Picodon Cheese vs Raclette Cheese
Picodon Cheese is a homogeneous, smooth, and fine; can become crumbly if matured longer goat-milk cheese, while Raclette Cheese is semisoft, smooth and made from cow milk, originating in Switzerland.
What Is Picodon Cheese?
Picodon is a small goat's milk cheese from the Rhône area of southern France, made mainly in the Ardèche and Drôme. Its name means spicy in Occitan, and it is known for a dry, fine paste that hardens and sharpens with age.
What Is Raclette Cheese?
Raclette is a Swiss cheese and the dish made from it: the cheese is heated and the melted part is scraped off, usually onto boiled potatoes. It comes from the canton of Valais, where the cheese carries an AOP.
What's the Difference Between Picodon Cheese and Raclette Cheese?
- Milk type: Picodon Cheese (Goat's milk), Raclette Cheese (Cow's milk)
- Texture: Picodon Cheese (Homogeneous, smooth, and fine; can become crumbly if matured longer), Raclette Cheese (Semisoft, smooth)
- Rind: Picodon Cheese (Fine, lightly covered with uniform or speckled moulds), Raclette Cheese (Washed)
- Aging: Picodon Cheese (Marketed starting 12 days after renneting; 30 days for "matured and washed" or "matured using the Dieulefit method"), Raclette Cheese (3-4 months)
- Taste: Picodon Cheese (Frank, capric with notes of nut and mushroom, occasional pungency), Raclette Cheese (Mildly acidic)
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Picodon Cheese | Raclette Cheese | |
|---|---|---|
| Country of Origin | — | Switzerland |
| Specific Origin | Ardèche And Drôme Regions, Including Parts Of Gard And Vaucluse | Alpine Regions |
| Milk Type | Goat's milk | Cow's milk |
| Milk Treatment | Raw, non-standardized, unhomogenized | Raw |
| Texture | Homogeneous, smooth, and fine; can become crumbly if matured longer | Semisoft, smooth |
| Rind | Fine, lightly covered with uniform or speckled moulds | Washed |
| Aging | Marketed starting 12 days after renneting; 30 days for "matured and washed" or "matured using the Dieulefit method" | 3-4 months |
| Taste | Frank, capric with notes of nut and mushroom, occasional pungency | Mildly acidic |
Taste Comparison: Does Picodon Cheese Taste Like Raclette Cheese?
Picodon Cheese reads as frank, capric with notes of nut and mushroom, occasional pungency, while Raclette Cheese brings mildly acidic character. More specifically, Picodon Cheese shows nut, light notes of mushroom, occasional pungency, possible fermentative taste, while Raclette Cheese leans toward 'slightly lactic', 'milky', 'fresh butter', 'floral', 'vegetal'. Aging plays into this as well. Picodon Cheese at marketed starting 12 days after renneting; 30 days for "matured and washed" or "matured using the dieulefit method" develops a different profile than Raclette Cheese at 3-4 months.
Can You Substitute Picodon Cheese for Raclette Cheese?
Picodon Cheese can stand in for Raclette Cheese in many dishes, but the switch will shift the overall character of the recipe. Expect homogeneous, smooth, and fine; can become crumbly if matured longer bite and body where the recipe calls for semisoft, smooth. Flavor-wise, Picodon Cheese reads as frank, capric with notes of nut and mushroom, occasional pungency while Raclette Cheese brings mildly acidic notes.
Which Is Better, Picodon Cheese or Raclette Cheese?
There's no single winner. It depends on your recipe and the profile you want. If you want a homogeneous, smooth, and fine; can become crumbly if matured longer cheese, go with Picodon Cheese. For a semisoft, smooth profile, Raclette Cheese is the better fit. Flavor-wise, Picodon Cheese suits recipes that want frank, capric with notes of nut and mushroom, occasional pungency notes, while Raclette Cheese fits dishes calling for mildly acidic.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Is Picodon Cheese the same as Raclette Cheese?
No, they're distinct cheeses. Picodon Cheese is made from goat milk; Raclette Cheese uses cow. Aging also differs: Picodon Cheese is typically aged marketed starting 12 days after renneting; 30 days for "matured and washed" or "matured using the dieulefit method", Raclette Cheese 3-4 months.
Is Picodon Cheese similar to Raclette Cheese?
Not closely. They use different milk bases and have distinct profiles.
Can I substitute Picodon Cheese for Raclette Cheese?
You can, but expect a shift in richness and milk character.
Does Picodon Cheese taste like Raclette Cheese?
Picodon Cheese reads as frank, capric with notes of nut and mushroom, occasional pungency, while Raclette Cheese is mildly acidic.
What is Picodon Cheese made of?
Picodon Cheese is made from goat milk (raw, non-standardized, unhomogenized), using small amount used, lactic coagulation rennet. It's typically aged marketed starting 12 days after renneting; 30 days for "matured and washed" or "matured using the dieulefit method".
What is Raclette Cheese made of?
Raclette Cheese is made from cow milk (raw), using animal rennet. It's typically aged 3-4 months. It originates in Switzerland.
Which should I choose, Picodon Cheese or Raclette Cheese?
It depends on the dish. The texture difference is the biggest practical tell. Picodon Cheese is homogeneous, smooth, and fine; can become crumbly if matured longer, while Raclette Cheese is semisoft, smooth.