Casu marzu Cheese vs Picodon Cheese
Casu marzu Cheese is a soft, soft-ripened sheep-milk cheese from Italy, while Picodon Cheese is homogeneous, smooth, and fine; can become crumbly if matured longer and made from goat milk.
What Is Casu marzu Cheese?
Casu marzu is a Sardinian sheep milk cheese fermented by live cheese fly larvae, which eat through a pecorino wheel and break down its fats until the paste turns very soft. Its sale is banned in Italy and the EU, and Guinness World Records called it the world's most dangerous cheese.
What Is Picodon Cheese?
Picodon is a small goat's milk cheese from the Rhône area of southern France, made mainly in the Ardèche and Drôme. Its name means spicy in Occitan, and it is known for a dry, fine paste that hardens and sharpens with age.
What's the Difference Between Casu marzu Cheese and Picodon Cheese?
- Milk type: Casu marzu Cheese (sheep's milk), Picodon Cheese (Goat's milk)
- Texture: Casu marzu Cheese (soft, soft-ripened), Picodon Cheese (Homogeneous, smooth, and fine; can become crumbly if matured longer)
- Rind: Casu marzu Cheese (natural), Picodon Cheese (Fine, lightly covered with uniform or speckled moulds)
- Aging: Casu marzu Cheese (3 months), Picodon Cheese (Marketed starting 12 days after renneting; 30 days for "matured and washed" or "matured using the Dieulefit method")
- Taste: Casu marzu Cheese (intense, spicy), Picodon Cheese (Frank, capric with notes of nut and mushroom, occasional pungency)
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Casu marzu Cheese | Picodon Cheese | |
|---|---|---|
| Country of Origin | Italy | — |
| Specific Origin | Sardinia (Italy), Southern Corsica (France) | Ardèche And Drôme Regions, Including Parts Of Gard And Vaucluse |
| Milk Type | Sheep's milk | Goat's milk |
| Milk Treatment | — | Raw, non-standardized, unhomogenized |
| Texture | Soft, soft-ripened | Homogeneous, smooth, and fine; can become crumbly if matured longer |
| Rind | Natural | Fine, lightly covered with uniform or speckled moulds |
| Aging | 3 months | Marketed starting 12 days after renneting; 30 days for "matured and washed" or "matured using the Dieulefit method" |
| Taste | Intense, spicy | Frank, capric with notes of nut and mushroom, occasional pungency |
Taste Comparison: Does Casu marzu Cheese Taste Like Picodon Cheese?
Casu marzu Cheese reads as intense, spicy, while Picodon Cheese brings frank, capric with notes of nut and mushroom, occasional pungency character. More specifically, Casu marzu Cheese shows mediterranean, pastoral and spicy notes, with an aftertaste that lasts for hours, while Picodon Cheese leans toward nut, light notes of mushroom, occasional pungency, possible fermentative taste. Aging plays into this as well. Casu marzu Cheese at 3 months develops a different profile than Picodon Cheese at marketed starting 12 days after renneting; 30 days for "matured and washed" or "matured using the dieulefit method".
Can You Substitute Casu marzu Cheese for Picodon Cheese?
Casu marzu Cheese can stand in for Picodon Cheese in many dishes, but the switch will shift the overall character of the recipe. Expect soft, soft-ripened bite and body where the recipe calls for homogeneous, smooth, and fine; can become crumbly if matured longer. Flavor-wise, Casu marzu Cheese reads as intense, spicy while Picodon Cheese brings frank, capric with notes of nut and mushroom, occasional pungency notes.
Which Is Better, Casu marzu Cheese or Picodon Cheese?
There's no single winner. It depends on your recipe and the profile you want. If you want a soft, soft-ripened cheese, go with Casu marzu Cheese. For a homogeneous, smooth, and fine; can become crumbly if matured longer profile, Picodon Cheese is the better fit. Flavor-wise, Casu marzu Cheese suits recipes that want intense, spicy notes, while Picodon Cheese fits dishes calling for frank, capric with notes of nut and mushroom, occasional pungency.
Which is your favorite?
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Frequently Asked Questions
Is Casu marzu Cheese the same as Picodon Cheese?
No, they're distinct cheeses. Casu marzu Cheese is made from sheep milk; Picodon Cheese uses goat. Aging also differs: Casu marzu Cheese is typically aged 3 months, Picodon Cheese marketed starting 12 days after renneting; 30 days for "matured and washed" or "matured using the dieulefit method".
Is Casu marzu Cheese similar to Picodon Cheese?
Not closely. They use different milk bases and have distinct profiles.
Can I substitute Casu marzu Cheese for Picodon Cheese?
You can, but expect a shift in richness and milk character.
Does Casu marzu Cheese taste like Picodon Cheese?
Casu marzu Cheese reads as intense, spicy, while Picodon Cheese is frank, capric with notes of nut and mushroom, occasional pungency.
What is Casu marzu Cheese made of?
Casu marzu Cheese is made from sheep milk. It's typically aged 3 months. It originates in Italy.
What is Picodon Cheese made of?
Picodon Cheese is made from goat milk (raw, non-standardized, unhomogenized), using small amount used, lactic coagulation rennet. It's typically aged marketed starting 12 days after renneting; 30 days for "matured and washed" or "matured using the dieulefit method".
Which should I choose, Casu marzu Cheese or Picodon Cheese?
It depends on the dish. The texture difference is the biggest practical tell. Casu marzu Cheese is soft, soft-ripened, while Picodon Cheese is homogeneous, smooth, and fine; can become crumbly if matured longer.