Kasseri Cheese vs Mont d'Or Cheese

Kasseri Cheese is a firm to hard goat and sheep-milk cheese from Greece, while Mont d'Or Cheese is soft and made from cow milk, originating in France.

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 Mont d'Or Cheese?

Mont d'Or is a seasonal soft cow's milk cheese from the Jura region of France and Switzerland, wrapped in a band of spruce that gives it its flavor. It sells from September 10 to May 10 and is usually warmed in its spruce box and eaten like fondue.

What's the Difference Between Kasseri Cheese and Mont d'Or Cheese?

• Origin: Kasseri Cheese (Greece), Mont d'Or Cheese (France)
• Milk type: Kasseri Cheese (goat's and sheep's milk), Mont d'Or Cheese (Cow's milk)
• Milk treatment: Kasseri Cheese (Traditionally raw, increasingly pasteurized), Mont d'Or Cheese (Raw)
• Texture: Kasseri Cheese (Firm to hard), Mont d'Or Cheese (Soft)
• Rind: Kasseri Cheese (Develops as ages), Mont d'Or Cheese (Washed rind)
• Aging: Kasseri Cheese (at least 3 months), Mont d'Or Cheese (21 to 60 days)
• Taste: Kasseri Cheese (Rich), Mont d'Or Cheese (Resinous, mild to pungent)

Side-by-Side Comparison

Taste Comparison: Does Kasseri Cheese Taste Like Mont d'Or Cheese?

Kasseri Cheese reads as rich, while Mont d'Or Cheese brings resinous, mild to pungent character. 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 Mont d'Or Cheese leans toward known for its creamy taste and powerful aroma; gets resinous flavor from spruce bark. Aging plays into this as well. Kasseri Cheese at at least 3 months develops a different profile than Mont d'Or Cheese at 21 to 60 days.

Can You Substitute Kasseri Cheese for Mont d'Or Cheese?

Kasseri Cheese can stand in for Mont d'Or 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 soft. Flavor-wise, Kasseri Cheese reads as rich while Mont d'Or Cheese brings resinous, mild to pungent notes.

Which Is Better, Kasseri Cheese or Mont d'Or 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 soft profile, Mont d'Or Cheese is the better fit. Flavor-wise, Kasseri Cheese suits recipes that want rich notes, while Mont d'Or Cheese fits dishes calling for resinous, mild to pungent.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Kasseri Cheese the same as Mont d'Or Cheese?

No, they're distinct cheeses. Kasseri Cheese originates in Greece, while Mont d'Or Cheese comes from France. Kasseri Cheese is made from goat and sheep milk; Mont d'Or Cheese uses cow. Aging also differs: Kasseri Cheese is typically aged at least 3 months, Mont d'Or Cheese 21 to 60 days.

Is Kasseri Cheese similar to Mont d'Or Cheese?

Not closely. They use different milk bases and have distinct profiles.

Can I substitute Kasseri Cheese for Mont d'Or Cheese?

You can, but expect a shift in richness and milk character.

Does Kasseri Cheese taste like Mont d'Or Cheese?

Kasseri Cheese reads as rich, while Mont d'Or Cheese is resinous, mild to pungent.

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 Mont d'Or Cheese made of?

Mont d'Or Cheese is made from cow milk (raw), using animal rennet. It's typically aged 21 to 60 days. It originates in France.

Which should I choose, Kasseri Cheese or Mont d'Or Cheese?

It depends on the dish. The texture difference is the biggest practical tell. Kasseri Cheese is firm to hard, while Mont d'Or Cheese is soft.