Emmental Cheese vs Picodon Cheese
Emmental Cheese is a hard or medium-hard cow-milk cheese from Switzerland, while Picodon Cheese is homogeneous, smooth, and fine; can become crumbly if matured longer and made from goat milk.
What Is Emmental Cheese?
Emmental is a yellow, medium-hard Swiss cheese from the Emme Valley, known for the natural holes that run through it. The taste is savoury but mild. It is eaten cold in chunks or slices and melted into dishes such as gratins.
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 Emmental Cheese and Picodon Cheese?
- Milk type: Emmental Cheese (cow's milk), Picodon Cheese (Goat's milk)
- Texture: Emmental Cheese (Hard or medium-hard), Picodon Cheese (Homogeneous, smooth, and fine; can become crumbly if matured longer)
- Rind: Emmental Cheese (natural), Picodon Cheese (Fine, lightly covered with uniform or speckled moulds)
- Aging: Emmental Cheese (4 months to over 1 year), Picodon Cheese (Marketed starting 12 days after renneting; 30 days for "matured and washed" or "matured using the Dieulefit method")
- Taste: Emmental Cheese (Nutty, sweet), Picodon Cheese (Frank, capric with notes of nut and mushroom, occasional pungency)
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Emmental Cheese | Picodon Cheese | |
|---|---|---|
| Country of Origin | Switzerland | — |
| Specific Origin | Emmental, Canton Of Bern | Ardèche And Drôme Regions, Including Parts Of Gard And Vaucluse |
| Milk Type | Cow's milk | Goat's milk |
| Milk Treatment | Raw | Raw, non-standardized, unhomogenized |
| Texture | Hard or medium-hard | Homogeneous, smooth, and fine; can become crumbly if matured longer |
| Rind | Natural | Fine, lightly covered with uniform or speckled moulds |
| Aging | 4 months to over 1 year | Marketed starting 12 days after renneting; 30 days for "matured and washed" or "matured using the Dieulefit method" |
| Taste | Nutty, sweet | Frank, capric with notes of nut and mushroom, occasional pungency |
Taste Comparison: Does Emmental Cheese Taste Like Picodon Cheese?
Emmental Cheese reads as nutty, sweet, while Picodon Cheese brings frank, capric with notes of nut and mushroom, occasional pungency character. More specifically, Emmental Cheese shows characterized by its holes ("eyes"), sweet and slightly rubbery, crystalline when aged, while Picodon Cheese leans toward nut, light notes of mushroom, occasional pungency, possible fermentative taste. Aging plays into this as well. Emmental Cheese at 4 months to over 1 year 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 Emmental Cheese for Picodon Cheese?
Emmental Cheese can stand in for Picodon Cheese in many dishes, but the switch will shift the overall character of the recipe. Expect hard or medium-hard bite and body where the recipe calls for homogeneous, smooth, and fine; can become crumbly if matured longer. Flavor-wise, Emmental Cheese reads as nutty, sweet while Picodon Cheese brings frank, capric with notes of nut and mushroom, occasional pungency notes.
Which Is Better, Emmental Cheese or Picodon Cheese?
There's no single winner. It depends on your recipe and the profile you want. If you want a hard or medium-hard cheese, go with Emmental Cheese. For a homogeneous, smooth, and fine; can become crumbly if matured longer profile, Picodon Cheese is the better fit. Flavor-wise, Emmental Cheese suits recipes that want nutty, sweet notes, while Picodon Cheese fits dishes calling for frank, capric with notes of nut and mushroom, occasional pungency.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Is Emmental Cheese the same as Picodon Cheese?
No, they're distinct cheeses. Emmental Cheese is made from cow milk; Picodon Cheese uses goat. Aging also differs: Emmental Cheese is typically aged 4 months to over 1 year, Picodon Cheese marketed starting 12 days after renneting; 30 days for "matured and washed" or "matured using the dieulefit method".
Is Emmental Cheese similar to Picodon Cheese?
Not closely. They use different milk bases and have distinct profiles.
Can I substitute Emmental Cheese for Picodon Cheese?
You can, but expect a shift in richness and milk character.
Does Emmental Cheese taste like Picodon Cheese?
Emmental Cheese reads as nutty, sweet, while Picodon Cheese is frank, capric with notes of nut and mushroom, occasional pungency.
What is Emmental Cheese made of?
Emmental Cheese is made from cow milk (raw). It's typically aged 4 months to over 1 year. It originates in Switzerland.
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, Emmental Cheese or Picodon Cheese?
It depends on the dish. The texture difference is the biggest practical tell. Emmental Cheese is hard or medium-hard, while Picodon Cheese is homogeneous, smooth, and fine; can become crumbly if matured longer.