Pecorino Crotonese Cheese vs Sap Sago Cheese
Pecorino Crotonese Cheese is a fresh - soft, regular, creamy; semi-hard - firm; ripened - slightly straw-colored, firm sheep-milk cheese, while Sap Sago Cheese is hard and made from cow milk, originating in Switzerland.
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 Is Sap Sago Cheese?
Sap Sago is a hard, skimmed-milk cheese from the Canton of Glarus in Switzerland, seasoned and tinted green with blue fenugreek. It is grated as a seasoning rather than eaten in slices, and its 1463 origin stamp makes it the oldest branded product in the country.
What's the Difference Between Pecorino Crotonese Cheese and Sap Sago Cheese?
- Milk type: Pecorino Crotonese Cheese (Whole sheep's milk), Sap Sago Cheese (cow's milk)
- Milk treatment: Pecorino Crotonese Cheese (Raw, thermised, or pasteurised), Sap Sago Cheese (skimmed)
- Texture: Pecorino Crotonese Cheese (Fresh - soft, regular, creamy; Semi-hard - firm; Ripened - slightly straw-colored, firm), Sap Sago Cheese (hard)
- Rind: Pecorino Crotonese Cheese (Fresh - thin; Semi-hard - thick, light brown; Ripened - hard, brown, may be coated with olive oil or olive dregs), Sap Sago Cheese (natural)
- Aging: Pecorino Crotonese Cheese (Fresh, semi-hard, ripened (more than six months for ripened)), Sap Sago Cheese (4 to 12 weeks fermentation, then 3 to 8 months in silos)
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Pecorino Crotonese Cheese | Sap Sago Cheese | |
|---|---|---|
| Country of Origin | — | Switzerland |
| Specific Origin | Provinces Of Crotone, Catanzaro, And Cosenza | Canton Of Glarus |
| Milk Type | Whole sheep's milk | Cow's milk |
| Milk Treatment | Raw, thermised, or pasteurised | Skimmed |
| Texture | Fresh - soft, regular, creamy; Semi-hard - firm; Ripened - slightly straw-colored, firm | Hard |
| Rind | Fresh - thin; Semi-hard - thick, light brown; Ripened - hard, brown, may be coated with olive oil or olive dregs | Natural |
| Aging | Fresh, semi-hard, ripened (more than six months for ripened) | 4 to 12 weeks fermentation, then 3 to 8 months in silos |
| Taste | Distinct, smooth, slightly tangy (fresh); Intense, well-balanced (semi-hard); Intense, distinct, slight piquant aftertaste (ripened) | — |
Taste Comparison: Does Pecorino Crotonese Cheese Taste Like Sap Sago Cheese?
Their flavor profiles are distinct. On the nose, Pecorino Crotonese Cheese offers light scent of sheep's milk mixed with hay, mature wild grasses, hazelnut, and smoke, contrasted with Sap Sago Cheese's herbal. More specifically, Pecorino Crotonese Cheese shows sheep's milk, hay, mature wild grasses, hazelnut, smoke, while Sap Sago Cheese leans toward salt and blue fenugreek (schabzigerklee). Aging plays into this as well. Pecorino Crotonese Cheese at fresh, semi-hard, ripened (more than six months for ripened) develops a different profile than Sap Sago Cheese at 4 to 12 weeks fermentation, then 3 to 8 months in silos.
Can You Substitute Pecorino Crotonese Cheese for Sap Sago Cheese?
Pecorino Crotonese Cheese can stand in for Sap Sago Cheese in many dishes, but the switch will shift the overall character of the recipe. Expect fresh - soft, regular, creamy; semi-hard - firm; ripened - slightly straw-colored, firm bite and body where the recipe calls for hard.
Which Is Better, Pecorino Crotonese Cheese or Sap Sago Cheese?
There's no single winner. It depends on your recipe and the profile you want. If you want a fresh - soft, regular, creamy; semi-hard - firm; ripened - slightly straw-colored, firm cheese, go with Pecorino Crotonese Cheese. For a hard profile, Sap Sago Cheese is the better fit.
Which is your favorite?
One click, anonymous. See what others chose.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Pecorino Crotonese Cheese the same as Sap Sago Cheese?
No, they're distinct cheeses. Pecorino Crotonese Cheese is made from sheep milk; Sap Sago Cheese uses cow. Aging also differs: Pecorino Crotonese Cheese is typically aged fresh, semi-hard, ripened (more than six months for ripened), Sap Sago Cheese 4 to 12 weeks fermentation, then 3 to 8 months in silos.
Is Pecorino Crotonese Cheese similar to Sap Sago Cheese?
Not closely. They use different milk bases and have distinct profiles.
Can I substitute Pecorino Crotonese Cheese for Sap Sago Cheese?
You can, but expect a shift in richness and milk character.
Does Pecorino Crotonese Cheese taste like Sap Sago Cheese?
They have distinct flavor profiles. The taste row in the table above is the best direct comparison.
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).
What is Sap Sago Cheese made of?
Sap Sago Cheese is made from cow milk (skimmed), using none, acid-coagulated rennet. It's typically aged 4 to 12 weeks fermentation, then 3 to 8 months in silos. It originates in Switzerland.
Which should I choose, Pecorino Crotonese Cheese or Sap Sago Cheese?
It depends on the dish. The texture difference is the biggest practical tell. Pecorino Crotonese Cheese is fresh - soft, regular, creamy; semi-hard - firm; ripened - slightly straw-colored, firm, while Sap Sago Cheese is hard.