Kasseri Cheese vs L'Etivaz Cheese
Kasseri Cheese is a firm to hard goat and sheep-milk cheese from Greece, while L'Etivaz Cheese is hard and made from cow milk, originating in Switzerland.
What Is Kasseri Cheese?
Kasseri is a pale yellow, medium-hard to hard Greek cheese made from sheep milk with at most 20% goat's milk. It belongs to the pasta filata family and is best known as the cheese in saganaki and kasseropita.
What Is L'Etivaz Cheese?
L'Etivaz is a hard raw cow's milk cheese from the canton of Vaud, Switzerland, made only during the summer Alpine grazing season in copper cauldrons over wood fires. It tastes close to Gruyère surchoix, fruity and slightly nutty.
What's the Difference Between Kasseri Cheese and L'Etivaz Cheese?
- Origin: Kasseri Cheese (Greece), L'Etivaz Cheese (Switzerland)
- Milk type: Kasseri Cheese (goat's and sheep's milk), L'Etivaz Cheese (cow's milk)
- Milk treatment: Kasseri Cheese (Traditionally raw, increasingly pasteurized), L'Etivaz Cheese (unpasteurized)
- Texture: Kasseri Cheese (Firm to hard), L'Etivaz Cheese (hard)
- Aging: Kasseri Cheese (at least 3 months), L'Etivaz Cheese (5 to 13 months)
- Taste: Kasseri Cheese (Rich), L'Etivaz Cheese (fruity, slightly nutty)
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Kasseri Cheese | L'Etivaz Cheese | |
|---|---|---|
| Country of Origin | Greece | Switzerland |
| Specific Origin | Thrace, Macedonia, Thessaly, Lesbos | Vaud, Switzerland |
| Milk Type | Goat's and sheep's milk | Cow's milk |
| Milk Treatment | Traditionally raw, increasingly pasteurized | Unpasteurized |
| Texture | Firm to hard | Hard |
| Rind | Develops as ages | — |
| Aging | At least 3 months | 5 to 13 months |
| Taste | Rich | Fruity, slightly nutty |
Taste Comparison: Does Kasseri Cheese Taste Like L'Etivaz Cheese?
Kasseri Cheese reads as rich, while L'Etivaz Cheese brings fruity, slightly nutty character. On the nose, Kasseri Cheese offers flowery, contrasted with L'Etivaz Cheese's smokey. More specifically, Kasseri Cheese shows rich, complex flavors, buttery texture, flowery aroma when aged. similar to asiago and parmigiano reggiano when aged 10+ months., while L'Etivaz Cheese leans toward creamier and less sharp than antique gruyère, smooth, salty, varying with the pasture soil. Aging plays into this as well. Kasseri Cheese at at least 3 months develops a different profile than L'Etivaz Cheese at 5 to 13 months.
Can You Substitute Kasseri Cheese for L'Etivaz Cheese?
Kasseri Cheese can stand in for L'Etivaz Cheese in many dishes, but the switch will shift the overall character of the recipe. Expect firm to hard bite and body where the recipe calls for hard. Flavor-wise, Kasseri Cheese reads as rich while L'Etivaz Cheese brings fruity, slightly nutty notes.
Which Is Better, Kasseri Cheese or L'Etivaz Cheese?
There's no single winner. It depends on your recipe and the profile you want. If you want a firm to hard cheese, go with Kasseri Cheese. For a hard profile, L'Etivaz Cheese is the better fit. Flavor-wise, Kasseri Cheese suits recipes that want rich notes, while L'Etivaz Cheese fits dishes calling for fruity, slightly nutty.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Is Kasseri Cheese the same as L'Etivaz Cheese?
No, they're distinct cheeses. Kasseri Cheese originates in Greece, while L'Etivaz Cheese comes from Switzerland. Kasseri Cheese is made from goat and sheep milk; L'Etivaz Cheese uses cow. Aging also differs: Kasseri Cheese is typically aged at least 3 months, L'Etivaz Cheese 5 to 13 months.
Is Kasseri Cheese similar to L'Etivaz Cheese?
Not closely. They use different milk bases and have distinct profiles.
Can I substitute Kasseri Cheese for L'Etivaz Cheese?
You can, but expect a shift in richness and milk character.
Does Kasseri Cheese taste like L'Etivaz Cheese?
Kasseri Cheese reads as rich, while L'Etivaz Cheese is fruity, slightly nutty. Aromas also diverge. Kasseri Cheese leans flowery, and L'Etivaz Cheese is closer to smokey.
What is Kasseri Cheese made of?
Kasseri Cheese is made from goat and sheep milk (traditionally raw, increasingly pasteurized), using natural rennet. It's typically aged at least 3 months. It originates in Greece.
What is L'Etivaz Cheese made of?
L'Etivaz Cheese is made from cow milk (unpasteurized). It's typically aged 5 to 13 months. It originates in Switzerland.
Which should I choose, Kasseri Cheese or L'Etivaz Cheese?
It depends on the dish. The texture difference is the biggest practical tell. Kasseri Cheese is firm to hard, while L'Etivaz Cheese is hard.