Cheese Database

Fromage blanc vs Mató

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.

Mató

Facts

Texture
Fresh
Type
Fresh
Rind
No rind
Country
Spain
Place
Catalonia

Mató is a fresh unsalted cheese from Catalonia in Spain. Makers heat the milk and set it with rennet, thistle, or a sour juice, then drain the curds until they hold a soft shape. The paste is white, moist, and a little grainy, with no rind and almost no salt. It is eaten very young, soon after the curds have drained. The flavor is milky and gently sweet, closer to fresh curd than to an aged wheel.