Picodon Cheese vs Tomme Cheese
Picodon Cheese is a homogeneous, smooth, and fine; can become crumbly if matured longer goat-milk cheese, while Tomme Cheese is creamy, pliable and made from cow, goat, or sheep milk, originating in France and 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 Tomme Cheese?
Tomme is a class of cheese made mainly in the French Alps and in Switzerland from cow's, ewe's or goat's milk. Most are made from skimmed milk left over from butter making, so they are generally low in fat, and each variety is named for where it comes from.
What's the Difference Between Picodon Cheese and Tomme Cheese?
- Milk type: Picodon Cheese (Goat's milk), Tomme Cheese (cow's, goat's or sheep's milk)
- Milk treatment: Picodon Cheese (Raw, non-standardized, unhomogenized), Tomme Cheese (pasteurized or unpasteurized)
- Texture: Picodon Cheese (Homogeneous, smooth, and fine; can become crumbly if matured longer), Tomme Cheese (Creamy, pliable)
- Rind: Picodon Cheese (Fine, lightly covered with uniform or speckled moulds), Tomme Cheese (Grayish natural)
- Taste: Picodon Cheese (Frank, capric with notes of nut and mushroom, occasional pungency), Tomme Cheese (Varied)
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Picodon Cheese | Tomme Cheese | |
|---|---|---|
| Country of Origin | — | France And Switzerland |
| Specific Origin | Ardèche And Drôme Regions, Including Parts Of Gard And Vaucluse | France, Switzerland, United States |
| Milk Type | Goat's milk | Cow's, goat's or sheep's milk |
| Milk Treatment | Raw, non-standardized, unhomogenized | Pasteurized or unpasteurized |
| Texture | Homogeneous, smooth, and fine; can become crumbly if matured longer | Creamy, pliable |
| Rind | Fine, lightly covered with uniform or speckled moulds | Grayish natural |
| Aging | Marketed starting 12 days after renneting; 30 days for "matured and washed" or "matured using the Dieulefit method" | — |
| Taste | Frank, capric with notes of nut and mushroom, occasional pungency | Varied |
Taste Comparison: Does Picodon Cheese Taste Like Tomme Cheese?
Picodon Cheese reads as frank, capric with notes of nut and mushroom, occasional pungency, while Tomme Cheese brings varied character. More specifically, Picodon Cheese shows nut, light notes of mushroom, occasional pungency, possible fermentative taste, while Tomme Cheese leans toward no common profile; wide variety depending on milk and aging.
Can You Substitute Picodon Cheese for Tomme Cheese?
Picodon Cheese can stand in for Tomme 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 creamy, pliable. Flavor-wise, Picodon Cheese reads as frank, capric with notes of nut and mushroom, occasional pungency while Tomme Cheese brings varied notes.
Which Is Better, Picodon Cheese or Tomme 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 creamy, pliable profile, Tomme 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 Tomme Cheese fits dishes calling for varied.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Is Picodon Cheese the same as Tomme Cheese?
No, they're distinct cheeses. Picodon Cheese is made from goat milk; Tomme Cheese uses cow, goat, or sheep.
Is Picodon Cheese similar to Tomme Cheese?
Not closely. They use different milk bases and have distinct profiles.
Can I substitute Picodon Cheese for Tomme Cheese?
You can, but expect a shift in richness and milk character.
Does Picodon Cheese taste like Tomme Cheese?
Picodon Cheese reads as frank, capric with notes of nut and mushroom, occasional pungency, while Tomme Cheese is varied.
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 Tomme Cheese made of?
Tomme Cheese is made from cow, goat, or sheep milk (pasteurized or unpasteurized). It originates in France and Switzerland.
Which should I choose, Picodon Cheese or Tomme 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 Tomme Cheese is creamy, pliable.