Delicious UK - (10)October 2020

TofindoutmoreaboutSpain’squalityfoodandwines,visitfoodswinesfromspain.com

Where quality

reigns supreme

Pride,passionandcenturiesoftraditiongointo

makingmuchofSpain’sexcellentfoodanddrink

butespeciallyitssuperiorcheeses

S

pain’sculinarycultureis

asrichandvariedasthe

countryitself.From

wonderfullysaltycuredmeatsand

fruityoliveoilstoaromaticsaffron

andrefreshingcava,thecountry’s

producershavetakencenturies-

oldtraditionsandtransformed

theminto21stcenturyfinefood

andwineproductsthatyoucan

relyonforquality,traceability

andsustainability.

Thereis perhapsnobetter

exampleofthisthanSpain’s

outstandingcheeses.Thecountry

hasmorethan 100 typesof

cheeseinexistencetoday– the

tremendousvarietyis partlydue

toitsgeographicalandclimatic

diversity,butalsoitshistorical

MANCHEGOPDO

Reveredbycheese

loversalloverthe

world,thispressed

cheeseis madefromManchego

ewe’smilkandis ripenedfora

minimumof 30 days.It hasa

characteristicaromaanda slightly

sharp,intenseflavourthatbecomes

somewhatpiquantinwell-ripened

cheeses,andtheewe’smilkgivesit

a pleasant,albeitunusualaftertaste.

Thetextureis firmandcompactand

thecheese’srindis hardandyellow.

ManchegoPDOis wonderfully

versatileandcanbepairedwithfruit,

almonds,hazelnutsandwalnuts,

crustybread,sun-driedtomatoes

andolives.It eventastesgreat

simplydrizzledwithextra-virgin

oliveoil.Thecheeseis wellsuited

toa redriojaliketempranillo,butit

alsoworksexceptionallywellwith

a sparklingcavaorSpanishwhites

suchasa crispverdejoora fresh

andfloralviura.

CABRALESPDO

A renowned

blue-veincheese,

CabralesPDOcan

bemadefromwhole

rawcow’smilkorfroma mixture

ofcow’s,ewe’sandgoat’smilkand

is ripenedfora minimumoftwo

monthsinnaturalcaves.It has

a balancedflavour,whichvaries

dependingonthetypeofmilkused,

butit’sneversaltyorbitter.The

cheesehasa pronounced,persistent

aftertaste,andthearomais

penetratingandintense– especially

whengoat’smilkis used.Itstexture

is eventhroughoutwitha fine,

almostimperceptiblegraininess.

Thisuniquebluecheeseworks

wellinsauces,meltedoverroasted

meats,drizzledwithhoneyor

enjoyedwithfreshfigs,toasted

breadorraisinbread.Intermsof

wines,it pairsparticularlywell

withsweetSpanishsherrysuch

aspedroximénezoranelegant

redriojalikea crianza.

legacyandthemanypeoplesand

culturesthathaveinhabitedits

territoriesovertheyears.

Whetherproducedindustrially

ona largescaleorata smalldairy

specialisinginauthenticartisanal

cheese,Spanishcheesesaresome

ofthefinestintheworld.It comes

asnosurprisethenthatmanyhave

beengrantedPDO(Protected

DesignationofOrigin)status,

guaranteeingtheauthenticityofthe

regionalcheese-makingtechniques,

ingredientsandtraditionswith

whichthey’vebeenmade.

Wanttobringanauthentictaste

ofSpaintoyourtablebutnotsure

wheretostart?Trythesetwo

magnificentPDOcheeses(right)

bywayofanintroduction.

MAIN

IMAGE:

©ICEX/FERNANDO

RAMAJO.

MANGHEGO

AND

CABRALES

IMAGES:

©ICEX/JUAN

MANUEL

SANZ