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Showing posts with label tapas. Show all posts
Showing posts with label tapas. Show all posts

Monday, June 22, 2009

Spanish Iberico Cheese


A half wedge of Iberico Cheese on a wooded cutting boardIberico is one of the best known and most purchased cheeses in Spain, but it does not have very much exposure in the United States. Here in the states Manchego is the most familiar Spanish cheese followed by Mahon and Idiazabal. So we hope to shed a little light on this wonderful cheese and expose our readers to it.

Iberico cheese is produced only in the province of Valladolid in central Spain. In order to maintain some semblance of order and control of its large cheese production the Spanish government created the Denominations of Origin Certification. This designation controls the name, area, and standards of production to insure a consistent quality product. Iberico is not yet DOC certified but it has applied for certification and hopes to receive it soon. However the dairies that produce this cheese have maintained their own high standards and guidelines since 1987.



Details: Iberico is made with a blend of pasteurized milk from cows, goats and sheep. The combination of these three milks varies from season to season based on the weather and the breeding patterns of the goats and sheep. However the following minimum guidelines are strictly adhered to by the producing dairies. The blend minimums are: cow's milk 50%, goat milk 30% and sheep's milk 10% In general the cow milk provides the flavor and acidity while the goats’ milk provides the slightly tart flavor and the whiter color and the sheep milk adds the richness and buttery consistency due to its higher fat content. With that said, the fact is that the higher the content of the sheep’s milk the better the cheese. 


Iberico's flavor is herbaceous with a very mild goat tang that blends with the buttery sheep's milk to produce a very comforting flavor and aroma. The interior paste has a light yellow to slight beige color and a mild sheepy aroma. Once the two month month process ends the cheeses are covered with a plastic outer rind that is inedible. This rind is similar in appearance to the one that covers the popular Manchego so Iberico can and is sometimes confused with it, so be careful when you are shopping for it. Iberico can be found in good cheeses shops and online at Amazon. Iberico Cheese

In Spain Iberico is usually used as a table cheese served with quince paste (membrillo) but it is also a great melting cheese so it can be used in many recipes. Here are a few suggestions: shred it in an omelet, slice into your favorite salads, melt it over pasta or potatoes and rice entrees. For a tapas serve it with Chorizo or Serrano ham and a hearty bread.


Wine parings: Medium Spanish reds or a good Pinot Noir or Beaujolais or for a white wine try Souvigon Blanc.








Sunday, February 1, 2009

Spanish Manchego Cheese Spain's Number One Cheese



 sliced Manchego cheese  and green olives on a cutting board
Manchego is undoubtedly the best known DOC (Denomincion de Origen) certified Spanish cheese and is produced in the La Mancha region. The Spanish DOC certification insures that the named cheese is authentic and conforms to all the rules and regulations concerning its sale and production.

Spanish Cheese Sampler  at Amazon

Details: Originally Manchego was made by local herders and allowed to age in small handmade baskets, as the cheese aged and the rind hardened it retained the crosshatched pattern of these baskets. Now the cheese is aged and covered with an inedible plastic or waxed outer layer that retains the old traditionally imprinted pattern. Manchego is a sheep milk cheese, and as such it has a higher fat content (up to 57%) than cow milk cheese. It is sold in several stages of aging. 

Flavor: The young 3 month aged (Fresco) Manchego will have a milder flavor than it's 4 to 9 month aged (Curado) and the 12 month aged (Viejo) twins which will have a much richer and deeper flavors. The cheese will linger on the palate to expose the subtle herb and wild flower flavors and will finish with a slight peppery zing. When cut the cheese will emit a sheepy or lanolin scent and a pale yellow interior paste that is a bit dry and crumbly but not flinty. When purchasing real Manchego it may have an oily look and feel. This perfectly normal and the reason for it is that olive oil is rubbed on the rind to inhibit the growth of mold and bacteria. A nice substitutes for Manchego is the smoky flavored Idiazabal or Roncal.

Serving: Manchego can be the centerpiece of a tapas when served with green Andalusian olives or with fresh fruit like apples it can also be grilled with Serrano ham. As a table cheese, serve it with crackers and membrillo (quince paste) or fig jam. Marcona almonds and honey make a wonderful addition to Manchego as a desert course.

Wine parings: For the Fresco cheese serve it with a light Navarra, sparkling whites or dry sherry, for the Curado and Viejo cheese serve it with big Spanish reds like Rioja.