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Portuguese cheese, a 101 introduction

By OstePerler 10/06/2023 Leave a Comment Cheese, Travel

Portuguese cheese has a rich history that dates back centuries and is an important part of the country’s culinary tradition. Portugal is known for its diverse range of cheeses, each with its unique flavors and characteristics. Let’s explore the history and some particulars of Portuguese cheese. For me personally, they are a favourite, because they are so good, but also because they are special, different from most other cheeses, but also because they are very rare if at all available here where I live.

The History of Portuguese cheese – in short

The origins of cheese-making in Portugal can be traced back to ancient times. The Romans introduced cheese-making techniques to the region during their occupation. Over time, Portuguese cheese production developed and flourished, influenced by different cultures, techniques, and local ingredients. Cheese in Portuguese is called queijo by the way.

Some particulars

Most of the artisan cheeses produced on the mainland are made using ewe’s milk but there are also some goats’ milk cheeses. The famous cows’ milk cheeses are from the Azores. The ewes’ milk cheeses are oftenmost made using vegetal rennet; cardoon to be specific, while the cows’ milk cheeses from the Azores archipelago is made with animal rennet.

Types of Cheese

Queijo Serra da Estrela: This is one of Portugal’s most famous cheeses, made from raw sheep’s milk. It has a creamy texture and a strong, slightly acidic flavor. This cheese is from the mountainous region in central Portugal, Serra de Estrela is the highest mountain on the mainland. The cheese is made using milk from Bordaleira sheep and is traditionally consumed melted or spooned out of its rind. Bigger than the ewes’ milk cheeses mentioned below.

Queijo de Azeitão: A small, soft cheese made from sheep’s milk. It has a buttery texture and a slightly salty taste. It is often consumed as a spread.

Queijo Serpa: Produced in the Alentejo region, this cheese is made from raw sheep’s milk and has a semi-soft texture. It has a distinctive flavor and aroma.

Queijo de Nisa: Another sheep’s milk cheese, Queijo de Nisa is semi-soft with a smooth texture. It has a mild, slightly salty taste. This cheese along with Azeitão and Serpa are all from the Alentejo region in southern Portugal, renowned for its sheep’s milk cheeses

Sao Jorge: Originating from the Azores islands, Sao Jorge to be specific, this cheese is made from cow’s milk. It has a firm texture and a rich, buttery flavor. The Azores archipelago, particularly the islands of São Jorge and Terceira, is known for its production of cow’s milk cheese. These cheeses have a firm texture and a tangy, slightly spicy flavor.

Portuguese cheese is enjoyed both domestically and internationally, and it is often paired with local wines, fruits, or honey. The country’s cheese-making traditions continue to be celebrated, and new variations and flavors are constantly being explored by local producers.

Suggested pairings

Portuguese cheese and wine pairings can be delightful, as the country produces a wide range of both. Here are a few recommendations for cheese and wine pairings from Portugal.

Queijo Serra da Estrela with Douro Red Wine. The rich and creamy Queijo Serra da Estrela pairs beautifully with a robust red wine from the Douro region. The wine’s structure and tannins complement the cheese’s strong flavors.

Queijo de Azeitão with Moscatel de Setúbal. The soft and buttery Queijo de Azeitão harmonizes well with the sweet and aromatic Moscatel de Setúbal. The cheese’s saltiness contrasts with the wine’s sweetness, creating a delightful balance.

Queijo Serpa with Alentejo Red Wine. The intense and slightly acidic flavors of Queijo Serpa match nicely with a full-bodied red wine from the Alentejo region. Look for wines made from the Trincadeira or Aragonez grape varieties.

São Jorge Cheese with Port Wine. The semi-hard São Jorge cheese pairs wonderfully with a rich and full-bodied Port wine. The cheese’s nutty and slightly spicy flavors match well with the sweetness and complexity of the fortified wine.

Remember, these are just suggestions, and personal preferences may vary. Feel free to explore different combinations and experiment with your own pairings to discover your favorite combinations of Portuguese cheese and wine.

Graukäse, the alpine cheese specialty from South Tyrol

By OstePerler 01/05/2023 Leave a Comment Cheese

South Tyrol Graukäse (also known as grey cheese or “formaggio grigio” in Italian) is a type of cheese that originated in the alpine region of South Tyrol, which is located in the northeastern part of Italy and south western part of Austria. The cheese has a long history, with records dating back to the 12th century.

The origins of Graukäse

Originally, graukäse was made by farmers who lived in the mountainous areas of South Tyrol. It was created as a way to preserve milk, which was in abundance during the summer months when cows were milked daily. The cheese was made using skimmed milk and was left to mature for several months in damp, cool conditions. The cheese is acidified using no rennet to make the milk proteins coagulate. Skimmed milk because the cream was used to churn butter.

South Tyrol Graukäse is made using raw cow’s milk, and has a very strong, pungent flavour that can be quite sharp and tangy. The texture of the cheese is firm and crumbly, with small holes throughout. The rind is typically covered in a layer of grey mold (Mucor), which is why the cheese is often referred to as “grey cheese.”

Traditional methods

South Tyrol Graukäse is still produced using traditional methods, and it has been recognised as a protected designation of Origin (PDO) product by the European Union, which, it should be said, applies to the Graukäse made in Austrian South Tyrol. This means that only cheese produced in the South Tyrol region can be called Graukäse. The Italian Graukäse has its own domestic protection and some are also covered by a Slow Food Presidium (Formaggio grigio della Valle Aurina).

A wonderful snack

South Tyrol Graukäse is often enjoyed as a snack or appetizer, and it pairs well with bread, crackers, and cured meats. It is also used in cooking, and it can be grated over pasta or added to soups and stews to add flavor. Overall, South Tyrol Graukäse is a unique and flavorful cheese with a rich history and a distinctive character.

The Norwegian Gammalost

Norwegian Graukäse — Norwegian Gammalost served with farm butter

They are related. Mountain cheeses both, and the farmers made butter of the cream and made cheese from the skimmed milk. Butter was a more valuable commodity that cheese. The only difference is that the Norwegian took it a bit further and made brown cheese from whey that was left over from the cheese making. If it was the vikings who brought the Norwegian Gammalost to the alps or Graukäse back home from their journeys, I do not know. So the next time you are in the alps, ask for Graukäse and ask for Gammalost the next time you are in Norway.

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Tartiflette – a hearty dish from the Savoie in France

By OstePerler 30/03/2023 Leave a Comment Cheese, Uncategorized

Tartiflette

At least here where I live, the winter has been long and cold. So now when easter is soon coming up and winter finally giving in for spring a comfy dish like tartiflette would be very suitable. Fairly easy to make, flavourful and hearty.

Tartiflette is a dish from the Savoie, eastern France that is. You may think yhink this dish has long tradistions, but alas the answer is no. “Invented” some time during the 1980s Rumour has it the manufacturers of Reblochon had to do someting to increase sales of their cheese. Heard it before? Probably. Just like fondue in Swtizerland. Nothimng wrong with that. As soon as a dish is established we tend to put in more tradition than it deserves! Like Tartiflette that is a fairly new thing. Does not really matter as long as it tastes good, and naturally, Reblochon is a key ingredient. But is does not have to, you can use a local cheese of the same kind if you so wish. A mild washed rind cheese that is.

This is what you need..

750 g potatoes
200 g bacon – sliced and cut in cubes
25 g butter
1 onion, finely chopped
1/2 dl dry white wine or vermuth
1 dl whipping cream
Some salt and pepper according to your likes (remember there is salt in the cheese as well)
250 g Reblochon (at least half a cheese)

..and this is how you do it

Heat your oven to 175 degrees C
Use large potaoes, boil them for 20 minutes. Unpeeled. Drain the water and let them cool in cold water.
Peel the potatoes, and slice them about 1 cm thick. Then dice the slices.

Cut the bacon in 1/2 cm thick slices and then cut into dice.
Warm the butter in the frying pan and fry the bacon until golden brown. Mind the heat – not too hot. Use a skimmer when removing the bacon from the frying pan so you drain most of the fat. Brown the onion in the bacon fat until shiny and golden brown. Put the onion on some kitchen paper to dry of the fat. Use some kitchen paper to dry off the frying pan. Bacon and onion back into the frying pan together with the white wine. Boil with high temperature until most of wine is vaporated. Add the diced potatoes. Blend well and stir frequently so it does not burn. Add the cream and salt and pepper according to your likes. Blend and let cook for a minute.

Grease the inside of an ovenproof dish. Pour it all over into the dish and smooth the top with the back of a spoon so it becomes even.

If you have a whole Reblochon wheel cut it in two and save one half for later. You only need one half (a half moon so to speak). Buy half a cheese if you have no other use for the rest. Make slits in the rind with a sharp knife, both sides and the side. Then cut the cheese in two so you have two half moons. (Like you do when making a cream cake). The two pieces should now have half the thickness of a normal Reblochon. You have two half moons. Put these on top of the dish with paste down and rind up. From above it now looks like a wheel. Cover the ovenproof dish with aluminum foil. Put in the middle of the oven and leave for one hour. Remove the foil after an hour and stir so the cheese blends well with the rest of the ingredients. Turn on the grill element of the oven and roast til the top becomes golden brown. Watch the process so the top does not get burned.

if you want to use a local cheese that’s fine. Preferably a Reblochon style cheese.

To drink

What about a white from the same area, Savoie? Perhaps not the most widely spread of wines, but they are available. Never wrong to dink local wines. Even though I personally will favour some white, this is a dish that goes well with both white and red wines. The cheese is the main ingredient with a fair dash of bacon responsible for the main flavours. The main white grape of Savoie is probably Jacquére while Mondeuse is the main red variety. Not very well known any of them perhaps. All the more important to try them out. If you find wines from the Savoie too scary, try the nabouring area, Jura. Bon appétit.

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Alpine cheese, is the older always the better?

By OstePerler 19/03/2023 Leave a Comment Cheese

Back in 2017 I attended a tasting at Cheese 2017 in Bra about alpine cheese. Paired with Franciacorta brut, by the way, which appeared to be a very favourable pairing. There also arouse an interesting discussion about age and flavour profiles of alpine cheeses, the essence being that the older the better is not necessarily true. That said taste is personal, while some like the fruit of the young cheeses others enjoy the caramel of the really well matured. Below I have tried to create a guide for Comté which I believe also can be true for Gruyère and other similar cheeses.

Alpine cheese

Comté and other alpine cheeses are firm cheeses that is made from raw cow’s milk in the alpine regions of France, Switzerland, Italy mainly, but also Austria. This style of alpine cheese is aged for varying lengths of time, ranging from a few months to several years, and during this time, it develops a unique flavour profile.

Flavour development

When Comté is young, it has a mild, buttery flavour with a slightly nutty and fruity taste. As it ages, the flavor becomes more complex and intense, developing a range of flavours and aromas. Some of the key changes in flavour that occur with age include:

Nuttiness: As the cheese ages, the nutty flavour becomes more pronounced, and the cheese takes on a slightly sweet, caramelized taste.
Fruity notes: Comté cheese often has a fruity taste, which becomes more pronounced with age. The cheese may develop flavours of apricot, pineapple, and even cherry.
Earthiness: As the cheese ages, it develops an earthy flavour, similar to mushrooms or truffles.
Umami: Umami is the savory flavour that is often described as meaty or brothy. As Comté cheese ages, it develops a rich, umami flavour that can be quite strong in older cheeses.
Crystallisation: Another notable change in flavour with age is the development of small crystals within the cheese. These crystals, called tyrosine, form as the cheese dries out and become more prominent in older cheeses. They add a crunchy texture and a slightly sweet, nutty flavour to the cheese.

Overall, the flavour of Comté style alpine cheese evolves and becomes more complex with age. While younger cheeses may be mild and buttery, older cheeses have a range of flavours that can be quite intense and rich.

Also read: “Salt” crystals in firm cheeses, what are they?

So is there an ideal age for alpine cheese?

The ideal age for an alpine cheese will probably be subjective and depending on personal preference. However, many cheese experts consider Comté style cheese to be at its best between 12 and 18 months of age.

At this age, the cheese has developed a complex and intense flavour profile, with a balance of nuttiness, fruitiness, and earthiness. The texture of the cheese is also ideal, with a firm yet supple texture that is not too dry or too creamy.

That being said, some people may prefer younger Comté style cheese for its milder flavour and softer texture, while others may enjoy older cheeses for their strong and complex flavours. It ultimately comes down to personal preference and what flavour and texture profile you enjoy the most.

And in my opinion?

My personal alpine cheese favourite is an 18 months old Comté. It has fruit, just enough sweetness without any overpowering and has not yet developed caramel flavours. I am not a big fan.

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