Cheese Curds vs Mont d'Or Cheese

Cheese Curds is a fresh firm cheese from Canada, India and United States, while Mont d'Or Cheese is soft and made from cow milk, originating in France.

What Is Cheese Curds?

Cheese curds are moist pieces of curdled milk, eaten alone as a snack or cooked into dishes such as poutine. Fresh ones squeak against the teeth, which is how they earned the name squeaky cheese.

What Is Mont d'Or Cheese?

Mont d'Or is a seasonal soft cow's milk cheese from the Jura region of France and Switzerland, wrapped in a band of spruce that gives it its flavor. It sells from September 10 to May 10 and is usually warmed in its spruce box and eaten like fondue.

What's the Difference Between Cheese Curds and Mont d'Or Cheese?

• Origin: Cheese Curds (Canada, India and United States), Mont d'Or Cheese (France)
• Milk treatment: Cheese Curds (pasteurized), Mont d'Or Cheese (Raw)
• Texture: Cheese Curds (fresh firm), Mont d'Or Cheese (Soft)
• Rind: Cheese Curds (natural), Mont d'Or Cheese (Washed rind)
• Aging: Cheese Curds (fresh, best within 12 hours), Mont d'Or Cheese (21 to 60 days)
• Taste: Cheese Curds (mild, milky), Mont d'Or Cheese (Resinous, mild to pungent)

Side-by-Side Comparison

Taste Comparison: Does Cheese Curds Taste Like Mont d'Or Cheese?

Cheese Curds reads as mild, milky, while Mont d'Or Cheese brings resinous, mild to pungent character. More specifically, Cheese Curds shows mild, varying with the production method, while Mont d'Or Cheese leans toward known for its creamy taste and powerful aroma; gets resinous flavor from spruce bark. Aging plays into this as well. Cheese Curds at fresh, best within 12 hours develops a different profile than Mont d'Or Cheese at 21 to 60 days.

Can You Substitute Cheese Curds for Mont d'Or Cheese?

Cheese Curds can stand in for Mont d'Or Cheese in many dishes, but the switch will shift the overall character of the recipe. Expect fresh firm bite and body where the recipe calls for soft. Flavor-wise, Cheese Curds reads as mild, milky while Mont d'Or Cheese brings resinous, mild to pungent notes.

Which Is Better, Cheese Curds or Mont d'Or Cheese?

There's no single winner. It depends on your recipe and the profile you want. If you want a fresh firm cheese, go with Cheese Curds. For a soft profile, Mont d'Or Cheese is the better fit. Flavor-wise, Cheese Curds suits recipes that want mild, milky notes, while Mont d'Or Cheese fits dishes calling for resinous, mild to pungent.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Cheese Curds the same as Mont d'Or Cheese?

No, they're distinct cheeses. Cheese Curds originates in Canada, India and United States, while Mont d'Or Cheese comes from France. Aging also differs: Cheese Curds is typically aged fresh, best within 12 hours, Mont d'Or Cheese 21 to 60 days.

Is Cheese Curds similar to Mont d'Or Cheese?

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

Can I substitute Cheese Curds for Mont d'Or Cheese?

You can, but expect a shift in bite and mouthfeel.

Does Cheese Curds taste like Mont d'Or Cheese?

Cheese Curds reads as mild, milky, while Mont d'Or Cheese is resinous, mild to pungent.

What is Cheese Curds made of?

Cheese Curds is made from milk (pasteurized). It's typically aged fresh, best within 12 hours. It originates in Canada, India and United States.

What is Mont d'Or Cheese made of?

Mont d'Or Cheese is made from cow milk (raw), using animal rennet. It's typically aged 21 to 60 days. It originates in France.

Which should I choose, Cheese Curds or Mont d'Or Cheese?

It depends on the dish. The texture difference is the biggest practical tell. Cheese Curds is fresh firm, while Mont d'Or Cheese is soft.