Gorgonzola Cheese vs Picodon Cheese
Gorgonzola Cheese is a soft to crumbly cow-milk cheese from Italy, while Picodon Cheese is homogeneous, smooth, and fine; can become crumbly if matured longer and made from goat milk.
What Is Gorgonzola Cheese?
Gorgonzola is an Italian blue cheese made from unskimmed cow's milk, named for a town near Milan. It comes in two styles: dolce, mild and buttery, and piccante, sharper with a firm, crumbly body.
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 Gorgonzola Cheese and Picodon Cheese?
- Milk type: Gorgonzola Cheese (cow's milk), Picodon Cheese (Goat's milk)
- Milk treatment: Gorgonzola Cheese (pasteurized), Picodon Cheese (Raw, non-standardized, unhomogenized)
- Texture: Gorgonzola Cheese (Soft to crumbly), Picodon Cheese (Homogeneous, smooth, and fine; can become crumbly if matured longer)
- Rind: Gorgonzola Cheese (None), Picodon Cheese (Fine, lightly covered with uniform or speckled moulds)
- Aging: Gorgonzola Cheese (2 to 3 months), Picodon Cheese (Marketed starting 12 days after renneting; 30 days for "matured and washed" or "matured using the Dieulefit method")
- Taste: Gorgonzola Cheese (Sweet to savory), Picodon Cheese (Frank, capric with notes of nut and mushroom, occasional pungency)
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Gorgonzola Cheese | Picodon Cheese | |
|---|---|---|
| Country of Origin | Italy | — |
| Specific Origin | Lombardy, Piedmont | Ardèche And Drôme Regions, Including Parts Of Gard And Vaucluse |
| Milk Type | Cow's milk | Goat's milk |
| Milk Treatment | Pasteurized | Raw, non-standardized, unhomogenized |
| Texture | Soft to crumbly | Homogeneous, smooth, and fine; can become crumbly if matured longer |
| Rind | None | Fine, lightly covered with uniform or speckled moulds |
| Aging | 2 to 3 months | Marketed starting 12 days after renneting; 30 days for "matured and washed" or "matured using the Dieulefit method" |
| Taste | Sweet to savory | Frank, capric with notes of nut and mushroom, occasional pungency |
Taste Comparison: Does Gorgonzola Cheese Taste Like Picodon Cheese?
Gorgonzola Cheese reads as sweet to savory, while Picodon Cheese brings frank, capric with notes of nut and mushroom, occasional pungency character. More specifically, Gorgonzola Cheese shows dolce: creamy, slightly spicy, delicate. piccante: blue-veined, crumbly, strong, with widespread bluish-green marbling, while Picodon Cheese leans toward nut, light notes of mushroom, occasional pungency, possible fermentative taste. Aging plays into this as well. Gorgonzola Cheese at 2 to 3 months 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 Gorgonzola Cheese for Picodon Cheese?
Gorgonzola Cheese can stand in for Picodon Cheese in many dishes, but the switch will shift the overall character of the recipe. Expect soft to crumbly bite and body where the recipe calls for homogeneous, smooth, and fine; can become crumbly if matured longer. Flavor-wise, Gorgonzola Cheese reads as sweet to savory while Picodon Cheese brings frank, capric with notes of nut and mushroom, occasional pungency notes.
Which Is Better, Gorgonzola Cheese or Picodon Cheese?
There's no single winner. It depends on your recipe and the profile you want. If you want a soft to crumbly cheese, go with Gorgonzola Cheese. For a homogeneous, smooth, and fine; can become crumbly if matured longer profile, Picodon Cheese is the better fit. Flavor-wise, Gorgonzola Cheese suits recipes that want sweet to savory 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 Gorgonzola Cheese the same as Picodon Cheese?
No, they're distinct cheeses. Gorgonzola Cheese is made from cow milk; Picodon Cheese uses goat. Aging also differs: Gorgonzola Cheese is typically aged 2 to 3 months, Picodon Cheese marketed starting 12 days after renneting; 30 days for "matured and washed" or "matured using the dieulefit method".
Is Gorgonzola Cheese similar to Picodon Cheese?
Not closely. They use different milk bases and have distinct profiles.
Can I substitute Gorgonzola Cheese for Picodon Cheese?
You can, but expect a shift in richness and milk character.
Does Gorgonzola Cheese taste like Picodon Cheese?
Gorgonzola Cheese reads as sweet to savory, while Picodon Cheese is frank, capric with notes of nut and mushroom, occasional pungency.
What is Gorgonzola Cheese made of?
Gorgonzola Cheese is made from cow milk (pasteurized). It's typically aged 2 to 3 months. It originates in Italy.
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, Gorgonzola Cheese or Picodon Cheese?
It depends on the dish. The texture difference is the biggest practical tell. Gorgonzola Cheese is soft to crumbly, while Picodon Cheese is homogeneous, smooth, and fine; can become crumbly if matured longer.