Provolone Valpadana Cheese vs Roquefort Cheese
Provolone Valpadana Cheese is a compact, may have slight and rare holes cow-milk cheese from Italy, while Roquefort Cheese is moist, very creamy and made from sheep milk, originating in France.
What Is Provolone Valpadana Cheese?
Provolone Valpadana is an Italian semi-hard cheese made from cow's milk by the pasta filata method. It holds protected designation of origin status in the European Union and comes in a mild dolce version and a sharp piccante version, some of them smoked.
What Is Roquefort Cheese?
Roquefort is a blue cheese made from raw Lacaune sheep's milk in southern France. Only cheese ripened in the natural Combalou caves of Roquefort-sur-Soulzon may carry the name. It is tangy and creamy, with no rind and a sharp bite from the blue veins.
What's the Difference Between Provolone Valpadana Cheese and Roquefort Cheese?
- Origin: Provolone Valpadana Cheese (Italy), Roquefort Cheese (France)
- Milk type: Provolone Valpadana Cheese (cow's milk), Roquefort Cheese (sheep's milk)
- Milk treatment: Provolone Valpadana Cheese (Pasteurized or thermized), Roquefort Cheese (unpasteurized)
- Texture: Provolone Valpadana Cheese (Compact, may have slight and rare holes), Roquefort Cheese (Moist, very creamy)
- Rind: Provolone Valpadana Cheese (Smooth, thin, light yellow, golden, or sometimes yellow-brown (smoked version allows for paraffin use)), Roquefort Cheese (none)
- Aging: Provolone Valpadana Cheese (Two to three months for Dolce, minimum of three months to more than a year for Piccante), Roquefort Cheese (Minimum of 90 days, average of 5 months)
- Taste: Provolone Valpadana Cheese (Delicate for sweet cheeses, pronounced with longer maturation for sharp cheeses), Roquefort Cheese (Mild to strong)
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Provolone Valpadana Cheese | Roquefort Cheese | |
|---|---|---|
| Country of Origin | Italy | France |
| Specific Origin | Lombardy, Veneto, Emilia-Romagna, Province Of Trento | Roquefort-Sur-Soulzon, South Of France |
| Milk Type | Cow's milk | Sheep's milk |
| Milk Treatment | Pasteurized or thermized | Unpasteurized |
| Texture | Compact, may have slight and rare holes | Moist, very creamy |
| Rind | Smooth, thin, light yellow, golden, or sometimes yellow-brown (smoked version allows for paraffin use) | None |
| Aging | Two to three months for Dolce, minimum of three months to more than a year for Piccante | Minimum of 90 days, average of 5 months |
| Taste | Delicate for sweet cheeses, pronounced with longer maturation for sharp cheeses | Mild to strong |
Taste Comparison: Does Provolone Valpadana Cheese Taste Like Roquefort Cheese?
Provolone Valpadana Cheese reads as delicate for sweet cheeses, pronounced with longer maturation for sharp cheeses, while Roquefort Cheese brings mild to strong character. On the nose, Provolone Valpadana Cheese offers rich, contrasted with Roquefort Cheese's sweet. More specifically, Provolone Valpadana Cheese shows delicate to pronounced depending on variety and age, with a possibility of exfoliation in long-aged cheese, while Roquefort Cheese leans toward buttercream smooth to salty and sharp. Aging plays into this as well. Provolone Valpadana Cheese at two to three months for dolce, minimum of three months to more than a year for piccante develops a different profile than Roquefort Cheese at minimum of 90 days, average of 5 months.
Can You Substitute Provolone Valpadana Cheese for Roquefort Cheese?
Provolone Valpadana Cheese can stand in for Roquefort Cheese in many dishes, but the switch will shift the overall character of the recipe. Expect compact, may have slight and rare holes bite and body where the recipe calls for moist, very creamy. Flavor-wise, Provolone Valpadana Cheese reads as delicate for sweet cheeses, pronounced with longer maturation for sharp cheeses while Roquefort Cheese brings mild to strong notes.
Which Is Better, Provolone Valpadana Cheese or Roquefort Cheese?
There's no single winner. It depends on your recipe and the profile you want. If you want a compact, may have slight and rare holes cheese, go with Provolone Valpadana Cheese. For a moist, very creamy profile, Roquefort Cheese is the better fit. Flavor-wise, Provolone Valpadana Cheese suits recipes that want delicate for sweet cheeses, pronounced with longer maturation for sharp cheeses notes, while Roquefort Cheese fits dishes calling for mild to strong.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Is Provolone Valpadana Cheese the same as Roquefort Cheese?
No, they're distinct cheeses. Provolone Valpadana Cheese originates in Italy, while Roquefort Cheese comes from France. Provolone Valpadana Cheese is made from cow milk; Roquefort Cheese uses sheep. Aging also differs: Provolone Valpadana Cheese is typically aged two to three months for dolce, minimum of three months to more than a year for piccante, Roquefort Cheese minimum of 90 days, average of 5 months.
Is Provolone Valpadana Cheese similar to Roquefort Cheese?
Not closely. They use different milk bases and have distinct profiles.
Can I substitute Provolone Valpadana Cheese for Roquefort Cheese?
You can, but expect a shift in richness and milk character.
Does Provolone Valpadana Cheese taste like Roquefort Cheese?
Provolone Valpadana Cheese reads as delicate for sweet cheeses, pronounced with longer maturation for sharp cheeses, while Roquefort Cheese is mild to strong. Aromas also diverge. Provolone Valpadana Cheese leans rich, and Roquefort Cheese is closer to sweet.
What is Provolone Valpadana Cheese made of?
Provolone Valpadana Cheese is made from cow milk (pasteurized or thermized), using calf rennet for dolce, kid or lamb rennet for picca rennet. It's typically aged two to three months for dolce, minimum of three months to more than a year for piccante. It originates in Italy.
What is Roquefort Cheese made of?
Roquefort Cheese is made from sheep milk (unpasteurized), using animal rennet. It's typically aged minimum of 90 days, average of 5 months. It originates in France.
Which should I choose, Provolone Valpadana Cheese or Roquefort Cheese?
It depends on the dish. The texture difference is the biggest practical tell. Provolone Valpadana Cheese is compact, may have slight and rare holes, while Roquefort Cheese is moist, very creamy.