Provel Cheese vs Queso de Flor de Guía

Provel Cheese is a soft, processed cow-milk cheese from United States, while Queso de Flor de Guía is dense, compact, pasty and made from cow, goat, and sheep milk.

What Is Provel Cheese?

Provel is a white processed cheese that blends cheddar, Swiss and provolone with liquid smoke. It melts at a low temperature, tastes buttery, and is the traditional cheese on St. Louis-style pizza.

What Is Queso de Flor de Guía?

Queso de Flor de Guía is a full-fat or half-fat cheese from Spain, specifically produced in Gáldar, Moya, and Santa María de Guía in Gran Canaria. It is made primarily from Canary Island sheep’s milk, with up to 40% Canary Island cattle milk and up to 10% Canary Island goat milk. The milk is curdled exclusively using vegetable rennet derived from the dried flower heads of Cynara cardunculus var. ferocissima and Cynara scolymus. The cheese has a cylindrical shape and varies in size from 0.5 to 5 kg. Its texture is dense, compact, and pasty, with a very soft and creamy interior when semi-mature and a harder body when fully matured. The flavor is highly aromatic, acidic, and bitter, with mild burning and astringent sensations. It matures for at least 15 days for semi-mature cheese and over 60 days for mature cheese.

What's the Difference Between Provel Cheese and Queso de Flor de Guía?

• Milk type: Provel Cheese (cow's milk), Queso de Flor de Guía (Sheep (Canary Island breed), with up to 40% cow and 10% goat milk)
• Texture: Provel Cheese (soft, processed), Queso de Flor de Guía (Dense, compact, pasty)
• Rind: Provel Cheese (plastic), Queso de Flor de Guía (Soft and elastic when young, dark brown and harder when mature)
• Taste: Provel Cheese (buttery), Queso de Flor de Guía (Aromatic, acidic, and bitter)

Side-by-Side Comparison

Taste Comparison: Does Provel Cheese Taste Like Queso de Flor de Guía?

Provel Cheese reads as buttery, while Queso de Flor de Guía brings aromatic, acidic, and bitter character. On the nose, Provel Cheese offers smokey, contrasted with Queso de Flor de Guía's medium intensity, with lactic and vegetal notes. More specifically, Provel Cheese shows buttery, smoky; a blend of cheddar, swiss and provolone with liquid smoke, while Queso de Flor de Guía leans toward lactic, vegetal (cardoon and nuts).

Can You Substitute Provel Cheese for Queso de Flor de Guía?

Provel Cheese can stand in for Queso de Flor de Guía in many dishes, but the switch will shift the overall character of the recipe. Expect soft, processed bite and body where the recipe calls for dense, compact, pasty. Flavor-wise, Provel Cheese reads as buttery while Queso de Flor de Guía brings aromatic, acidic, and bitter notes.

Which Is Better, Provel Cheese or Queso de Flor de Guía?

There's no single winner. It depends on your recipe and the profile you want. If you want a soft, processed cheese, go with Provel Cheese. For a dense, compact, pasty profile, Queso de Flor de Guía is the better fit. Flavor-wise, Provel Cheese suits recipes that want buttery notes, while Queso de Flor de Guía fits dishes calling for aromatic, acidic, and bitter.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Provel Cheese the same as Queso de Flor de Guía?

No, they're distinct cheeses. Provel Cheese is made from cow milk; Queso de Flor de Guía uses cow, goat, and sheep.

Is Provel Cheese similar to Queso de Flor de Guía?

Not closely. They use different milk bases and have distinct profiles.

Can I substitute Provel Cheese for Queso de Flor de Guía?

You can, but expect a shift in richness and milk character.

Does Provel Cheese taste like Queso de Flor de Guía?

Provel Cheese reads as buttery, while Queso de Flor de Guía is aromatic, acidic, and bitter. Aromas also diverge. Provel Cheese leans smokey, and Queso de Flor de Guía is closer to medium intensity, with lactic and vegetal notes.

What is Provel Cheese made of?

Provel Cheese is made from cow milk (pasteurized). It originates in United States.

What is Queso de Flor de Guía made of?

Queso de Flor de Guía is made from cow, goat, and sheep milk, using vegetable (cynara cardunculus var. ferocissima, cynara scolymus) rennet. It's typically aged 15+ days (semi-mature), 60+ days (mature).

Which should I choose, Provel Cheese or Queso de Flor de Guía?

It depends on the dish. The texture difference is the biggest practical tell. Provel Cheese is soft, processed, while Queso de Flor de Guía is dense, compact, pasty.