Jarlsberg Cheese vs Mahón-Menorca Cheese

Jarlsberg Cheese

Mahón-Menorca Cheese

In this article, we'll explore the answers to the most common questions about Jarlsberg Cheese and Mahón-Menorca Cheese, including:

  • "What is the difference between Jarlsberg Cheese and Mahón-Menorca Cheese?"
  • "Is Jarlsberg Cheese and Mahón-Menorca Cheese the same?"
  • "How does Jarlsberg Cheese compare to Mahón-Menorca Cheese cheese?"
  • "How does the taste of Jarlsberg Cheese compare to Mahón-Menorca Cheese?"
  • "Is Jarlsberg Cheese or Mahón-Menorca Cheese better?"

Jarlsberg Cheese Overview

Jarlsberg is a famous Norwegian cheese, known for its distinctive sweet and nutty taste. It is a semi-soft cheese with large, round holes. Jarlsberg is versatile and can be sliced, grilled, or melted. It is often used in sandwiches, as a burger topping, or simply enjoyed on its own.

Mahón-Menorca Cheese Overview

Mahón-Menorca is a cow's milk cheese from the island of Menorca in the Balearic Islands. It has a square shape with rounded edges and is known for its orange rind and soft to hard texture depending on age. The flavor is slightly salty and tangy, with buttery notes in younger cheeses and a sharper taste in older ones.

Comparing the Two Cheeses

Country of Origin

Jarlsberg Cheese comes from Norway. Mahón-Menorca Cheese 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. Jarlsberg is not a protected cheese. Mahón-Menorca Cheese has a PDO (1996), PDO (1985).

Milk Type and Treatment

Jarlsberg Cheese is made with cow milk that is typically pasteurized. Mahón-Menorca Cheese is made with cow or sheep milk that is typically raw.

Composition and Texture

Jarlsberg Cheese has a fat content of regular: 27% (45% fdm), lite: 16% (30% fdm). Jarlsberg's texture can be described as "semihard". Mahón-Menorca's texture can be described as "firm".

Taste and Aroma

Jarlsberg Cheese has a mild, sweet, nutty taste. Mahón-Menorca Cheese has a salty and spicy taste. Mahón-Menorca's aroma can be described as "lactic, buttery".

Appearance and Aging

Jarlsberg Cheese's appearance is available in wheels, blocks, loaves, slices, mini wheels and is aged three months to twelve months . Mahón-Menorca Cheese has a color of ivory-yellow to orangey or brownish gray , comes in parallelepiped shape and has an aging period of tender: 21-60 days, semi-cured: 2-5 months, vintage: >5 months .

Rind and Rennet Type

Jarlsberg Cheese's rind is described as plastic-covered and uses animal rennet. Mahón-Menorca Cheese's rind is described as characteristic orangish , with vegetable (cynara cardunculus) rennet.

Ranking

Jarlsberg is ranked #48 out of 996 types based on community views. Mahón-Menorca is ranked #223 out of 996 types based on community views.

Side-by-Side Comparison Table

Jarlsberg Cheese Mahón-Menorca Cheese
Country of Origin Norway Spain
Specific Origin No Specific Location Menorca, Balearic Islands
Certification Not Specified PDO (1996), PDO (1985)
Milk Type Cow's milk Friesian, Menorcan, Brown Alpine cow’s milk, some ewe’s milk (max 5%)
Milk Treatment Pasteurized Raw or any authorized preservation technology
Fat Content Regular: 27% (45% FDM), Lite: 16% (30% FDM) Not Specified
Rind Plastic-covered Characteristic orangish
Texture Semihard Firm
Taste Mild, sweet, nutty Salty and spicy
Aroma Not Specified Lactic, buttery
Colors Not Specified Ivory-yellow to orangey or brownish gray
Forms Wheels, blocks, loaves, slices, mini wheels Parallelepiped shape
Age Three months to twelve months Tender: 21-60 days, Semi-cured: 2-5 months, Vintage: >5 months
Rennet Type Animal Vegetable (Cynara cardunculus)

Which One Should You Choose?

If you prefer a semihard cheese, go for Jarlsberg. But if you enjoy a firm consistency, Mahón-Menorca might be the better pick. Jarlsberg has a mild, sweet, nutty taste, making it great for various dishes. Meanwhile, Mahón-Menorca offers a salty and spicy profile, ideal for different meals.

Compare Jarlsberg Cheese to Other Cheeses

Compare Mahón-Menorca Cheese to Other Cheeses

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