Mahón-Menorca Cheese vs Swiss Cheese

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

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

Swiss Cheese Overview

Swiss cheese in the United States refers to a group of cheeses that resemble the Emmental cheese from Switzerland, known for their medium-hard texture and distinctive holes or "eyes." American Swiss cheese is mild, nutty, and sweet, with a smooth, creamy texture, making it popular for sandwiches and burgers.

Comparing the Two Cheeses

Country of Origin

Mahón-Menorca Cheese comes from Spain. Swiss Cheese originated from United States.

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). Swiss is not a protected cheese.

Milk Type and Treatment

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

Composition and Texture

Mahón-Menorca's texture can be described as "firm". Swiss Cheese has a fat content of ~28-32% and a moisture content of none. Swiss's texture can be described as "semi-firm".

Taste and Aroma

Mahón-Menorca Cheese has a salty and spicy taste. Mahón-Menorca's aroma can be described as "lactic, buttery". Swiss Cheese has a mild, nutty, slightly sweet taste. Swiss's aroma can be described as "mild, slightly nutty".

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 . Swiss Cheese has a color of pale yellow , comes in block, sliced, shredded and has an aging period of typically 1-3 months .

Rind and Rennet Type

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

Ranking

Mahón-Menorca is ranked #223 out of 996 types based on community views. Swiss is ranked #78 out of 996 types based on community views.

Pairing Comparison

For more details, check the full pairing guides on the Mahón-Menorca and Swiss pages.

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 semi-firm consistency, Swiss might be the better pick. Mahón-Menorca has a salty and spicy taste, making it great for various dishes. Meanwhile, Swiss offers a mild, nutty, slightly sweet profile, ideal for different meals.

Compare Mahón-Menorca Cheese to Other Cheeses

Compare Swiss Cheese to Other Cheeses