Cheddar Cheese vs Mont d'Or / Vacherin du Haut-Doubs Cheese
Cheddar Cheese is a varies (rubbery to friable and crystalline) cow-milk cheese from England, while Mont d'Or / Vacherin du Haut-Doubs Cheese is soft, slightly pressed paste and made from cow milk.
What Is Cheddar Cheese?
Cheddar is a relatively hard, off-white to orange cow's milk cheese from the village of Cheddar in Somerset, South West England. The name is not protected, so it is made worldwide, and it is the UK's most popular cheese at 51% of the national cheese market.
What Is Mont d'Or / Vacherin du Haut-Doubs Cheese?
Mont d'Or, also known as Vacherin du Haut-Doubs, is a soft cheese made from raw cow's milk. It originates from the Haut Doubs region in France, near the Swiss border. The cheese has a slightly pressed paste and a washed rind with a downy coating. It is traditionally encircled by a strip of spruce bark and packaged in a spruce wood box. Mont d'Or has a fat content of 45% and is produced seasonally from August 15 to March
What's the Difference Between Cheddar Cheese and Mont d'Or / Vacherin du Haut-Doubs Cheese?
- Milk treatment: Cheddar Cheese (Raw, Thermized, Pasteurized), Mont d'Or / Vacherin du Haut-Doubs Cheese (Raw)
- Texture: Cheddar Cheese (Varies (rubbery to friable and crystalline)), Mont d'Or / Vacherin du Haut-Doubs Cheese (Soft, slightly pressed paste)
- Rind: Cheddar Cheese (Varies (natural, cloth, wax, plastic)), Mont d'Or / Vacherin du Haut-Doubs Cheese (Washed and given a downy coating)
- Aging: Cheddar Cheese (A few months to several years), Mont d'Or / Vacherin du Haut-Doubs Cheese (At least three months)
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Cheddar Cheese | Mont d'Or / Vacherin du Haut-Doubs Cheese | |
|---|---|---|
| Country of Origin | England | — |
| Specific Origin | Southwest (Somerset, Gloucester) | Haut Doubs, Alongside The Swiss Border, Mont D'Or Massif, Source Of The River Doubs |
| Milk Type | Cow's milk | Cow's milk |
| Milk Treatment | Raw, Thermized, Pasteurized | Raw |
| Texture | Varies (rubbery to friable and crystalline) | Soft, slightly pressed paste |
| Rind | Varies (natural, cloth, wax, plastic) | Washed and given a downy coating |
| Aging | A few months to several years | At least three months |
| Taste | Mild to sharp, buttery to brothy and savory | — |
Taste Comparison: Does Cheddar Cheese Taste Like Mont d'Or / Vacherin du Haut-Doubs Cheese?
Their flavor profiles are distinct. Aging plays into this as well. Cheddar Cheese at a few months to several years develops a different profile than Mont d'Or / Vacherin du Haut-Doubs Cheese at at least three months.
Can You Substitute Cheddar Cheese for Mont d'Or / Vacherin du Haut-Doubs Cheese?
In most recipes, Cheddar Cheese and Mont d'Or / Vacherin du Haut-Doubs Cheese can be swapped with reasonable results. Both are cow-milk cheeses, so the base character carries over. Expect varies (rubbery to friable and crystalline) bite and body where the recipe calls for soft, slightly pressed paste.
Which Is Better, Cheddar Cheese or Mont d'Or / Vacherin du Haut-Doubs Cheese?
There's no single winner. It depends on your recipe and the profile you want. If you want a varies (rubbery to friable and crystalline) cheese, go with Cheddar Cheese. For a soft, slightly pressed paste profile, Mont d'Or / Vacherin du Haut-Doubs Cheese is the better fit.
Which is your favorite?
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Frequently Asked Questions
Is Cheddar Cheese the same as Mont d'Or / Vacherin du Haut-Doubs Cheese?
No, they're distinct cheeses. Aging also differs: Cheddar Cheese is typically aged a few months to several years, Mont d'Or / Vacherin du Haut-Doubs Cheese at least three months.
Is Cheddar Cheese similar to Mont d'Or / Vacherin du Haut-Doubs Cheese?
Somewhat. They share a cow-milk base but diverge in texture and flavor.
Can I substitute Cheddar Cheese for Mont d'Or / Vacherin du Haut-Doubs Cheese?
You can, but expect a shift in bite and mouthfeel.
Does Cheddar Cheese taste like Mont d'Or / Vacherin du Haut-Doubs Cheese?
They have distinct flavor profiles. The taste row in the table above is the best direct comparison.
What is Cheddar Cheese made of?
Cheddar Cheese is made from cow milk (raw, thermized, pasteurized), using animal; microbial chymosin in vegetarian and kosher versions rennet. It's typically aged a few months to several years. It originates in England.
What is Mont d'Or / Vacherin du Haut-Doubs Cheese made of?
Mont d'Or / Vacherin du Haut-Doubs Cheese is made from cow milk (raw), using yes rennet. It's typically aged at least three months.
Which should I choose, Cheddar Cheese or Mont d'Or / Vacherin du Haut-Doubs Cheese?
It depends on the dish. The texture difference is the biggest practical tell. Cheddar Cheese is varies (rubbery to friable and crystalline), while Mont d'Or / Vacherin du Haut-Doubs Cheese is soft, slightly pressed paste.