Gouda Cheese vs Picodon Cheese
Gouda Cheese is a solid and springy; smooth when young, firm and crumbly when aged cow-milk cheese from Netherlands, while Picodon Cheese is homogeneous, smooth, and fine; can become crumbly if matured longer and made from goat milk.
What Is Gouda Cheese?
Gouda is a yellow cow's milk cheese from the Netherlands, named after the city of Gouda in South Holland. It runs from young and elastic to old and hard, picking up a caramel sweetness and small crunchy crystals with age.
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 Gouda Cheese and Picodon Cheese?
- Milk type: Gouda Cheese (cow's milk), Picodon Cheese (Goat's milk)
- Milk treatment: Gouda Cheese (pasteurized or unpasteurized), Picodon Cheese (Raw, non-standardized, unhomogenized)
- Texture: Gouda Cheese (solid and springy; smooth when young, firm and crumbly when aged), Picodon Cheese (Homogeneous, smooth, and fine; can become crumbly if matured longer)
- Rind: Gouda Cheese (Durable), Picodon Cheese (Fine, lightly covered with uniform or speckled moulds)
- Aging: Gouda Cheese (4 weeks to 21 months), Picodon Cheese (Marketed starting 12 days after renneting; 30 days for "matured and washed" or "matured using the Dieulefit method")
- Taste: Gouda Cheese (Sweet to nutty), Picodon Cheese (Frank, capric with notes of nut and mushroom, occasional pungency)
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Gouda Cheese | Picodon Cheese | |
|---|---|---|
| Country of Origin | Netherlands | — |
| Specific Origin | Southern Holland | Ardèche And Drôme Regions, Including Parts Of Gard And Vaucluse |
| Milk Type | Cow's milk | Goat's milk |
| Milk Treatment | Pasteurized or unpasteurized | Raw, non-standardized, unhomogenized |
| Texture | Solid and springy; smooth when young, firm and crumbly when aged | Homogeneous, smooth, and fine; can become crumbly if matured longer |
| Rind | Durable | Fine, lightly covered with uniform or speckled moulds |
| Aging | 4 weeks to 21 months | Marketed starting 12 days after renneting; 30 days for "matured and washed" or "matured using the Dieulefit method" |
| Taste | Sweet to nutty | Frank, capric with notes of nut and mushroom, occasional pungency |
Taste Comparison: Does Gouda Cheese Taste Like Picodon Cheese?
Gouda Cheese reads as sweet to nutty, while Picodon Cheese brings frank, capric with notes of nut and mushroom, occasional pungency character. More specifically, Gouda Cheese shows young: mellow, fruity, sweet. aged: nutty, herbaceous, notes of chocolate, brazil nut, butterscotch., while Picodon Cheese leans toward nut, light notes of mushroom, occasional pungency, possible fermentative taste. Aging plays into this as well. Gouda Cheese at 4 weeks to 21 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 Gouda Cheese for Picodon Cheese?
Gouda Cheese can stand in for Picodon Cheese in many dishes, but the switch will shift the overall character of the recipe. Expect solid and springy; smooth when young, firm and crumbly when aged bite and body where the recipe calls for homogeneous, smooth, and fine; can become crumbly if matured longer. Flavor-wise, Gouda Cheese reads as sweet to nutty while Picodon Cheese brings frank, capric with notes of nut and mushroom, occasional pungency notes.
Which Is Better, Gouda Cheese or Picodon Cheese?
There's no single winner. It depends on your recipe and the profile you want. If you want a solid and springy; smooth when young, firm and crumbly when aged cheese, go with Gouda Cheese. For a homogeneous, smooth, and fine; can become crumbly if matured longer profile, Picodon Cheese is the better fit. Flavor-wise, Gouda Cheese suits recipes that want sweet to nutty 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 Gouda Cheese the same as Picodon Cheese?
No, they're distinct cheeses. Gouda Cheese is made from cow milk; Picodon Cheese uses goat. Aging also differs: Gouda Cheese is typically aged 4 weeks to 21 months, Picodon Cheese marketed starting 12 days after renneting; 30 days for "matured and washed" or "matured using the dieulefit method".
Is Gouda Cheese similar to Picodon Cheese?
Not closely. They use different milk bases and have distinct profiles.
Can I substitute Gouda Cheese for Picodon Cheese?
You can, but expect a shift in richness and milk character.
Does Gouda Cheese taste like Picodon Cheese?
Gouda Cheese reads as sweet to nutty, while Picodon Cheese is frank, capric with notes of nut and mushroom, occasional pungency.
What is Gouda Cheese made of?
Gouda Cheese is made from cow milk (pasteurized or unpasteurized). It's typically aged 4 weeks to 21 months. It originates in Netherlands.
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, Gouda Cheese or Picodon Cheese?
It depends on the dish. The texture difference is the biggest practical tell. Gouda Cheese is solid and springy; smooth when young, firm and crumbly when aged, while Picodon Cheese is homogeneous, smooth, and fine; can become crumbly if matured longer.