Chevrotin Cheese vs Queso de Flor de Guía
Chevrotin Cheese
Queso de Flor de Guía
Chevrotin Cheese is a soft, unctuous goat-milk cheese from France, while Queso de Flor de Guía is dense, compact, pasty and made from cow, goat, and sheep milk.
What Is Chevrotin Cheese?
Chevrotin is a soft goat milk cheese from Savoy in France, made with unpasteurised milk and ripened at least three weeks on pine shelves. It holds an AOC and is known for a full flavor with a sourness that recalls wild mountain herbs.
What Is Queso de Flor de Guía?
Queso de Flor de Guía is a full-fat or half-fat cheese from Spain, specifically produced in Gáldar, Moya, and Santa María de Guía in Gran Canaria. It is made primarily from Canary Island sheep’s milk, with up to 40% Canary Island cattle milk and up to 10% Canary Island goat milk. The milk is curdled exclusively using vegetable rennet derived from the dried flower heads of Cynara cardunculus var. ferocissima and Cynara scolymus. The cheese has a cylindrical shape and varies in size from 0.5 to 5 kg. Its texture is dense, compact, and pasty, with a very soft and creamy interior when semi-mature and a harder body when fully matured. The flavor is highly aromatic, acidic, and bitter, with mild burning and astringent sensations. It matures for at least 15 days for semi-mature cheese and over 60 days for mature cheese.
What's the Difference Between Chevrotin Cheese and Queso de Flor de Guía?
- Milk type: Chevrotin Cheese (Goat's Milk), Queso de Flor de Guía (Sheep (Canary Island breed), with up to 40% cow and 10% goat milk)
- Texture: Chevrotin Cheese (Soft, unctuous), Queso de Flor de Guía (Dense, compact, pasty)
- Rind: Chevrotin Cheese (Washed-rind), Queso de Flor de Guía (Soft and elastic when young, dark brown and harder when mature)
- Aging: Chevrotin Cheese (21+ days), Queso de Flor de Guía (15+ days (semi-mature), 60+ days (mature))
- Taste: Chevrotin Cheese (Mild, Caprine), Queso de Flor de Guía (Aromatic, acidic, and bitter)
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Chevrotin Cheese | Queso de Flor de Guía | |
|---|---|---|
| Country of Origin | France | — |
| Specific Origin | Savoie And Haute-Savoie | Gáldar, Moya, And Santa María De Guía, Gran Canaria |
| Milk Type | Goat's Milk | Sheep (Canary Island breed), with up to 40% cow and 10% goat milk |
| Milk Treatment | Unpasteurized | — |
| Texture | Soft, unctuous | Dense, compact, pasty |
| Rind | Washed-rind | Soft and elastic when young, dark brown and harder when mature |
| Aging | 21+ days | 15+ days (semi-mature), 60+ days (mature) |
| Taste | Mild, Caprine | Aromatic, acidic, and bitter |
Taste Comparison: Does Chevrotin Cheese Taste Like Queso de Flor de Guía?
Chevrotin Cheese reads as mild, caprine, while Queso de Flor de Guía brings aromatic, acidic, and bitter character. On the nose, Chevrotin Cheese offers gentle caprine, woody, farmyard, contrasted with Queso de Flor de Guía's medium intensity, with lactic and vegetal notes. More specifically, Chevrotin Cheese shows gentle goatiness, balance of salt, vegetal notes, alpine flowers, pinkish exterior, fine white mold, ivory paste, while Queso de Flor de Guía leans toward lactic, vegetal (cardoon and nuts). Aging plays into this as well. Chevrotin Cheese at 21+ days develops a different profile than Queso de Flor de Guía at 15+ days (semi-mature), 60+ days (mature).
Can You Substitute Chevrotin Cheese for Queso de Flor de Guía?
Chevrotin Cheese can stand in for Queso de Flor de Guía in many dishes, but the switch will shift the overall character of the recipe. Expect soft, unctuous bite and body where the recipe calls for dense, compact, pasty. Flavor-wise, Chevrotin Cheese reads as mild, caprine while Queso de Flor de Guía brings aromatic, acidic, and bitter notes.
Which Is Better, Chevrotin Cheese or Queso de Flor de Guía?
There's no single winner. It depends on your recipe and the profile you want. If you want a soft, unctuous cheese, go with Chevrotin Cheese. For a dense, compact, pasty profile, Queso de Flor de Guía is the better fit. Flavor-wise, Chevrotin Cheese suits recipes that want mild, caprine notes, while Queso de Flor de Guía fits dishes calling for aromatic, acidic, and bitter.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Is Chevrotin Cheese the same as Queso de Flor de Guía?
No, they're distinct cheeses. Chevrotin Cheese is made from goat milk; Queso de Flor de Guía uses cow, goat, and sheep. Aging also differs: Chevrotin Cheese is typically aged 21+ days, Queso de Flor de Guía 15+ days (semi-mature), 60+ days (mature).
Is Chevrotin Cheese similar to Queso de Flor de Guía?
Not closely. They use different milk bases and have distinct profiles.
Can I substitute Chevrotin Cheese for Queso de Flor de Guía?
You can, but expect a shift in richness and milk character.
Does Chevrotin Cheese taste like Queso de Flor de Guía?
Chevrotin Cheese reads as mild, caprine, while Queso de Flor de Guía is aromatic, acidic, and bitter. Aromas also diverge. Chevrotin Cheese leans gentle caprine, woody, farmyard, and Queso de Flor de Guía is closer to medium intensity, with lactic and vegetal notes.
What is Chevrotin Cheese made of?
Chevrotin Cheese is made from goat milk (unpasteurized), using rennet rennet. It's typically aged 21+ days. It originates in France.
What is Queso de Flor de Guía made of?
Queso de Flor de Guía is made from cow, goat, and sheep milk, using vegetable (cynara cardunculus var. ferocissima, cynara scolymus) rennet. It's typically aged 15+ days (semi-mature), 60+ days (mature).
Which should I choose, Chevrotin Cheese or Queso de Flor de Guía?
It depends on the dish. The texture difference is the biggest practical tell. Chevrotin Cheese is soft, unctuous, while Queso de Flor de Guía is dense, compact, pasty.