Provolone Cheese vs Vacherin Mont-d'Or Cheese
Provolone Cheese
Vacherin Mont-d'Or Cheese
Provolone Cheese is a semi-hard, artisan cow-milk cheese from Italy, while Vacherin Mont-d'Or Cheese is soft and made from cow milk, originating in Switzerland.
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 Vacherin Mont-d'Or Cheese?
Vacherin Mont d'Or is a soft, seasonal cow's milk cheese from the Jura region of Switzerland and France. It is bound in a strip of spruce bark, sold in a round spruce box, and often warmed in that box and eaten like fondue.
What's the Difference Between Provolone Cheese and Vacherin Mont-d'Or Cheese?
- Origin: Provolone Cheese (Italy), Vacherin Mont-d'Or Cheese (Switzerland)
- Texture: Provolone Cheese (semi-hard, artisan), Vacherin Mont-d'Or Cheese (soft)
- Aging: Provolone Cheese (at least 4 months for piccante), Vacherin Mont-d'Or Cheese (at least 2 weeks)
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Provolone Cheese | Vacherin Mont-d'Or Cheese | |
|---|---|---|
| Country of Origin | Italy | Switzerland |
| Specific Origin | Campania, Italy | Jura Region, Switzerland And France |
| Milk Type | Cow's milk | Cow |
| Milk Treatment | — | Thermized (Swiss), raw (French) |
| Texture | Semi-hard, artisan | Soft |
| Rind | — | Washed rind |
| Aging | At least 4 months for piccante | At least 2 weeks |
| Taste | Tangy | — |
Taste Comparison: Does Provolone Cheese Taste Like Vacherin Mont-d'Or Cheese?
Their flavor profiles are distinct. Aging plays into this as well. Provolone Cheese at at least 4 months for piccante develops a different profile than Vacherin Mont-d'Or Cheese at at least 2 weeks.
Can You Substitute Provolone Cheese for Vacherin Mont-d'Or Cheese?
In most recipes, Provolone Cheese and Vacherin Mont-d'Or Cheese can be swapped with reasonable results. Both are cow-milk cheeses, so the base character carries over. Expect semi-hard, artisan bite and body where the recipe calls for soft.
Which Is Better, Provolone Cheese or Vacherin Mont-d'Or Cheese?
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 soft profile, Vacherin Mont-d'Or Cheese is the better fit.
Which is your favorite?
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Frequently Asked Questions
Is Provolone Cheese the same as Vacherin Mont-d'Or Cheese?
No, they're distinct cheeses. Provolone Cheese originates in Italy, while Vacherin Mont-d'Or Cheese comes from Switzerland. Aging also differs: Provolone Cheese is typically aged at least 4 months for piccante, Vacherin Mont-d'Or Cheese at least 2 weeks.
Is Provolone Cheese similar to Vacherin Mont-d'Or Cheese?
Somewhat. They share a cow-milk base but diverge in texture and flavor.
Can I substitute Provolone Cheese for Vacherin Mont-d'Or Cheese?
You can, but expect a shift in bite and mouthfeel.
Does Provolone Cheese taste like Vacherin Mont-d'Or Cheese?
They have distinct flavor profiles. The taste row in the table above is the best direct comparison.
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 Vacherin Mont-d'Or Cheese made of?
Vacherin Mont-d'Or Cheese is made from cow milk (thermized (swiss), raw (french)). It's typically aged at least 2 weeks. It originates in Switzerland.
Which should I choose, Provolone Cheese or Vacherin Mont-d'Or Cheese?
It depends on the dish. The texture difference is the biggest practical tell. Provolone Cheese is semi-hard, artisan, while Vacherin Mont-d'Or Cheese is soft.