasteurized (for most american versions)), using traditional (animal) or microbial (varies by producer) rennet. It's typically aged typically 2-3 months (can be aged longer for stronger flavor). It originates in Italy.

Which should I choose, Cacioricotta Cheese or Fontina Cheese?

It depends on the dish. The table above is the fastest way to decide based on your recipe.