Queso de Media Flor de Guía vs Wagashi Cheese

Queso de Media Flor de Guía is a dense, compact, sometimes rubbery or creamy cow, goat, and sheep-milk cheese, while Wagashi Cheese is compact and made from cow milk.

What Is Queso de Media Flor de Guía?

Queso de Media Flor de Guía is a full-fat or half-fat cheese produced in the same region as Queso de Flor de Guía, using the same milk proportions. However, its curdling process involves at least 50% vegetable rennet, with the remainder being animal rennet or other starter cultures. It has a cylindrical shape, with a diameter of 15–30 cm and a height of 4–8 cm. Its texture varies from creamy to very hard depending on its maturity. The cheese has a mild acidic flavor with slight sharpness, and its aroma includes lactic, vegetal, and sometimes floral or roasted notes. It is matured for at least 15 days for semi-mature and over 60 days for mature cheese.

What Is Wagashi Cheese?

Wagashi is a soft cow's milk cheese from northern Benin, sold in quantity in Parakou and across the West African savanna. It is mild in flavor and almost always cooked, usually in a sauce eaten with pounded yams or millet or maize pâte.

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

• Milk type: Queso de Media Flor de Guía (Sheep (Canary Island breed), with up to 40% cow and 10% goat milk), Wagashi Cheese (Cow’s milk)
• Texture: Queso de Media Flor de Guía (Dense, compact, sometimes rubbery or creamy), Wagashi Cheese (Compact)
• Rind: Queso de Media Flor de Guía (Ivory-colored when young, thick and brown when mature), Wagashi Cheese (red wax coating)
• Aging: Queso de Media Flor de Guía (15+ days (semi-mature), 60+ days (mature)), Wagashi Cheese (Fresh or dried)
• Taste: Queso de Media Flor de Guía (Mildly acidic with slight sharpness), Wagashi Cheese (mild)

Side-by-Side Comparison

Taste Comparison: Does Queso de Media Flor de Guía Taste Like Wagashi Cheese?

Queso de Media Flor de Guía reads as mildly acidic with slight sharpness, while Wagashi Cheese brings mild character. More specifically, Queso de Media Flor de Guía shows lactic, vegetal (cardoon and nuts), animal (rennet), sometimes floral or roasted, while Wagashi Cheese leans toward consumed fried or cooked in sauces, rarely fresh. Aging plays into this as well. Queso de Media Flor de Guía at 15+ days (semi-mature), 60+ days (mature) develops a different profile than Wagashi Cheese at fresh or dried.

Can You Substitute Queso de Media Flor de Guía for Wagashi Cheese?

Queso de Media Flor de Guía can stand in for Wagashi Cheese in many dishes, but the switch will shift the overall character of the recipe. Expect dense, compact, sometimes rubbery or creamy bite and body where the recipe calls for compact. Flavor-wise, Queso de Media Flor de Guía reads as mildly acidic with slight sharpness while Wagashi Cheese brings mild notes.

Which Is Better, Queso de Media Flor de Guía or Wagashi Cheese?

There's no single winner. It depends on your recipe and the profile you want. If you want a dense, compact, sometimes rubbery or creamy cheese, go with Queso de Media Flor de Guía. For a compact profile, Wagashi Cheese is the better fit. Flavor-wise, Queso de Media Flor de Guía suits recipes that want mildly acidic with slight sharpness notes, while Wagashi Cheese fits dishes calling for mild.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Queso de Media Flor de Guía the same as Wagashi Cheese?

No, they're distinct cheeses. Queso de Media Flor de Guía is made from cow, goat, and sheep milk; Wagashi Cheese uses cow. Aging also differs: Queso de Media Flor de Guía is typically aged 15+ days (semi-mature), 60+ days (mature), Wagashi Cheese fresh or dried.

Is Queso de Media Flor de Guía similar to Wagashi Cheese?

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

Can I substitute Queso de Media Flor de Guía for Wagashi Cheese?

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

Does Queso de Media Flor de Guía taste like Wagashi Cheese?

Queso de Media Flor de Guía reads as mildly acidic with slight sharpness, while Wagashi Cheese is mild.

What is Queso de Media Flor de Guía made of?

Queso de Media Flor de Guía is made from cow, goat, and sheep milk, using at least 50% vegetable rennet, remainder can be animal rennet or starter cultures rennet. It's typically aged 15+ days (semi-mature), 60+ days (mature).

What is Wagashi Cheese made of?

Wagashi Cheese is made from cow milk (heated), using calotropis procera latex rennet. It's typically aged fresh or dried.

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

It depends on the dish. The texture difference is the biggest practical tell. Queso de Media Flor de Guía is dense, compact, sometimes rubbery or creamy, while Wagashi Cheese is compact.