Cheese Database

Esrom vs Port Salut

Esrom

Facts

Milk
Cow
Texture
Semi-soft
Type
Washed rind
Rind
Washed rind
Country
Denmark
Place
Esrum, Zealand

Esrom is a semi-soft cow's milk cheese from Denmark, named for Esrum in Zealand. It is made in rectangular loaves with a thin washed rind that runs from yellow to reddish brown, and the pale interior is buttery, elastic, and full of small holes. The smell can be strong, while the taste is sweet, aromatic, and only gently sharp. It is a table cheese and a melting cheese, and it belongs with other washed-rind loaves such as Port Salut.

Port Salut, field guide plate
Port Salut, photographed

Port Salut

Facts

Milk
Cow
Texture
Semi-soft
Type
Washed rind
Rind
Washed rind
Country
France

Port Salut is a semi-soft cow's milk cheese from France, sold in small wheels with a smooth orange rind. The paste is pale, supple, and mild, with a light sweetness and a gentle tang. It slices cleanly, and it also softens when it is warmed. The smell can be stronger than the taste, especially after the wheel has been kept, but the flavor stays approachable. French cooking treats it as an everyday cheese, not as a fierce washed-rind challenge for specialists.