By Stacey Adams-Zier
As I go about my daily ritual of caring for my cheeses, I often repeat a simple mantra: “Sheep’s milk makes the best cheese, sheep’s milk makes the best cheese…” If you doubt this, just have a taste for yourself. From the ever famous French Roquefort to the little known Portuguese Azeitao, sheep’s milk cheeses represent something a little exotic and out of the ordinary and the best I know come from Spain.
Sheep naturally produce a smaller quantity of richer, more concentrated milk over a shorter time period than cows and since cheesemaking is all about concentrating the flavors in the milk, ewe’s milk is one step ahead in the process. It’s often said that goat’s milk is best for drinking, cow’s milk makes the best butter, and sheep’s milk makes the best cheese. Although it contains twice as much fat as cow’s milk, it offers over 75 percent more protein. Sheep’s milk is easily identifiable over cow’s milk because it’s pure white in color.
Spain has a high average elevation with windswept, rocky pasturelands and displays all the markets of superior cheesemaking: rustic local production; cheeses named after their places of origin; and ancient traditions upheld by generations of farmers, herders and cheesemakers. With over 100 cheeses produced in Spain, 14 are protected under the DO laws and labeled Denominacion de Origen Protegida.
Here are three of my favorites:
Idiazabál [ee-dee-ah-ZAH-bal] is a raw sheep’s milk cheese made from the milk of the Latxa breed, which only produce 100 liters of milk per season. The name Idiazabál comes from a village in the Goierri Valley in the heart of the Basque region. The reason why Idiazabál was chosen as the name of this cheese’s DOP it is not clear, but its long-held reputation – for more than a century – as a producer of quality cheese seems to be the most likely reason. The origin of Idiazabál resides in the tradition of the transhumance, the annual ritual of moving animals into the mountains to feed on spring and summer pasture and then back down to the valley during cold spells. The shepherds made their spring and summer cheeses in huts and brought the wheels down to the market in the village when they descended in the fall. The huts were heated with wood fires, so the cheeses gradually became infused with smoke, and the villagers soon came to love the taste. This smoked sheep’s milk cheese is aged for at least two months and is firm but not dry, with a pronounced acidity and a rich, buttery sheep’s milk taste subtly infused with smoke. Because of the smokiness, finding a wine partner for Idiazabál can be a challenge. If the cheese is young, it will pair well with a fino sherry; if it’s more mature, look to a dry amontillado sherry or a robust fruity red wine such as a young Rioja.
Queso de la Serena [KEH-soh deh lah seh-REHN-ah] is one of Spain’s wonderful “torta-style” cheeses hailing from the province of Badajoz, in Extremadura (“the land of Extremes”), in western Spain and was awarded DOP status in 1992. The prized Merino sheep is an ancient and venerable breed responsible for making this one of Spain’s greatest cheeses feeding solely on fresh grass and acorns. A farmer needs ten sheep to produce enough milk for a single pound of cheese. It’s hardly surprising, then, that Queso de la Serena is one of the most expensive cheeses in Spain. It’s traditionally made with raw milk and coagulated with rennet from the Cynara cardunculus (cardoon thistle) plant imparting subtle bitter and sour hints to the cheese. At its peak, Serena is very soft, provocatively flavored, and ultimately intoxicating. The paste is rich, unctuous, and silky however don’t let that fool you. Serena is not for the novice cheese eater. Its pungent flavor has a bit of a kick that mellows in the mouth and ends with a sweet fruitiness. I like to think of it as the ultimate party cheese because you simply slice across the top and dive in with a spoon. It’s like having instant fondue with an edible pot and no messy dishes to clean. Match a glass of Rioja with some olives and a bit of the Serena and you have a culinary trip to Spain without having to brush up on those high school Spanish lessons.
Zamorano [sah-moh-RAHN-oh] is a majestic, noble cheese produced in Zamora, in the province of Castile-Leon, northwest of Madrid, near the northeastern corner of Portugal. It is similar to Manchego, but the local breeds of sheep – the Churra and the Castilian, both bred for the high-quality milk-have a higher fat content, giving the cheese an added heft and richness. Each 9-pound drum is pressed, uncooked, rubbed with olive oil and aged a minimum of 100 days in cool caves (which, incidentally, were used for barrel aging of wines.) The hard grayish-brown rind has a distinctive zigzag pattern on its sides, from the esparto grass band tied around it during pressing. A good raw-milk Zamorano has the same dignified stature as Beaufort from France or Parmigiano-Reggiano from Italy. Right out of the cave, the paste is very firm, yet creamy in consistency with a full, round, nutty flavor with just a hint of fruitiness and saltiness. After a few more weeks of aging it gradually crystallizes, becomes flaky, and offers a subtle bite without losing its underlying sweetness. Pair Zamorano with medium-bodied, soft-tannic reds such as Tempranillo blends, Syrah blends, Pinot Noir and ideally, a California Zinfandel.
What to serve with these Spanish cheeses? A few dried figs, Marcona almonds, and some slices of Serrano jamon make the perfect accompaniment to a Spanish cheeseboard. Flamenco music optional.
By Line: Stacey Adams-Zier is the Chef/Owner and Fromager of Tastings Gourmet Market and Artisanal Cheese Center located in Clock Tower Place, Annapolis, Md. She can be reached at 410.263.1324 or by visiting their website at http://www.TastingsGourmetMarket.com
