Provolone Cheese vs Queso de Flor de Guía

Provolone Cheese is a semi-hard, artisan cow-milk cheese from Italy, while Queso de Flor de Guía is dense, compact, pasty and made from cow, goat, and sheep milk.

What Is Provolone Cheese?

Provolone is an Italian semi-hard cheese made from cow's milk with a stretched curd. It runs from the very sharp piccante, aged at least four months, to the mild dolce.

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 Provolone Cheese and Queso de Flor de Guía?

• Milk type: Provolone Cheese (cow's milk), Queso de Flor de Guía (Sheep (Canary Island breed), with up to 40% cow and 10% goat milk)
• Texture: Provolone Cheese (semi-hard, artisan), Queso de Flor de Guía (Dense, compact, pasty)
• Aging: Provolone Cheese (at least 4 months for piccante), Queso de Flor de Guía (15+ days (semi-mature), 60+ days (mature))
• Taste: Provolone Cheese (tangy), Queso de Flor de Guía (Aromatic, acidic, and bitter)

Side-by-Side Comparison

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

Provolone Cheese reads as tangy, while Queso de Flor de Guía brings aromatic, acidic, and bitter character. On the nose, Provolone Cheese offers pleasant, contrasted with Queso de Flor de Guía's medium intensity, with lactic and vegetal notes. Aging plays into this as well. Provolone Cheese at at least 4 months for piccante develops a different profile than Queso de Flor de Guía at 15+ days (semi-mature), 60+ days (mature).

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

Provolone 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 semi-hard, artisan bite and body where the recipe calls for dense, compact, pasty. Flavor-wise, Provolone Cheese reads as tangy while Queso de Flor de Guía brings aromatic, acidic, and bitter notes.

Which Is Better, Provolone 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 semi-hard, artisan cheese, go with Provolone Cheese. For a dense, compact, pasty profile, Queso de Flor de Guía is the better fit. Flavor-wise, Provolone Cheese suits recipes that want tangy notes, while Queso de Flor de Guía fits dishes calling for aromatic, acidic, and bitter.

Frequently Asked Questions

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

No, they're distinct cheeses. Provolone Cheese is made from cow milk; Queso de Flor de Guía uses cow, goat, and sheep. Aging also differs: Provolone Cheese is typically aged at least 4 months for piccante, Queso de Flor de Guía 15+ days (semi-mature), 60+ days (mature).

Is Provolone Cheese similar to Queso de Flor de Guía?

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

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

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

Does Provolone Cheese taste like Queso de Flor de Guía?

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

What is Provolone Cheese made of?

Provolone Cheese is made from cow milk. It's typically aged at least 4 months for piccante. It originates in Italy.

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, Provolone Cheese or Queso de Flor de Guía?

It depends on the dish. The texture difference is the biggest practical tell. Provolone Cheese is semi-hard, artisan, while Queso de Flor de Guía is dense, compact, pasty.