Époisses Cheese vs Queso Manchego

Époisses Cheese

Queso Manchego

In this article, we'll explore the answers to the most common questions about Époisses Cheese and Queso Manchego, including:

  • "What is the difference between Époisses Cheese and Queso Manchego?"
  • "Is Époisses Cheese and Queso Manchego the same?"
  • "How does Époisses Cheese compare to Queso Manchego cheese?"
  • "How does the taste of Époisses Cheese compare to Queso Manchego?"
  • "Is Époisses Cheese or Queso Manchego 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.

Queso Manchego Overview

Manchego is a PDO-protected cheese made in the La Mancha region of Spain, exclusively from the milk of Manchega sheep. It has a firm and compact consistency and a buttery texture, with a distinctive flavor that is well-developed and tangy, often with a slight piquancy in older cheeses. Manchego is aged for a minimum of two months and up to two years, developing a deeper flavor and harder texture with time.

Comparing the Two Cheeses

Country of Origin

Époisses Cheese comes from France. Queso Manchego 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). Queso Manchego has a PDO (1996).

Milk Type and Treatment

Époisses Cheese is made with cow milk. Queso Manchego is made with sheep milk that is typically raw or pasteurized.

Composition and Texture

Époisses's texture can be described as "soft and creamy". Queso Manchego's texture can be described as "compact".

Taste and Aroma

Époisses Cheese has a subtle, fruity, distinctive, balanced taste. Époisses's aroma can be described as "undergrowth". Queso Manchego has a slightly acidic taste.

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 . Queso Manchego has a color of white to yellowish ivory , comes in cylindrical with flat faces and has an aging period of fresco (2 weeks), semi-curado (3 weeks to 4 months), curado (3-6 months), viejo or anejo (1 year) .

Rind and Rennet Type

Époisses Cheese's rind is described as washed-rind . Queso Manchego's rind is described as pleita and flor imprints , with animal rennet.

Ranking

Époisses is ranked #30 out of 996 types based on community views. Queso Manchego is ranked #28 out of 996 types based on community views.

Pairing Comparison

Époisses Queso Manchego
Best Pairings Burgundy Red Albariño, Almonds, Cava, Chorizo, Dried Figs, Dried Fruit, Tequila
Other Good Pairings No additional pairings listed. Apples, Apricot, Asian Pear, Cabernet Sauvignon, Crackers, Dirty Martini, Fig Jam, Grapes, Green Apple, Grüner Veltliner, Hard Cider, Honey, Honeycomb, Madeira, Malbec, Pear, Port, Scotch

For more details, check the full pairing guides on the Époisses and Queso Manchego pages.

Side-by-Side Comparison Table

Époisses Cheese Queso Manchego
Country of Origin France Spain
Specific Origin Auxois And Terre Plaine, Burgundy La Mancha Region
Certification PDO (1996), AOC (1991) PDO (1996)
Milk Type Cow's Milk Sheep's milk
Milk Treatment Not Specified Raw or pasteurized
Rind Washed-rind Pleita and flor imprints
Texture Soft and creamy Compact
Taste Subtle, fruity, distinctive, balanced Slightly acidic
Aroma Undergrowth Not Specified
Colors Orange ivory to brick red White to yellowish ivory
Forms Small and large sizes Cylindrical with flat faces
Age Minimum of 28 days Fresco (2 weeks), Semi-curado (3 weeks to 4 months), Curado (3-6 months), Viejo or Anejo (1 year)
Rennet Type Not Specified Animal rennet

Which One Should You Choose?

If you prefer a soft and creamy cheese, go for Époisses. But if you enjoy a compact consistency, Queso Manchego might be the better pick. Époisses has a subtle, fruity, distinctive, balanced taste, making it great for various dishes. Meanwhile, Queso Manchego offers a slightly acidic profile, ideal for different meals.

Compare Époisses Cheese to Other Cheeses

Compare Queso Manchego to Other Cheeses

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