Mahón-Menorca Cheese vs Mozzarella Cheese

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

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

Mozzarella Cheese Overview

Mozzarella is a soft, white cheese originally from Southern Italy. Traditionally made from water buffalo milk (mozzarella di bufala), it's also commonly produced from cow's milk (fior di latte). Mozzarella is famous for its mild, milky flavor and stretchy texture, making it ideal for pizzas and caprese salads.

Comparing the Two Cheeses

Ranking

Mahón-Menorca is ranked #224 out of 375 types.

Mozzarella is ranked #40 out of 375 types.

Country of Origin

Mahón-Menorca Cheese comes from Spain. Mozzarella 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). Mozzarella is not a protected cheese.

Milk Type and Treatment

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

Composition and Texture

Mahón-Menorca's texture can be described as "firm". Mozzarella Cheese has a fat content of varies and a moisture content of none. Mozzarella's texture can be described as "soft, creamy".

Flavor and Aroma

Mahón-Menorca Cheese has a salty and spicy flavor. Mahón-Menorca's aroma can be described as "lactic, buttery". Mozzarella Cheese has a mild, milky flavor. Mozzarella's aroma can be described as "mild".

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 . Mozzarella Cheese has a color of white , comes in balls, blocks, shredded and has an aging period of eaten fresh .

Rind and Rennet Type

Mahón-Menorca Cheese's rind is described as characteristic orangish and uses vegetable (cynara cardunculus) rennet. Mozzarella Cheese's rind is described as none , with calf's or microbial rennet.

Side-by-Side Comparison Table

Mahón-Menorca Cheese Mozzarella Cheese
Country of Origin Spain Italy
Specific Origin Menorca, Balearic Islands
Certification PDO (1985) None
Milk Type Friesian, Menorcan, Brown Alpine cow’s milk, some ewe’s milk (max 5%) Cow's
Milk Treatment Raw or any authorized preservation technology Pasteurized
Fat Content Varies
Moisture Content High
Rind Characteristic orangish None
Texture Firm Soft, creamy
Flavor Salty and spicy Mild, milky
Aroma Lactic, buttery Mild
Colors Ivory-yellow to orangey or brownish gray White
Forms Parallelepiped shape Balls, blocks, shredded
Age Tender: 21-60 days, Semi-cured: 2-5 months, Vintage: >5 months Eaten fresh
Rennet Type Vegetable (Cynara cardunculus) Calf's or microbial rennet

Compare Mahón-Menorca Cheese to Other Cheeses

Compare Mozzarella Cheese to Other Cheeses