Caerphilly Cheese vs Exmoor Blue Cheese
Caerphilly Cheese is a tri-layered: brie-like to dense core cow-milk cheese from United Kingdom and Wales, while Exmoor Blue Cheese is soft and made from cow milk.
What Is Caerphilly Cheese?
Caerphilly is a white, crumbly cow's milk cheese from the area around the town of Caerphilly in Wales, first made on farms to feed local coal miners. It has a mild taste with a tang of lemon and ripens in as little as two weeks.
What Is Exmoor Blue Cheese?
Exmoor Blue Cheese is a full-fat soft blue-veined cheese made from unpasteurized Jersey cow’s milk in Devon and Somerset, England. It has a rich yellow color and a buttery texture, with an average fat content of 34%. The cheese has been handmade on Willet Farm since 1986, using traditional methods. It undergoes a maturation period of 3 to 6 weeks, during which it is regularly turned and treated with Penicillium roqueforti and Penicillium candidum to develop its distinctive blue veining. The lush pasture of the region, influenced by the warm, wet climate and red sandstone soil, contributes to the rich flavor of the milk used in production.
What's the Difference Between Caerphilly Cheese and Exmoor Blue Cheese?
- Texture: Caerphilly Cheese (Tri-layered: Brie-like to dense core), Exmoor Blue Cheese (Soft)
- Rind: Caerphilly Cheese (Mottled gray-white), Exmoor Blue Cheese (Treated with Penicillium candidum)
- Aging: Caerphilly Cheese (from 2 weeks), Exmoor Blue Cheese (3 to 6 weeks)
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Caerphilly Cheese | Exmoor Blue Cheese | |
|---|---|---|
| Country of Origin | United Kingdom And Wales | — |
| Specific Origin | 8 Miles North Of Cardiff | Devon And Somerset, England |
| Milk Type | Cow's milk | Cow |
| Milk Treatment | Unpasteurized | Unpasteurized |
| Texture | Tri-layered: Brie-like to dense core | Soft |
| Rind | Mottled gray-white | Treated with Penicillium candidum |
| Aging | From 2 weeks | 3 to 6 weeks |
| Taste | Earthy, barnyard, lemony | — |
Taste Comparison: Does Caerphilly Cheese Taste Like Exmoor Blue Cheese?
Their flavor profiles are distinct. Aging plays into this as well. Caerphilly Cheese at from 2 weeks develops a different profile than Exmoor Blue Cheese at 3 to 6 weeks.
Can You Substitute Caerphilly Cheese for Exmoor Blue Cheese?
In most recipes, Caerphilly Cheese and Exmoor Blue Cheese can be swapped with reasonable results. Both are cow-milk cheeses, so the base character carries over. Expect tri-layered: brie-like to dense core bite and body where the recipe calls for soft.
Which Is Better, Caerphilly Cheese or Exmoor Blue Cheese?
There's no single winner. It depends on your recipe and the profile you want. If you want a tri-layered: brie-like to dense core cheese, go with Caerphilly Cheese. For a soft profile, Exmoor Blue Cheese is the better fit.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Is Caerphilly Cheese the same as Exmoor Blue Cheese?
No, they're distinct cheeses. Aging also differs: Caerphilly Cheese is typically aged from 2 weeks, Exmoor Blue Cheese 3 to 6 weeks.
Is Caerphilly Cheese similar to Exmoor Blue Cheese?
Somewhat. They share a cow-milk base but diverge in texture and flavor.
Can I substitute Caerphilly Cheese for Exmoor Blue Cheese?
You can, but expect a shift in bite and mouthfeel.
Does Caerphilly Cheese taste like Exmoor Blue Cheese?
They have distinct flavor profiles. The taste row in the table above is the best direct comparison.
What is Caerphilly Cheese made of?
Caerphilly Cheese is made from cow milk (unpasteurized). It's typically aged from 2 weeks. It originates in United Kingdom and Wales.
What is Exmoor Blue Cheese made of?
Exmoor Blue Cheese is made from cow milk (unpasteurized), using vegetarian rennet. It's typically aged 3 to 6 weeks.
Which should I choose, Caerphilly Cheese or Exmoor Blue Cheese?
It depends on the dish. The texture difference is the biggest practical tell. Caerphilly Cheese is tri-layered: brie-like to dense core, while Exmoor Blue Cheese is soft.