Queso de Flor de Guía vs Reblochon Cheese
Queso de Flor de Guía
Reblochon Cheese
Queso de Flor de Guía is a dense, compact, pasty cow, goat, and sheep-milk cheese, while Reblochon Cheese is ivory-colored, creamy and supple and made from cow milk, originating in France.
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 Is Reblochon Cheese?
Reblochon is a soft washed-rind and smear-ripened French cheese from the Alps region of Savoy. The cheese has a creamy, nutty taste under its orange-colored rind. It was traditionally made using the second milking of cows, which produces a richer milk. Reblochon is famously used in the dish "tartiflette," a gratin made with potatoes, bacon, and onions.
What's the Difference Between Queso de Flor de Guía and Reblochon Cheese?
- Milk type: Queso de Flor de Guía (Sheep (Canary Island breed), with up to 40% cow and 10% goat milk), Reblochon Cheese (Raw whole cow’s milk)
- Texture: Queso de Flor de Guía (Dense, compact, pasty), Reblochon Cheese (Ivory-colored, creamy and supple)
- Rind: Queso de Flor de Guía (Soft and elastic when young, dark brown and harder when mature), Reblochon Cheese (Yellow-orange covered with a thin white mold)
- Aging: Queso de Flor de Guía (15+ days (semi-mature), 60+ days (mature)), Reblochon Cheese (3 to 4 months)
- Taste: Queso de Flor de Guía (Aromatic, acidic, and bitter), Reblochon Cheese (creamy, nutty)
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Queso de Flor de Guía | Reblochon Cheese | |
|---|---|---|
| Country of Origin | — | France |
| Specific Origin | Gáldar, Moya, And Santa María De Guía, Gran Canaria | Haute-Savoie And Savoie |
| Milk Type | Sheep (Canary Island breed), with up to 40% cow and 10% goat milk | Raw whole cow’s milk |
| Milk Treatment | — | Raw |
| Texture | Dense, compact, pasty | Ivory-colored, creamy and supple |
| Rind | Soft and elastic when young, dark brown and harder when mature | Yellow-orange covered with a thin white mold |
| Aging | 15+ days (semi-mature), 60+ days (mature) | 3 to 4 months |
| Taste | Aromatic, acidic, and bitter | Creamy, nutty |
Taste Comparison: Does Queso de Flor de Guía Taste Like Reblochon Cheese?
Queso de Flor de Guía reads as aromatic, acidic, and bitter, while Reblochon Cheese brings creamy, nutty character. Aging plays into this as well. Queso de Flor de Guía at 15+ days (semi-mature), 60+ days (mature) develops a different profile than Reblochon Cheese at 3 to 4 months.
Can You Substitute Queso de Flor de Guía for Reblochon Cheese?
Queso de Flor de Guía can stand in for Reblochon Cheese in many dishes, but the switch will shift the overall character of the recipe. Expect dense, compact, pasty bite and body where the recipe calls for ivory-colored, creamy and supple. Flavor-wise, Queso de Flor de Guía reads as aromatic, acidic, and bitter while Reblochon Cheese brings creamy, nutty notes.
Which Is Better, Queso de Flor de Guía or Reblochon Cheese?
There's no single winner. It depends on your recipe and the profile you want. If you want a dense, compact, pasty cheese, go with Queso de Flor de Guía. For a ivory-colored, creamy and supple profile, Reblochon Cheese is the better fit. Flavor-wise, Queso de Flor de Guía suits recipes that want aromatic, acidic, and bitter notes, while Reblochon Cheese fits dishes calling for creamy, nutty.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Is Queso de Flor de Guía the same as Reblochon Cheese?
No, they're distinct cheeses. Queso de Flor de Guía is made from cow, goat, and sheep milk; Reblochon Cheese uses cow. Aging also differs: Queso de Flor de Guía is typically aged 15+ days (semi-mature), 60+ days (mature), Reblochon Cheese 3 to 4 months.
Is Queso de Flor de Guía similar to Reblochon Cheese?
Not closely. They use different milk bases and have distinct profiles.
Can I substitute Queso de Flor de Guía for Reblochon Cheese?
You can, but expect a shift in richness and milk character.
Does Queso de Flor de Guía taste like Reblochon Cheese?
Queso de Flor de Guía reads as aromatic, acidic, and bitter, while Reblochon Cheese is creamy, nutty.
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).
What is Reblochon Cheese made of?
Reblochon Cheese is made from cow milk (raw), using natural rennet. It's typically aged 3 to 4 months. It originates in France.
Which should I choose, Queso de Flor de Guía or Reblochon Cheese?
It depends on the dish. The texture difference is the biggest practical tell. Queso de Flor de Guía is dense, compact, pasty, while Reblochon Cheese is ivory-colored, creamy and supple.