Edam Cheese vs Picodon Cheese
Edam Cheese is a rubber-textured to crystalline cow-milk cheese from Netherlands, while Picodon Cheese is homogeneous, smooth, and fine; can become crumbly if matured longer and made from goat milk.
What Is Edam Cheese?
Edam is a semi-hard Dutch cheese named after the town of Edam in North Holland, sold in flat-ended spheres under a red wax rind. It hardens rather than spoils, which made it the world's most popular cheese from the 14th to the 18th century.
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 Edam Cheese and Picodon Cheese?
- Milk type: Edam Cheese (cow's milk), Picodon Cheese (Goat's milk)
- Milk treatment: Edam Cheese (pasteurized), Picodon Cheese (Raw, non-standardized, unhomogenized)
- Texture: Edam Cheese (Rubber-textured to crystalline), Picodon Cheese (Homogeneous, smooth, and fine; can become crumbly if matured longer)
- Rind: Edam Cheese (Smooth, waxed), Picodon Cheese (Fine, lightly covered with uniform or speckled moulds)
- Aging: Edam Cheese (3 months to longer), Picodon Cheese (Marketed starting 12 days after renneting; 30 days for "matured and washed" or "matured using the Dieulefit method")
- Taste: Edam Cheese (Sweet, milky, nutty, buttery), Picodon Cheese (Frank, capric with notes of nut and mushroom, occasional pungency)
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Edam Cheese | Picodon Cheese | |
|---|---|---|
| Country of Origin | Netherlands | — |
| Specific Origin | North Of Holland | Ardèche And Drôme Regions, Including Parts Of Gard And Vaucluse |
| Milk Type | Cow's milk | Goat's milk |
| Milk Treatment | Pasteurized | Raw, non-standardized, unhomogenized |
| Texture | Rubber-textured to crystalline | Homogeneous, smooth, and fine; can become crumbly if matured longer |
| Rind | Smooth, waxed | Fine, lightly covered with uniform or speckled moulds |
| Aging | 3 months to longer | Marketed starting 12 days after renneting; 30 days for "matured and washed" or "matured using the Dieulefit method" |
| Taste | Sweet, milky, nutty, buttery | Frank, capric with notes of nut and mushroom, occasional pungency |
Taste Comparison: Does Edam Cheese Taste Like Picodon Cheese?
Edam Cheese reads as sweet, milky, nutty, buttery, while Picodon Cheese brings frank, capric with notes of nut and mushroom, occasional pungency character. More specifically, Edam Cheese shows sweet milky-ness, light brazil nut and almond tones, gentle buttery-ness, aged variants show caramel and roasted nut qualities, while Picodon Cheese leans toward nut, light notes of mushroom, occasional pungency, possible fermentative taste. Aging plays into this as well. Edam Cheese at 3 months to longer 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 Edam Cheese for Picodon Cheese?
Edam Cheese can stand in for Picodon Cheese in many dishes, but the switch will shift the overall character of the recipe. Expect rubber-textured to crystalline bite and body where the recipe calls for homogeneous, smooth, and fine; can become crumbly if matured longer. Flavor-wise, Edam Cheese reads as sweet, milky, nutty, buttery while Picodon Cheese brings frank, capric with notes of nut and mushroom, occasional pungency notes.
Which Is Better, Edam Cheese or Picodon Cheese?
There's no single winner. It depends on your recipe and the profile you want. If you want a rubber-textured to crystalline cheese, go with Edam Cheese. For a homogeneous, smooth, and fine; can become crumbly if matured longer profile, Picodon Cheese is the better fit. Flavor-wise, Edam Cheese suits recipes that want sweet, milky, nutty, buttery 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 Edam Cheese the same as Picodon Cheese?
No, they're distinct cheeses. Edam Cheese is made from cow milk; Picodon Cheese uses goat. Aging also differs: Edam Cheese is typically aged 3 months to longer, Picodon Cheese marketed starting 12 days after renneting; 30 days for "matured and washed" or "matured using the dieulefit method".
Is Edam Cheese similar to Picodon Cheese?
Not closely. They use different milk bases and have distinct profiles.
Can I substitute Edam Cheese for Picodon Cheese?
You can, but expect a shift in richness and milk character.
Does Edam Cheese taste like Picodon Cheese?
Edam Cheese reads as sweet, milky, nutty, buttery, while Picodon Cheese is frank, capric with notes of nut and mushroom, occasional pungency.
What is Edam Cheese made of?
Edam Cheese is made from cow milk (pasteurized). It's typically aged 3 months to longer. It originates in Netherlands.
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, Edam Cheese or Picodon Cheese?
It depends on the dish. The texture difference is the biggest practical tell. Edam Cheese is rubber-textured to crystalline, while Picodon Cheese is homogeneous, smooth, and fine; can become crumbly if matured longer.