Gruyère vs Tête de Moine
Gruyère
Facts
- Milk
- Cow
- Texture
- Hard
- Type
- Pressed
- Rind
- Natural rind
- Country
- Switzerland
- Place
- Fribourg
- Status
- AOP
Gruyère is a hard cow's-milk cheese from western Switzerland, centered on the canton of Fribourg and a defined neighboring zone. A true Swiss Gruyère has few holes, or none.
Tête de Moine
Facts
- Milk
- Cow
- Texture
- Semi-hard
- Type
- Pressed
- Rind
- Washed rind
- Country
- Switzerland
- Place
- Bellelay
Tête de Moine is a semi-hard cow's milk cheese from Switzerland, sold in small cylinders with a firm brownish rind. The French name means monk's head. After thin curls are scraped from the top, the cylinder can look a little like a small rounded head, which matches the image in the name. The paste is smooth, aromatic, and ready to soften on the tongue. It is a board cheese first, and thick slices work in a pinch, but shavings show the flavor best.