Cheese Database

Etorki vs P'tit Basque

Etorki

Facts

Milk
Sheep
Texture
Semi-hard
Type
Pressed
Rind
Washed rind
Country
France
Place
Mauléon-Licharre

Etorki is a branded sheep's milk cheese from Mauléon-Licharre, in the French Basque country. The milk is pasteurized, the curd is pressed and not cooked, and the cheese is firm but supple. A washed rind turns reddish brown, and the pale yellow interior can show a few small holes. The taste is mild, sweet, and a little nutty, and many people notice a hint of browned caramel. The Basque name means origin or heritage, and the cheese is a commercial brand rather than a shared farm name.

P'tit Basque

Facts

Milk
Sheep
Texture
Semi-hard
Type
Pressed
Rind
Natural rind
Country
France
Place
Pyrenees

P'tit Basque is a small sheep's milk cheese from the Pyrenees in France. The milk is pasteurized, and the wheels stay modest in size, which makes them easy to cut for a board. The paste is smooth and medium firm, with a pale ivory color and a mild sheep aroma. A thin brown rind shows a basket-weave mark from the mould. It is a Basque-style cheese made for everyday eating rather than long cellar aging.