Cheese Database

Babybel vs La Vache qui Rit

Babybel, field guide plate
Babybel, photographed

Babybel

Facts

Milk
Cow
Texture
Semi-hard
Type
Pressed
Rind
Waxed or sealed
Country
France

Babybel is a French brand of small snack cheeses, and the usual piece is the original Mini Babybel. That original is a semi-hard cheese made from pasteurized cow's milk, formed into a small round and sealed in red wax. A wrapper sits over the wax, and the rounds are often sold together in a net bag. The flavor is mild, smooth, and slightly tangy. It is a brand portion, not a large wheel from one region of France.

La Vache qui Rit, field guide plate

La Vache qui Rit

Facts

Milk
Cow
Texture
Soft
Type
Processed
Rind
No rind
Country
France

La Vache qui Rit is a French brand of processed cow's milk cheese, known in English as The Laughing Cow. The usual piece is a soft triangular wedge, wrapped in foil and packed in a round box. The picture on the box is a laughing cow with earrings, and that mark is how shoppers recognize the brand. The cheese is mild, creamy, and salted for spreading. It is a manufactured product, not a farmhouse wheel from one region of France.