Mont d'Or Cheese vs Pecorino Crotonese Cheese
Mont d'Or Cheese is a soft cow-milk cheese from France, while Pecorino Crotonese Cheese is fresh - soft, regular, creamy; semi-hard - firm; ripened - slightly straw-colored, firm and made from sheep 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 Pecorino Crotonese Cheese?
Pecorino Crotonese is an Italian sheep's milk cheese and one of the pecorino varieties registered with the EU as a protected designation of origin. Pecorino is the family name for Italy's sheep's milk cheeses, and every region makes its own.
What's the Difference Between Mont d'Or Cheese and Pecorino Crotonese Cheese?
- Milk type: Mont d'Or Cheese (Cow's milk), Pecorino Crotonese Cheese (Whole sheep's milk)
- Texture: Mont d'Or Cheese (Soft), Pecorino Crotonese Cheese (Fresh - soft, regular, creamy; Semi-hard - firm; Ripened - slightly straw-colored, firm)
- Rind: Mont d'Or Cheese (Washed rind), Pecorino Crotonese Cheese (Fresh - thin; Semi-hard - thick, light brown; Ripened - hard, brown, may be coated with olive oil or olive dregs)
- Aging: Mont d'Or Cheese (21 to 60 days), Pecorino Crotonese Cheese (Fresh, semi-hard, ripened (more than six months for ripened))
- Taste: Mont d'Or Cheese (Resinous, mild to pungent), Pecorino Crotonese Cheese (Distinct, smooth, slightly tangy (fresh); Intense, well-balanced (semi-hard); Intense, distinct, slight piquant aftertaste (ripened))
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Mont d'Or Cheese | Pecorino Crotonese Cheese | |
|---|---|---|
| Country of Origin | France | — |
| Specific Origin | Jura Mountains, Doubs | Provinces Of Crotone, Catanzaro, And Cosenza |
| Milk Type | Cow's milk | Whole sheep's milk |
| Milk Treatment | Raw | Raw, thermised, or pasteurised |
| Texture | Soft | Fresh - soft, regular, creamy; Semi-hard - firm; Ripened - slightly straw-colored, firm |
| Rind | Washed rind | Fresh - thin; Semi-hard - thick, light brown; Ripened - hard, brown, may be coated with olive oil or olive dregs |
| Aging | 21 to 60 days | Fresh, semi-hard, ripened (more than six months for ripened) |
| Taste | Resinous, mild to pungent | Distinct, smooth, slightly tangy (fresh); Intense, well-balanced (semi-hard); Intense, distinct, slight piquant aftertaste (ripened) |
Taste Comparison: Does Mont d'Or Cheese Taste Like Pecorino Crotonese Cheese?
Mont d'Or Cheese reads as resinous, mild to pungent, while Pecorino Crotonese Cheese brings distinct, smooth, slightly tangy (fresh); intense, well-balanced (semi-hard); intense, distinct, slight piquant aftertaste (ripened) character. More specifically, Mont d'Or Cheese shows known for its creamy taste and powerful aroma; gets resinous flavor from spruce bark, while Pecorino Crotonese Cheese leans toward sheep's milk, hay, mature wild grasses, hazelnut, smoke. Aging plays into this as well. Mont d'Or Cheese at 21 to 60 days develops a different profile than Pecorino Crotonese Cheese at fresh, semi-hard, ripened (more than six months for ripened).
Can You Substitute Mont d'Or Cheese for Pecorino Crotonese Cheese?
Mont d'Or Cheese can stand in for Pecorino Crotonese 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 fresh - soft, regular, creamy; semi-hard - firm; ripened - slightly straw-colored, firm. Flavor-wise, Mont d'Or Cheese reads as resinous, mild to pungent while Pecorino Crotonese Cheese brings distinct, smooth, slightly tangy (fresh); intense, well-balanced (semi-hard); intense, distinct, slight piquant aftertaste (ripened) notes.
Which Is Better, Mont d'Or Cheese or Pecorino Crotonese 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 fresh - soft, regular, creamy; semi-hard - firm; ripened - slightly straw-colored, firm profile, Pecorino Crotonese Cheese is the better fit. Flavor-wise, Mont d'Or Cheese suits recipes that want resinous, mild to pungent notes, while Pecorino Crotonese Cheese fits dishes calling for distinct, smooth, slightly tangy (fresh); intense, well-balanced (semi-hard); intense, distinct, slight piquant aftertaste (ripened).
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Frequently Asked Questions
Is Mont d'Or Cheese the same as Pecorino Crotonese Cheese?
No, they're distinct cheeses. Mont d'Or Cheese is made from cow milk; Pecorino Crotonese Cheese uses sheep. Aging also differs: Mont d'Or Cheese is typically aged 21 to 60 days, Pecorino Crotonese Cheese fresh, semi-hard, ripened (more than six months for ripened).
Is Mont d'Or Cheese similar to Pecorino Crotonese Cheese?
Not closely. They use different milk bases and have distinct profiles.
Can I substitute Mont d'Or Cheese for Pecorino Crotonese Cheese?
You can, but expect a shift in richness and milk character.
Does Mont d'Or Cheese taste like Pecorino Crotonese Cheese?
Mont d'Or Cheese reads as resinous, mild to pungent, while Pecorino Crotonese Cheese is distinct, smooth, slightly tangy (fresh); intense, well-balanced (semi-hard); intense, distinct, slight piquant aftertaste (ripened).
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 Pecorino Crotonese Cheese made of?
Pecorino Crotonese Cheese is made from sheep milk (raw, thermised, or pasteurised), using kid rennet pas rennet. It's typically aged fresh, semi-hard, ripened (more than six months for ripened).
Which should I choose, Mont d'Or Cheese or Pecorino Crotonese Cheese?
It depends on the dish. The texture difference is the biggest practical tell. Mont d'Or Cheese is soft, while Pecorino Crotonese Cheese is fresh - soft, regular, creamy; semi-hard - firm; ripened - slightly straw-colored, firm.