Cheese Database

Basa vs Fromage blanc

Basa

Facts

Milk
Cow
Texture
Soft
Type
Fresh
Rind
No rind
Country
Croatia

Basa is a soft white cheese from Croatia, and people eat it fresh as a spread. It is made mainly from cow's milk that is heated, cooled, and set with sour milk rather than with rennet. The curd is drained until it is thick enough to spoon or to spread on bread. Salt is part of the mix, and there is no rind and no long aging. The cheese stays mild, moist, and close to fresh dairy.

Fromage blanc, field guide plate
Fromage blanc, photographed

Fromage blanc

Facts

Milk
Cow
Texture
Fresh
Type
Fresh
Rind
No rind
Country
France

Fromage blanc is a fresh cow's milk cheese from France, soft and white, with no rind and no aging. The name means white cheese, and the body is smooth enough to eat with a spoon. Makers set the milk with lactic cultures, then drain the whey until the curd is thick but still moist. A plain pot tastes mildly tangy, like cultured cream that has been lightly soured. It belongs with yogurt and quark, not with pressed wheels that sit on a board for a long time.