Montasio Cheese vs Sörmlands Ädel Cheese

Montasio Cheese is a elastic to crumbly and hard cow-milk cheese from Italy, while Sörmlands Ädel Cheese is soft/semi-soft, elastic and made from cow milk.

What Is Montasio Cheese?

Montasio is a cow's milk mountain cheese from Friuli-Venezia Giulia and Veneto in northeastern Italy, made on the Montasio plateau since 1200. It is semi-hard and creamy when young, and harder after longer aging.

What Is Sörmlands Ädel Cheese?

Sörmlands Ädel is a soft, blue-veined cheese from Sweden, made with low-pasteurized organic whole cow’s milk. It is cylindrical, measuring 19–21 cm in diameter and 10–12 cm in height, with a weight of 2.8–3.0 kg. The cheese matures for 5–12 months and has a moisture content of 45–48%. It has a creamy, round, and complex flavor with acidic, umami, and caramel notes, and an aroma of sour cream butter, damp cellar, mushroom, and truffle. The cheese has a warm yellow surface with walnut brown and dark grey nuances and a homogeneous yellow interior with bluish-green veining. Its texture is soft to semi-soft with a slightly elastic consistency. The production follows traditional methods in Södermanland, Sweden, and uses a unique combination of Penicillium roqueforti strains.

What's the Difference Between Montasio Cheese and Sörmlands Ädel Cheese?

• Milk treatment: Montasio Cheese (unpasteurized), Sörmlands Ädel Cheese (Low-pasteurized)
• Texture: Montasio Cheese (Elastic to crumbly and hard), Sörmlands Ädel Cheese (Soft/semi-soft, elastic)
• Rind: Montasio Cheese (natural), Sörmlands Ädel Cheese (Flowery, warm yellow with walnut brown and dark grey nuances)
• Aging: Montasio Cheese (Fresco: 60-120 days; Mezzano: 120 days-10 months; Stagionato: 10-18 months; Stravecchio: over 18 months), Sörmlands Ädel Cheese (5–12 months)
• Taste: Montasio Cheese (Mild, creamy, and fruity to savory, piquant, with hints of spice), Sörmlands Ädel Cheese (Wide, round, creamy, and complex)

Side-by-Side Comparison

Taste Comparison: Does Montasio Cheese Taste Like Sörmlands Ädel Cheese?

Montasio Cheese reads as mild, creamy, and fruity to savory, piquant, with hints of spice, while Sörmlands Ädel Cheese brings wide, round, creamy, and complex character. On the nose, Montasio Cheese offers aromatic, pleasant, contrasted with Sörmlands Ädel Cheese's sour cream butter, damp cellar, mushroom, truffle, mild bitter orange. More specifically, Montasio Cheese shows evolves from mild, creamy, and fruity to fuller, more savory and piquant, with hints of spice as it ages, while Sörmlands Ädel Cheese leans toward acidic, umami, cellar, stable, caramel. Aging plays into this as well. Montasio Cheese at fresco: 60-120 days; mezzano: 120 days-10 months; stagionato: 10-18 months; stravecchio: over 18 months develops a different profile than Sörmlands Ädel Cheese at 5–12 months.

Can You Substitute Montasio Cheese for Sörmlands Ädel Cheese?

In most recipes, Montasio Cheese and Sörmlands Ädel Cheese can be swapped with reasonable results. Both are cow-milk cheeses, so the base character carries over. Expect elastic to crumbly and hard bite and body where the recipe calls for soft/semi-soft, elastic. Flavor-wise, Montasio Cheese reads as mild, creamy, and fruity to savory, piquant, with hints of spice while Sörmlands Ädel Cheese brings wide, round, creamy, and complex notes.

Which Is Better, Montasio Cheese or Sörmlands Ädel Cheese?

There's no single winner. It depends on your recipe and the profile you want. If you want a elastic to crumbly and hard cheese, go with Montasio Cheese. For a soft/semi-soft, elastic profile, Sörmlands Ädel Cheese is the better fit. Flavor-wise, Montasio Cheese suits recipes that want mild, creamy, and fruity to savory, piquant, with hints of spice notes, while Sörmlands Ädel Cheese fits dishes calling for wide, round, creamy, and complex.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Montasio Cheese the same as Sörmlands Ädel Cheese?

No, they're distinct cheeses. Aging also differs: Montasio Cheese is typically aged fresco: 60-120 days; mezzano: 120 days-10 months; stagionato: 10-18 months; stravecchio: over 18 months, Sörmlands Ädel Cheese 5–12 months.

Is Montasio Cheese similar to Sörmlands Ädel Cheese?

Somewhat. They share a cow-milk base but diverge in texture and flavor.

Can I substitute Montasio Cheese for Sörmlands Ädel Cheese?

You can, but expect a shift in bite and mouthfeel.

Does Montasio Cheese taste like Sörmlands Ädel Cheese?

Montasio Cheese reads as mild, creamy, and fruity to savory, piquant, with hints of spice, while Sörmlands Ädel Cheese is wide, round, creamy, and complex. Aromas also diverge. Montasio Cheese leans aromatic, pleasant, and Sörmlands Ädel Cheese is closer to sour cream butter, damp cellar, mushroom, truffle, mild bitter orange.

What is Montasio Cheese made of?

Montasio Cheese is made from cow milk (unpasteurized), using animal rennet. It's typically aged fresco: 60-120 days; mezzano: 120 days-10 months; stagionato: 10-18 months; stravecchio: over 18 months. It originates in Italy.

What is Sörmlands Ädel Cheese made of?

Sörmlands Ädel Cheese is made from cow milk (low-pasteurized), using natural rennet. It's typically aged 5–12 months.

Which should I choose, Montasio Cheese or Sörmlands Ädel Cheese?

It depends on the dish. The texture difference is the biggest practical tell. Montasio Cheese is elastic to crumbly and hard, while Sörmlands Ädel Cheese is soft/semi-soft, elastic.