Cheese Database

Esrom vs Saint-Paulin

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.

Saint-Paulin

Facts

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

Saint-Paulin is a mild semi-soft cheese from France, made from cow's milk and sold in small rounds. The paste is pale, smooth, and supple enough to slice, with a buttery taste and little sharpness. The rind is thin and orange to yellow, and it is edible, though some people trim it. The cheese is pressed, then salted, and it is ready without a long age. It is a table cheese more than a grating cheese, and Port-Salut is the close cousin most shoppers already know.