Mont d'Or Cheese vs Pasta Filata Cheese
Mont d'Or Cheese is a soft cow-milk cheese from France, while Pasta Filata Cheese is soft, elastic and stringy, fibrous and made from cow or buffalo milk.
What Is Mont d'Or Cheese?
Mont d'Or is a seasonal soft cow's milk cheese from the Jura region of France and Switzerland, wrapped in a band of spruce that gives it its flavor. It sells from September 10 to May 10 and is usually warmed in its spruce box and eaten like fondue.
What Is Pasta Filata Cheese?
Pasta filata is the Italian spun-curd technique behind mozzarella, provolone, caciocavallo and scamorza. Fresh curd is kneaded in hot water until it turns soft, elastic and stringy, which gives the finished cheese its fibrous structure.
What's the Difference Between Mont d'Or Cheese and Pasta Filata Cheese?
- Milk type: Mont d'Or Cheese (Cow's milk), Pasta Filata Cheese (cow, water buffalo)
- Texture: Mont d'Or Cheese (Soft), Pasta Filata Cheese (soft, elastic and stringy, fibrous)
- Aging: Mont d'Or Cheese (21 to 60 days), Pasta Filata Cheese (fresh for mozzarella, aged for provolone, caciocavallo and scamorza)
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Mont d'Or Cheese | Pasta Filata Cheese | |
|---|---|---|
| Country of Origin | France | — |
| Specific Origin | Jura Mountains, Doubs | Italy |
| Milk Type | Cow's milk | Cow, water buffalo |
| Milk Treatment | Raw | — |
| Texture | Soft | Soft, elastic and stringy, fibrous |
| Rind | Washed rind | — |
| Aging | 21 to 60 days | Fresh for mozzarella, aged for provolone, caciocavallo and scamorza |
| Taste | Resinous, mild to pungent | — |
Taste Comparison: Does Mont d'Or Cheese Taste Like Pasta Filata Cheese?
Their flavor profiles are distinct. Aging plays into this as well. Mont d'Or Cheese at 21 to 60 days develops a different profile than Pasta Filata Cheese at fresh for mozzarella, aged for provolone, caciocavallo and scamorza.
Can You Substitute Mont d'Or Cheese for Pasta Filata Cheese?
Mont d'Or Cheese can stand in for Pasta Filata Cheese in many dishes, but the switch will shift the overall character of the recipe. Expect soft bite and body where the recipe calls for soft, elastic and stringy, fibrous.
Which Is Better, Mont d'Or Cheese or Pasta Filata Cheese?
There's no single winner. It depends on your recipe and the profile you want. If you want a soft cheese, go with Mont d'Or Cheese. For a soft, elastic and stringy, fibrous profile, Pasta Filata Cheese is the better fit.
Which is your favorite?
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Frequently Asked Questions
Is Mont d'Or Cheese the same as Pasta Filata Cheese?
No, they're distinct cheeses. Mont d'Or Cheese is made from cow milk; Pasta Filata Cheese uses cow or buffalo. Aging also differs: Mont d'Or Cheese is typically aged 21 to 60 days, Pasta Filata Cheese fresh for mozzarella, aged for provolone, caciocavallo and scamorza.
Is Mont d'Or Cheese similar to Pasta Filata Cheese?
Not closely. They use different milk bases and have distinct profiles.
Can I substitute Mont d'Or Cheese for Pasta Filata Cheese?
You can, but expect a shift in richness and milk character.
Does Mont d'Or Cheese taste like Pasta Filata Cheese?
They have distinct flavor profiles. The taste row in the table above is the best direct comparison.
What is Mont d'Or Cheese made of?
Mont d'Or Cheese is made from cow milk (raw), using animal rennet. It's typically aged 21 to 60 days. It originates in France.
What is Pasta Filata Cheese made of?
Pasta Filata Cheese is made from cow or buffalo milk. It's typically aged fresh for mozzarella, aged for provolone, caciocavallo and scamorza.
Which should I choose, Mont d'Or Cheese or Pasta Filata Cheese?
It depends on the dish. The texture difference is the biggest practical tell. Mont d'Or Cheese is soft, while Pasta Filata Cheese is soft, elastic and stringy, fibrous.