Blue Cheese vs Metsovone Cheese
Blue Cheese
Metsovone Cheese
Blue Cheese is a crumbly, creamy, semi-soft cow, goat, or sheep-milk cheese from France, while Metsovone Cheese is semihard to hard and made from cow, goat, or sheep milk, originating in Greece.
What Is Blue Cheese?
A type of cheese injected or inoculated with Penicillium mold to create blue or green veins, resulting in a tangy, sharp flavor and creamy or crumbly texture.
What Is Metsovone Cheese?
Metsovone is a smoked, semi-hard cheese from Metsovo in the Pindus mountains of Greece. Made from cow's milk or a mix of cow and sheep or goat milk, it is one of the few Greek cheeses that is smoked, giving it a distinctive flavor that is nutty and buttery with smokey undertones.
What's the Difference Between Blue Cheese and Metsovone Cheese?
- Origin: Blue Cheese (France), Metsovone Cheese (Greece)
- Milk treatment: Blue Cheese (Pasteurized or Raw), Metsovone Cheese (Smoked)
- Texture: Blue Cheese (Crumbly, Creamy, Semi-Soft), Metsovone Cheese (Semihard to hard)
- Rind: Blue Cheese (Natural), Metsovone Cheese (Waxed)
- Aging: Blue Cheese (Typically aged 2-6 months), Metsovone Cheese (3 months)
- Taste: Blue Cheese (Sharp, Tangy, Savory, Salty, Pungent), Metsovone Cheese (Slightly salty and piquant)
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Blue Cheese | Metsovone Cheese | |
|---|---|---|
| Country of Origin | France | Greece |
| Specific Origin | — | Metsovo, Epirus |
| Milk Type | Cow, Sheep, Goat | Cow's milk, Ewe's or Goat's milk |
| Milk Treatment | Pasteurized or Raw | Smoked |
| Texture | Crumbly, Creamy, Semi-Soft | Semihard to hard |
| Rind | Natural | Waxed |
| Aging | Typically aged 2-6 months | 3 months |
| Taste | Sharp, Tangy, Savory, Salty, Pungent | Slightly salty and piquant |
Pairing Comparison
What works with each cheese — wines, foods, breads, and more.
| Blue Cheese | Metsovone Cheese | |
|---|---|---|
| Best Pairings | Amaro, Apricot, Asian Pear, Cabernet Sauvignon, Dirty Martini, Dried Figs, Fig Jam, German Riesling, Green Apple, Hard Cider, Honey, Honeycomb, IPA, Malbec, Muscat, Pear, Pecans, Port, Scotch, Steak | — |
| Other Good Pairings | Almonds, Apples, Belgian Blonde, Bordeaux, Burgundy Red, California Viogniers, Dried Cranberries, Grapes, Merlot, Mushrooms, Olives, Prosciutto, Roast Beef | — |
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Where to buy Blue Cheese and Metsovone Cheese
Blue Cheese
Metsovone Cheese
Taste Comparison: Does Blue Cheese Taste Like Metsovone Cheese?
Blue Cheese reads as sharp, tangy, savory, salty, pungent, while Metsovone Cheese brings slightly salty and piquant character. On the nose, Blue Cheese offers strong, pungent, earthy, funky, contrasted with Metsovone Cheese's natural smoke. More specifically, Blue Cheese shows earthy, spicy, peppery, slightly sweet, umami, nutty, bitter, while Metsovone Cheese leans toward smoked cheese resembling italian provolone with a special smoked perfume. Aging plays into this as well. Blue Cheese at typically aged 2-6 months develops a different profile than Metsovone Cheese at 3 months.
Can You Substitute Blue Cheese for Metsovone Cheese?
In most recipes, Blue Cheese and Metsovone Cheese can be swapped with reasonable results. Both are cow, goat, or sheep-milk cheeses, so the base character carries over. Expect crumbly, creamy, semi-soft bite and body where the recipe calls for semihard to hard. Flavor-wise, Blue Cheese reads as sharp, tangy, savory, salty, pungent while Metsovone Cheese brings slightly salty and piquant notes.
Which Is Better, Blue Cheese or Metsovone Cheese?
There's no single winner. It depends on your recipe and the profile you want. If you want a crumbly, creamy, semi-soft cheese, go with Blue Cheese. For a semihard to hard profile, Metsovone Cheese is the better fit. Flavor-wise, Blue Cheese suits recipes that want sharp, tangy, savory, salty, pungent notes, while Metsovone Cheese fits dishes calling for slightly salty and piquant.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Blue Cheese the same as Metsovone Cheese?
No, they're distinct cheeses. Blue Cheese originates in France, while Metsovone Cheese comes from Greece. Aging also differs: Blue Cheese is typically aged typically aged 2-6 months, Metsovone Cheese 3 months.
Is Blue Cheese similar to Metsovone Cheese?
Somewhat. They share a cow, goat, or sheep-milk base but diverge in texture and flavor.
Can I substitute Blue Cheese for Metsovone Cheese?
You can, but expect a shift in bite and mouthfeel.
Does Blue Cheese taste like Metsovone Cheese?
Blue Cheese reads as sharp, tangy, savory, salty, pungent, while Metsovone Cheese is slightly salty and piquant. Aromas also diverge. Blue Cheese leans strong, pungent, earthy, funky, and Metsovone Cheese is closer to natural smoke.
What is Blue Cheese made of?
Blue Cheese is made from cow, goat, or sheep milk (pasteurized or raw), using traditional (animal rennet) or microbial (varies by producer) rennet. It's typically aged typically aged 2-6 months. It originates in France.
What is Metsovone Cheese made of?
Metsovone Cheese is made from cow, goat, or sheep milk (smoked). It's typically aged 3 months. It originates in Greece.
Which should I choose, Blue Cheese or Metsovone Cheese?
It depends on the dish. The texture difference is the biggest practical tell. Blue Cheese is crumbly, creamy, semi-soft, while Metsovone Cheese is semihard to hard.
See full profiles: Blue Cheese and Metsovone Cheese.