Mahón-Menorca Cheese vs Mascarpone Cheese

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

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

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.

Mascarpone Cheese Overview

Mascarpone is a creamy, soft Italian cheese made from cream, coagulated by the addition of citric acid or acetic acid. It has a very rich, buttery texture and a slightly sweet taste. Mascarpone is a key ingredient in desserts like tiramisu and can also be used in dips, spreads, and sauces.

Comparing the Two Cheeses

Ranking

Mahón-Menorca is ranked #221 out of 375 types.

Mascarpone is ranked #49 out of 375 types.

Country of Origin

Mahón-Menorca Cheese comes from Spain. Mascarpone Cheese originated from Italy.

Certification

Many cheeses have some kind of protected status that makes it so they can only be produced in a certain manner and location. Mahón-Menorca Cheese has a PDO (1985). Mascarpone is not a protected cheese.

Milk Type and Treatment

Mahón-Menorca Cheese is made with cow or sheep milk that is typically raw. Mascarpone Cheese is made with cow milk that is typically heated.

Composition and Texture

Mahón-Menorca's texture can be described as "firm". Mascarpone Cheese has a fat content of 60 to 75 percent. Mascarpone's texture can be described as "soft, spreadable".

Flavor and Aroma

Mahón-Menorca Cheese has a salty and spicy flavor. Mahón-Menorca's aroma can be described as "lactic, buttery". Mascarpone Cheese has a buttery to slightly tangy flavor.

Appearance and Aging

Mahón-Menorca Cheese's appearance is colored ivory-yellow to orangey or brownish gray , is available in parallelepiped shape and is aged tender: 21-60 days, semi-cured: 2-5 months, vintage: >5 months . Mascarpone Cheese has a color of white .

Rind and Rennet Type

Mahón-Menorca Cheese's rind is described as characteristic orangish and uses vegetable (cynara cardunculus) rennet.

Side-by-Side Comparison Table

Mahón-Menorca Cheese Mascarpone Cheese
Country of Origin Spain Italy
Specific Origin Menorca, Balearic Islands Lombardy
Certification PDO (1985) None
Milk Type Friesian, Menorcan, Brown Alpine cow’s milk, some ewe’s milk (max 5%) Cow's milk
Milk Treatment Raw or any authorized preservation technology Heated
Fat Content 60 to 75 percent
Rind Characteristic orangish
Texture Firm Soft, spreadable
Flavor Salty and spicy Buttery to slightly tangy
Aroma Lactic, buttery
Colors Ivory-yellow to orangey or brownish gray White
Forms Parallelepiped shape
Age Tender: 21-60 days, Semi-cured: 2-5 months, Vintage: >5 months
Rennet Type Vegetable (Cynara cardunculus)

Compare Mahón-Menorca Cheese to Other Cheeses

Compare Mascarpone Cheese to Other Cheeses