Double Gloucester Cheese vs Ragusano Cheese

Double Gloucester Cheese is a semi-hard cow-milk cheese from England, while Ragusano Cheese is semi-hard and made from cow milk, originating in Italy.

What Is Double Gloucester Cheese?

Double Gloucester is a semi-hard cow's milk cheese made in Gloucestershire, England, since the 16th century. It ages longer than Single Gloucester, giving it a stronger, more savoury flavour, and it is the cheese sent rolling down Cooper's Hill each spring.

What Is Ragusano Cheese?

Ragusano is a firm Italian pasta filata cheese from the provinces of Ragusa and Syracuse in Sicily. It is made with whole milk from Modicana cows fed only fresh grass or hay, and it carries Italian DOC protection from 1955 and EU PDO status from 1995.

What's the Difference Between Double Gloucester Cheese and Ragusano Cheese?

• Origin: Double Gloucester Cheese (England), Ragusano Cheese (Italy)
• Milk treatment: Double Gloucester Cheese (pasteurized in supermarket versions), Ragusano Cheese (whole)
• Rind: Double Gloucester Cheese (natural), Ragusano Cheese (Smooth, thin, and compact, golden or straw-yellow color, turns brownish with aging)
• Taste: Double Gloucester Cheese (smooth, tangy), Ragusano Cheese (From pleasant, sweet, and piquant delicate to savory and spicy with aging)

Side-by-Side Comparison

Taste Comparison: Does Double Gloucester Cheese Taste Like Ragusano Cheese?

Double Gloucester Cheese reads as smooth, tangy, while Ragusano Cheese brings from pleasant, sweet, and piquant delicate to savory and spicy with aging character. On the nose, Double Gloucester Cheese offers buttery, rich, contrasted with Ragusano Cheese's pleasant, sweet. More specifically, Double Gloucester Cheese shows stronger and more savoury than single gloucester, while Ragusano Cheese leans toward pleasant, sweet, piquant delicate taste; becomes savory and tends toward spiciness with prolonged aging.

Can You Substitute Double Gloucester Cheese for Ragusano Cheese?

In most recipes, Double Gloucester Cheese and Ragusano Cheese can be swapped with reasonable results. Both are cow-milk cheeses, so the base character carries over. Flavor-wise, Double Gloucester Cheese reads as smooth, tangy while Ragusano Cheese brings from pleasant, sweet, and piquant delicate to savory and spicy with aging notes.

Which Is Better, Double Gloucester Cheese or Ragusano Cheese?

There's no single winner. It depends on your recipe and the profile you want. Flavor-wise, Double Gloucester Cheese suits recipes that want smooth, tangy notes, while Ragusano Cheese fits dishes calling for from pleasant, sweet, and piquant delicate to savory and spicy with aging.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Double Gloucester Cheese the same as Ragusano Cheese?

No, they're distinct cheeses. Double Gloucester Cheese originates in England, while Ragusano Cheese comes from Italy.

Is Double Gloucester Cheese similar to Ragusano Cheese?

Yes, they share close profiles. Same milk base and similar texture make them workable alternatives in many recipes.

Can I substitute Double Gloucester Cheese for Ragusano Cheese?

Yes, quite easily. The milk base and texture are close enough that most recipes won't notice the swap.

Does Double Gloucester Cheese taste like Ragusano Cheese?

Double Gloucester Cheese reads as smooth, tangy, while Ragusano Cheese is from pleasant, sweet, and piquant delicate to savory and spicy with aging. Aromas also diverge. Double Gloucester Cheese leans buttery, rich, and Ragusano Cheese is closer to pleasant, sweet.

What is Double Gloucester Cheese made of?

Double Gloucester Cheese is made from cow milk (pasteurized in supermarket versions). It originates in England.

What is Ragusano Cheese made of?

Ragusano Cheese is made from cow milk (whole), using natural animal (lamb and/or kid) rennet. It's typically aged semi-aged to prolonged aging. It originates in Italy.

Which should I choose, Double Gloucester Cheese or Ragusano Cheese?

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