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Époisses Cheese vs Mahón-Menorca Cheese
Époisses Cheese
Mahón-Menorca Cheese
In this article, we'll explore the answers to the most common questions about Époisses Cheese and Mahón-Menorca Cheese, including:
- "What is the difference between Époisses Cheese and Mahón-Menorca Cheese?"
- "Is Époisses Cheese and Mahón-Menorca Cheese the same?"
- "How does Époisses Cheese compare to Mahón-Menorca Cheese cheese?"
- "How does the taste of Époisses Cheese compare to Mahón-Menorca Cheese?"
- "Is Époisses Cheese or Mahón-Menorca Cheese better?"
Époisses Cheese Overview
Époisses is a strongly flavored, washed-rind cheese from Burgundy, made from cow's milk. It is known for its creamy texture and rich, intense flavor with hints of barnyard and bacon. The rind is washed with Marc de Bourgogne brandy during maturation, contributing to its characteristic strong smell and deep orange color. Époisses is typically eaten with crusty bread or used to add depth to sauces.
Mahón-Menorca Cheese Overview
Mahón-Menorca is a cow's milk cheese from the island of Menorca in the Balearic Islands. It has a square shape with rounded edges and is known for its orange rind and soft to hard texture depending on age. The flavor is slightly salty and tangy, with buttery notes in younger cheeses and a sharper taste in older ones.
Comparing the Two Cheeses
Country of Origin
Époisses Cheese comes from France. Mahón-Menorca Cheese originated from Spain.
Certification
Many cheeses have some kind of protected status that makes it so they can only be produced in a certain manner and location. Époisses Cheese has a PDO (1996), AOC (1991). Mahón-Menorca Cheese has a PDO (1996), PDO (1985).
Milk Type and Treatment
Époisses Cheese is made with cow milk. Mahón-Menorca Cheese is made with cow or sheep milk that is typically raw.
Composition and Texture
Époisses's texture can be described as "soft and creamy". Mahón-Menorca's texture can be described as "firm".
Taste and Aroma
Époisses Cheese has a subtle, fruity, distinctive, balanced taste. Époisses's aroma can be described as "undergrowth". Mahón-Menorca Cheese has a salty and spicy taste. Mahón-Menorca's aroma can be described as "lactic, buttery".
Appearance and Aging
Époisses Cheese's appearance is colored orange ivory to brick red , is available in small and large sizes and is aged minimum of 28 days . Mahón-Menorca Cheese has a color of ivory-yellow to orangey or brownish gray , comes in parallelepiped shape and has an aging period of tender: 21-60 days, semi-cured: 2-5 months, vintage: >5 months .
Rind and Rennet Type
Époisses Cheese's rind is described as washed-rind . Mahón-Menorca Cheese's rind is described as characteristic orangish , with vegetable (cynara cardunculus) rennet.
Ranking
Époisses is ranked #32 out of 996 types based on community views. Mahón-Menorca is ranked #227 out of 996 types based on community views.
Pairing Comparison
| Époisses | Mahón-Menorca | |
|---|---|---|
| Best Pairings | Burgundy Red | No pairings listed. |
| Other Good Pairings | No additional pairings listed. | No additional pairings listed. |
For more details, check the full pairing guides on the Époisses and Mahón-Menorca pages.
Side-by-Side Comparison Table
| Époisses Cheese | Mahón-Menorca Cheese | |
|---|---|---|
| Country of Origin | France | Spain |
| Specific Origin | Auxois And Terre Plaine, Burgundy | Menorca, Balearic Islands |
| Certification | PDO (1996), AOC (1991) | PDO (1996), PDO (1985) |
| Milk Type | Cow's Milk | Friesian, Menorcan, Brown Alpine cow’s milk, some ewe’s milk (max 5%) |
| Milk Treatment | Not Specified | Raw or any authorized preservation technology |
| Rind | Washed-rind | Characteristic orangish |
| Texture | Soft and creamy | Firm |
| Taste | Subtle, fruity, distinctive, balanced | Salty and spicy |
| Aroma | Undergrowth | Lactic, buttery |
| Colors | Orange ivory to brick red | Ivory-yellow to orangey or brownish gray |
| Forms | Small and large sizes | Parallelepiped shape |
| Age | Minimum of 28 days | Tender: 21-60 days, Semi-cured: 2-5 months, Vintage: >5 months |
| Rennet Type | Not Specified | Vegetable (Cynara cardunculus) |
Which One Should You Choose?
If you prefer a soft and creamy cheese, go for Époisses. But if you enjoy a firm consistency, Mahón-Menorca might be the better pick. Époisses has a subtle, fruity, distinctive, balanced taste, making it great for various dishes. Meanwhile, Mahón-Menorca offers a salty and spicy profile, ideal for different meals.
