Mahón-Menorca Cheese vs Red Leicester Cheese

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

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

Red Leicester Cheese Overview

Red Leicester is a traditional English cheese made from cow's milk, similar to cheddar but with a more moist, crumblier texture and a milder flavor. It's notable for its vibrant orange color, achieved by adding annatto to the milk. Aged Red Leicester develops a slightly nutty taste, making it a favorite for cheese platters and grating over dishes.

Comparing the Two Cheeses

Country of Origin

Mahón-Menorca Cheese comes from Spain. Red Leicester Cheese originated from United Kingdom.

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 (1996), PDO (1985). Red Leicester is not a protected cheese.

Milk Type and Treatment

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

Composition and Texture

Mahón-Menorca's texture can be described as "firm". Red Leicester Cheese has a fat content of high and a moisture content of none. Red Leicester's texture can be described as "hard, similar to cheddar but more moist, crumbly".

Taste and Aroma

Mahón-Menorca Cheese has a salty and spicy taste. Mahón-Menorca's aroma can be described as "lactic, buttery". Red Leicester Cheese has a caramel, sweet taste. Red Leicester'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 . Red Leicester Cheese has a color of reddish-orange , comes in traditional cylindrical, industrial block and has an aging period of 6 months (traditional), varies for industrial .

Rind and Rennet Type

Mahón-Menorca Cheese's rind is described as characteristic orangish and uses vegetable (cynara cardunculus) rennet. Red Leicester Cheese's rind is described as clothbound (sparkenhoe farm), plastic (industrial) , with animal rennet.

Ranking

Mahón-Menorca is ranked #224 out of 996 types based on community views. Red Leicester is ranked #67 out of 996 types based on community views.

Side-by-Side Comparison Table

Which One Should You Choose?

If you prefer a firm cheese, go for Mahón-Menorca. But if you enjoy a hard, similar to cheddar but more moist, crumbly consistency, Red Leicester might be the better pick. Mahón-Menorca has a salty and spicy taste, making it great for various dishes. Meanwhile, Red Leicester offers a caramel, sweet profile, ideal for different meals.

Compare Mahón-Menorca Cheese to Other Cheeses

Compare Red Leicester Cheese to Other Cheeses