Spanish Idiazabal Cheese A Basque Masterpiece

Idiazabal  (ee-dee-ah-zah-bahl) cheese is produced in the Basque Region of Spain. It received it's D.O.(Denominacion De Origen) from the Spanish government in 1987. This certification assures that the cheese is produced with sheep's milk from the traditional areas within the Basque region and produced according to strict guidelines. Idiazabal is made from the milk of the Latxa breed of sheep. Basque shepherds still use the old tradition of herding their sheep up to the high mountain pastures in the early spring. Here the sheep graze on pure mountain flowers and grasses and the sheep in turn produce high quality milk.

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Details: Idiazabal is made by using raw sheep's milk and using animal rennet to form the curd. The newly formed curd is pressed to remove the water and placed into cheese molds. The traditional way of aging the new cheeses was to place them near the chimneys in their summer huts. The smoke from the shepherd's cooking fires would then permeate the new cheeses giving them a sweet smoky flavor. Idiazabal is made by larger dairies now but they  still must use sweet local hardwoods to smoke the cheese. 

The cheeses are aged for two to four months and will have a yellowy beige interior paste that is semi soft and has small holes throughout. Idiazabal has a rind that is inedible and will range from semi-hard to hard that will also vary in color from orange to a medium brown due to the smoking process and how long it is aged. 

Flavor: Idiazabal has a flavor that is both buttery and nutty with a subtle hint of balsam and smoke. The longer aged cheese will have a bolder flavor and is  good for  grating  Idiazabal is a truly wonderful cheese at any age and makes a great substitute for Manchego.

When shopping for Idiazabal look for any interior mold and an overt dryness or cracking in the rind. Any mold on the exterior rind is a good sign that it has been aged longer than four months. It is best to store this cheese wrapped in tin foil or waxed paper and placed in the vegetable bin of your refrigerator. Idiazabal can be purchased online at Amazon. Idiazabal

Idiazabal can be served with most fruits, Iberico ham or salami and crusty breads or a ciabatta roll. it can also be served with Membrillo and crackers as a quick snack.

Wine Pairing: Any Navara reds