Mont d'Or Cheese vs Queso Camerano

Mont d'Or Cheese is a soft cow-milk cheese from France, while Queso Camerano is soft to semi-soft (fresh, soft); semi-hard to hard (semi-cured, cured) and made from goat milk.

What Is Mont d'Or Cheese?

Mont d'Or, or Vacherin Mont d'Or, is a seasonal, soft cheese made from cow's milk in the Jura region of France. Available from September to May, it has a delicate, creamy texture and a rich, earthy flavor. Mont d'Or is traditionally eaten warmed in the box it comes in, making the interior deliciously runny.

What Is Queso Camerano?

Queso Camerano is a traditional goat’s milk cheese from La Rioja, Spain. It has a compact and firm texture with minimal fissures, and its color ranges from white to slightly marbled. The cheese is made using natural rennet of goat origin and comes in small cylindrical shapes with a distinctive lattice pattern from the ‘cilla’ mold. It is available in different aging stages: fresh, soft (aged at least 15 days), semi-cured (30 days), and cured (75 days). Fresh and soft varieties have no rind, while semi-cured and cured versions develop a rind with some mold. The cheese has a mild, slightly acidic flavor that intensifies with aging, developing musty and whey-like notes. The aroma varies from lactic and grassy to musty, depending on the age. It is deeply linked to La Rioja’s natural pastures and traditional cheesemaking heritage.

What's the Difference Between Mont d'Or Cheese and Queso Camerano?

• Milk type: Mont d'Or Cheese (Cow's milk), Queso Camerano (Goat)
• Milk treatment: Mont d'Or Cheese (Raw), Queso Camerano (Pasteurized (for fresh, soft, and semi-cured); raw or pasteurized (for cured))
• Texture: Mont d'Or Cheese (Soft), Queso Camerano (Soft to semi-soft (fresh, soft); semi-hard to hard (semi-cured, cured))
• Rind: Mont d'Or Cheese (Washed rind), Queso Camerano (None (fresh, soft); defined with mold (semi-cured, cured))
• Aging: Mont d'Or Cheese (21 to 60 days), Queso Camerano (Fresh (0 days), Soft (15+ days), Semi-cured (30+ days), Cured (75+ days))
• Taste: Mont d'Or Cheese (Resinous, mild to pungent), Queso Camerano (Mild, slightly acidic (fresh); stronger, slightly salty, musty (aged))

Side-by-Side Comparison

Taste Comparison: Does Mont d'Or Cheese Taste Like Queso Camerano?

Mont d'Or Cheese reads as resinous, mild to pungent, while Queso Camerano brings mild, slightly acidic (fresh); stronger, slightly salty, musty (aged) character. More specifically, Mont d'Or Cheese shows known for its creamy taste and powerful aroma; gets resinous flavor from spruce bark, while Queso Camerano leans toward whey-like in fresh and soft; musty in aged versions. Aging plays into this as well. Mont d'Or Cheese at 21 to 60 days develops a different profile than Queso Camerano at fresh (0 days), soft (15+ days), semi-cured (30+ days), cured (75+ days).

Can You Substitute Mont d'Or Cheese for Queso Camerano?

Mont d'Or Cheese can stand in for Queso Camerano 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 to semi-soft (fresh, soft); semi-hard to hard (semi-cured, cured). Flavor-wise, Mont d'Or Cheese reads as resinous, mild to pungent while Queso Camerano brings mild, slightly acidic (fresh); stronger, slightly salty, musty (aged) notes.

Which Is Better, Mont d'Or Cheese or Queso Camerano?

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 to semi-soft (fresh, soft); semi-hard to hard (semi-cured, cured) profile, Queso Camerano is the better fit. Flavor-wise, Mont d'Or Cheese suits recipes that want resinous, mild to pungent notes, while Queso Camerano fits dishes calling for mild, slightly acidic (fresh); stronger, slightly salty, musty (aged).

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Mont d'Or Cheese the same as Queso Camerano?

No, they're distinct cheeses. Mont d'Or Cheese is made from cow milk; Queso Camerano uses goat. Aging also differs: Mont d'Or Cheese is typically aged 21 to 60 days, Queso Camerano fresh (0 days), soft (15+ days), semi-cured (30+ days), cured (75+ days).

Is Mont d'Or Cheese similar to Queso Camerano?

Not closely. They use different milk bases and have distinct profiles.

Can I substitute Mont d'Or Cheese for Queso Camerano?

You can, but expect a shift in richness and milk character.

Does Mont d'Or Cheese taste like Queso Camerano?

Mont d'Or Cheese reads as resinous, mild to pungent, while Queso Camerano is mild, slightly acidic (fresh); stronger, slightly salty, musty (aged).

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 Queso Camerano made of?

Queso Camerano is made from goat milk (pasteurized (for fresh, soft, and semi-cured); raw or pasteurized (for cured)), using animal rennet. It's typically aged fresh (0 days), soft (15+ days), semi-cured (30+ days), cured (75+ days).

Which should I choose, Mont d'Or Cheese or Queso Camerano?

It depends on the dish. The texture difference is the biggest practical tell. Mont d'Or Cheese is soft, while Queso Camerano is soft to semi-soft (fresh, soft); semi-hard to hard (semi-cured, cured).