Cheese Database

Fromage blanc vs Prescinseua

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.

Prescinseua

Facts

Milk
Cow
Texture
Fresh
Type
Fresh
Rind
No rind
Country
Italy
Place
Liguria

Prescinseua is a fresh cow's milk cheese from Liguria, in Italy. The paste sits between yogurt and ricotta, white and a little sour, with no rind. Ligurian cooks use it more often as an ingredient than as a cheese for a board. It goes into stuffed pasta, savory pies, and sauces, and it can also be spread on bread. The flavor is quiet and tangy, so it adds body and a light acid note rather than a loud cheese taste.