Gorgonzola Cheese vs Piave Cheese

Gorgonzola Cheese is a soft to crumbly cow-milk cheese from Italy, while Piave Cheese is dense and crystalline and made from cow milk, originating in Italy.

What Is Gorgonzola Cheese?

Gorgonzola is an Italian blue cheese made from unskimmed cow's milk, named for a town near Milan. It comes in two styles: dolce, mild and buttery, and piccante, sharper with a firm, crumbly body.

What Is Piave Cheese?

Piave is a hard, cooked curd cow's milk cheese from the province of Belluno in the far north of Veneto, named after the Piave river. It carries DOP protection and comes at five ages, from a 20 day Fresco to a Riserva aged past 18 months that grates like young Parmesan.

What's the Difference Between Gorgonzola Cheese and Piave Cheese?

• Texture: Gorgonzola Cheese (Soft to crumbly), Piave Cheese (Dense and crystalline)
• Rind: Gorgonzola Cheese (None), Piave Cheese (Soft and clear to hard and brown)
• Aging: Gorgonzola Cheese (2 to 3 months), Piave Cheese (Twenty to sixty days (Fresco) to over eighteen months (Vecchio Riserva))
• Taste: Gorgonzola Cheese (Sweet to savory), Piave Cheese (Nutty, sweet)

Side-by-Side Comparison

Taste Comparison: Does Gorgonzola Cheese Taste Like Piave Cheese?

Gorgonzola Cheese reads as sweet to savory, while Piave Cheese brings nutty, sweet character. More specifically, Gorgonzola Cheese shows dolce: creamy, slightly spicy, delicate. piccante: blue-veined, crumbly, strong, with widespread bluish-green marbling, while Piave Cheese leans toward tropical fruit undertones, intensifies with aging. Aging plays into this as well. Gorgonzola Cheese at 2 to 3 months develops a different profile than Piave Cheese at twenty to sixty days (fresco) to over eighteen months (vecchio riserva).

Can You Substitute Gorgonzola Cheese for Piave Cheese?

In most recipes, Gorgonzola Cheese and Piave Cheese can be swapped with reasonable results. Both are cow-milk cheeses, so the base character carries over. Expect soft to crumbly bite and body where the recipe calls for dense and crystalline. Flavor-wise, Gorgonzola Cheese reads as sweet to savory while Piave Cheese brings nutty, sweet notes.

Which Is Better, Gorgonzola Cheese or Piave Cheese?

There's no single winner. It depends on your recipe and the profile you want. If you want a soft to crumbly cheese, go with Gorgonzola Cheese. For a dense and crystalline profile, Piave Cheese is the better fit. Flavor-wise, Gorgonzola Cheese suits recipes that want sweet to savory notes, while Piave Cheese fits dishes calling for nutty, sweet.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Gorgonzola Cheese the same as Piave Cheese?

No, they're distinct cheeses. Aging also differs: Gorgonzola Cheese is typically aged 2 to 3 months, Piave Cheese twenty to sixty days (fresco) to over eighteen months (vecchio riserva).

Is Gorgonzola Cheese similar to Piave Cheese?

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

Can I substitute Gorgonzola Cheese for Piave Cheese?

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

Does Gorgonzola Cheese taste like Piave Cheese?

Gorgonzola Cheese reads as sweet to savory, while Piave Cheese is nutty, sweet.

What is Gorgonzola Cheese made of?

Gorgonzola Cheese is made from cow milk (pasteurized). It's typically aged 2 to 3 months. It originates in Italy.

What is Piave Cheese made of?

Piave Cheese is made from cow milk (pasteurized). It's typically aged twenty to sixty days (fresco) to over eighteen months (vecchio riserva). It originates in Italy.

Which should I choose, Gorgonzola Cheese or Piave Cheese?

It depends on the dish. The texture difference is the biggest practical tell. Gorgonzola Cheese is soft to crumbly, while Piave Cheese is dense and crystalline.