Idiazabal cheese facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Idiazabal |
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| Other names | Basque: Idiazababal gazta |
| Country of origin | Lua error in Module:Wikidata at line 70: attempt to index field 'wikibase' (a nil value). |
| Region | Basque Country |
| Source of milk | Ewes |
| Texture | Hard |
| Certification | D.O. 1987 |
Idiazabal is a special kind of cheese from the Basque Country and Navarre in Spain. It's made from the milk of sheep, usually from breeds called Latxa and Carranzana. This cheese is pressed, which means it's squeezed to remove extra liquid.
Idiazabal cheese often has a slightly smoky taste. But many times, it's not smoked at all. It's made by hand and has a hard, dark brown outer layer called a rind. You can't eat this rind.
The cheese gets its delicious taste by aging for a few months. It becomes nutty and buttery. People often eat it fresh with quince jam. If it ages for a longer time, it gets firm and dry. Then it has a sharper taste and can be grated, like over pasta.
Contents
What is a Denomination of Origin?
In 1987, a special rule was made for Idiazabal cheese. It's called a Denomination of Origin (D.O.). This rule helps make sure the cheese is always made in the same traditional way. It also protects the name "Idiazabal" so only real Idiazabal cheese can use it.
The D.O. rules say that the cheese must use milk from Latxa sheep. Sometimes, milk from Carranzana sheep is also allowed. The milk must not be pasteurized. This means it hasn't been heated to kill germs. The rules also say that the cheese must be curdled using natural lamb rennet. This is a special ingredient that helps the milk turn into cheese.
Some towns that follow all these rules are Urbia, Entzia, Gorbea, Orduña, Urbasa, and Aralar. Cheeses from these places are also protected by the Idiazabal D.O. Recently, some farmers have started using a different type of sheep called Assaf. Some people think this doesn't follow the D.O. rules for Idiazabal cheese.
How Idiazabal Cheese is Made
Idiazabal is an aged cheese. This means it sits for a while to develop its flavor. It can be semi-cured (aged a bit) or fully cured (aged longer). It's made only from whole sheep's milk that hasn't been pasteurized.
Turning Milk into Curd
To make the cheese, the milk is warmed up. It reaches a temperature between 25 and 35 degrees Celsius (77 to 95 degrees Fahrenheit). Then, natural lamb curd is added. After about 30 to 45 minutes, the milk turns into a solid mass called a curd.
Cutting and Heating the Curd
The curd is then cut into tiny pieces, about the size of rice grains. These small pieces are heated again. The temperature goes up to about 34 to 38 degrees Celsius (93 to 100 degrees Fahrenheit). If the first heating was hotter, the second heating can go up to 40 to 45 degrees Celsius (104 to 113 degrees Fahrenheit). This heating helps the curd pieces lose water and shrink.
Pressing and Salting
After heating, the dried curd is put into molds. Sometimes, it's seasoned before being pressed. The cheese is then salted. This can be done by rubbing dry salt on the outside. Or, the cheese can be placed in very salty water for a whole day.
Aging the Cheese
Finally, the cheeses are stored in cool, damp places. They need to age for at least two months. This helps them develop their unique taste and texture. It also helps prevent mold from growing on them.
Smoking the Cheese (Optional)
Some Idiazabal cheeses are smoked. This happens at the end of the aging process. Woods from trees like beech, birch, cherry, or white pine are used. The type of wood and how long the cheese is smoked changes how strong the smoky flavor is.
What Idiazabal Cheese Looks Like
Most Idiazabal cheeses are shaped like cylinders. But sometimes, you might find them shaped like cones or octagons. Artisan cheeses (made by skilled craftspeople) might have special drawings or symbols from Basque culture on their rinds.
The rind is smooth and waxy. Unsmoked cheeses have a yellow-beige color. Smoked cheeses are brownish.
Inside the Cheese
When you cut into an Idiazabal cheese, the inside is usually solid. It might have tiny holes, like pin-heads. The color is beige or pale yellow. If the cheese is smoked, the inside will have a brownish edge.
The taste is strong and noticeable. It's a bit tangy and sharp, but also buttery. It has a clear sheep milk flavor. The smoked version is a bit drier and has an even stronger taste with a pleasant smell. These cheeses are usually small to medium in size. They weigh between 0.9 and 1.8 kilograms (2 and 4 pounds).
See also
In Spanish: Queso Idiazábal para niños
