Spain is a very cheesy country, so much so that we have a great variety of cheeses that vary in appearance, flavor, aromas… All of them with very good quality. In total, our country has 26 cheeses with Protected Designation of Origin (P.D.O.).
The P.D.O. is a geographical indication that shows that the main characteristics of the products with this denomination are those of the geographical area in which they are produced. Here are 8 of them:
Afuega’l pitu:
We start with an Asturian denomination of origin, it is a fatty cheese that can be fresh or matured.
According to legend, Afuega’l pitu “Drown the throat” in Asturian, comes from its characteristic texture, which is achieved in the cheese ripening process.
This cheese is made with raw or pasteurized cow’s milk from farms in this protected area. In addition, great care is taken in every step of production to achieve the final result, Afuega’l pitu cheese.
Cabrales:
This type of cheese is made according to the taste of the cheese masters who make it. It can be made from raw cow’s milk or from a mixture of cow’s, goat’s and sheep’s milk.
As a protected designation of origin, the milk used to make the cheese comes from the protected area, which includes the Council of Cabrales and three villages of Peñamellera Alta, Asturias.
A characteristic to highlight of this cheese is that it is left to mature in natural caves, where it acquires the humidity that creates the molds and gives the spicy touch to its flavor.
Gamoneu
The Gamoneu denomination of origin, like the two previous ones, covers a cheese made in Asturias. It is a blue cheese, made with cow, goat and sheep milk.
Like cabrales, its maturation period takes place in mountain caves, where, thanks to the humidity, it acquires the fungi that form its final characteristics (such as the blue-greenish rind or its intense flavor).
Idiazabal:
Idiazabal cheese is a cheese made with raw milk from Latxa and Carranzana sheep, obtained thanks to the shepherds of the Basque Country and Navarra (except the Roncal Valley). This designation of origin is made up of some 500 cattle farms and around 100 cheese dairies.
The final product, after processing, is a fatty cheese obtained after a maturation period of at least 60 days. It has an intense flavor due to the sheep’s milk, with a slight spicy touch.
Mahon
This cheese, also known as Mahón-Menorca, is a cheese made with cow’s milk from the island of Menorca.
Within this Denomination of Origin there are two types: Mahón Menorca Cheese and Artisan Mahón-Menorca Cheese, which differ in their final characteristics.
Mahón Menorca cheese is made with milk that has undergone some kind of preservation process, such as pasteurization. However, the Mahón-Menorca Artesano is made with raw milk from the farms.
Picón Bejes
The designation of origin Queso Picón Bejes-Tresviso, also known as Queso Picón, covers blue cheeses produced in the region of Liébana, Cantabria. Made with cow’s, sheep’s and goat’s milk, which is why it is also known as “Tres leches” (three milks).
This cheese is similar to the aforementioned Asturian cheeses, close to this area. It is cured in mountain caves where it acquires its main textures and flavors.
Being a blue cheese, its flavor stands out for being slightly spicy.
Queixo Do Cebreiro
This cheese, made in a completely natural way, comes from Galicia. Where for years they have been taking care of the tradition to maintain its quality. It is a cow’s milk cheese that can be either soft or cured, with a slightly acidic flavor.
It is peculiar due to its “chef’s hat” or “mushroom” shape. At the beginning, this cheese was pressed with a stone, giving it this shape that they have wanted to maintain over the years.
Arzúa Ulloa Cheese
Its origin is in Galicia, as its name indicates, in the areas of Arzúa and Ulloa. It is made with milk from Galician Blonde, Friesian, Brown-Alpine or crossbred cows.
It is one of the most classic cheeses of Galicia, produced in the east of La Coruña and southwest of Lugo.
This designation of origin has three types of cheese: Arzúa Ulloa, Arzúa-Ulloa de Granxa and Arzúa-Ulloa Curado.
As you can see, Spain is not far behind in terms of cheeses, we have a great selection to choose from… And we have only told you about 8 of the 26 Denominations of Origin!
