Fontal Cheese vs Queso de Flor de Guía
Fontal Cheese
Queso de Flor de Guía
Fontal Cheese is a cow-milk cheese from Italy, while Queso de Flor de Guía is dense, compact, pasty and made from cow, goat, and sheep milk.
What Is Fontal Cheese?
Fontal is one of the names that grew out of fontina, the cow's milk cheese first produced in Italy. Cheeses under derivative names like fontal are made in other parts of Italy and in Denmark, Sweden, Quebec, France, Argentina, and the United States.
What Is Queso de Flor de Guía?
Queso de Flor de Guía is a full-fat or half-fat cheese from Spain, specifically produced in Gáldar, Moya, and Santa María de Guía in Gran Canaria. It is made primarily from Canary Island sheep’s milk, with up to 40% Canary Island cattle milk and up to 10% Canary Island goat milk. The milk is curdled exclusively using vegetable rennet derived from the dried flower heads of Cynara cardunculus var. ferocissima and Cynara scolymus. The cheese has a cylindrical shape and varies in size from 0.5 to 5 kg. Its texture is dense, compact, and pasty, with a very soft and creamy interior when semi-mature and a harder body when fully matured. The flavor is highly aromatic, acidic, and bitter, with mild burning and astringent sensations. It matures for at least 15 days for semi-mature cheese and over 60 days for mature cheese.
What's the Difference Between Fontal Cheese and Queso de Flor de Guía?
- Milk type: Fontal Cheese (cow), Queso de Flor de Guía (Sheep (Canary Island breed), with up to 40% cow and 10% goat milk)
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Fontal Cheese | Queso de Flor de Guía | |
|---|---|---|
| Country of Origin | Italy | — |
| Specific Origin | Italy | Gáldar, Moya, And Santa María De Guía, Gran Canaria |
| Milk Type | Cow | Sheep (Canary Island breed), with up to 40% cow and 10% goat milk |
| Texture | — | Dense, compact, pasty |
| Rind | — | Soft and elastic when young, dark brown and harder when mature |
| Aging | — | 15+ days (semi-mature), 60+ days (mature) |
| Taste | — | Aromatic, acidic, and bitter |
Taste Comparison: Does Fontal Cheese Taste Like Queso de Flor de Guía?
Their flavor profiles are distinct.
Can You Substitute Fontal Cheese for Queso de Flor de Guía?
Fontal Cheese can stand in for Queso de Flor de Guía in many dishes, but the switch will shift the overall character of the recipe.
Which Is Better, Fontal Cheese or Queso de Flor de Guía?
There's no single winner. It depends on your recipe and the profile you want.
Which is your favorite?
One click, anonymous. See what others chose.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Fontal Cheese the same as Queso de Flor de Guía?
No, they're distinct cheeses. Fontal Cheese is made from cow milk; Queso de Flor de Guía uses cow, goat, and sheep.
Is Fontal Cheese similar to Queso de Flor de Guía?
Not closely. They use different milk bases and have distinct profiles.
Can I substitute Fontal Cheese for Queso de Flor de Guía?
You can, but expect a shift in richness and milk character.
Does Fontal Cheese taste like Queso de Flor de Guía?
They have distinct flavor profiles. The taste row in the table above is the best direct comparison.
What is Fontal Cheese made of?
Fontal Cheese is made from cow milk. It originates in Italy.
What is Queso de Flor de Guía made of?
Queso de Flor de Guía is made from cow, goat, and sheep milk, using vegetable (cynara cardunculus var. ferocissima, cynara scolymus) rennet. It's typically aged 15+ days (semi-mature), 60+ days (mature).
Which should I choose, Fontal Cheese or Queso de Flor de Guía?
It depends on the dish. The table above is the fastest way to decide based on your recipe.