Spanish foods: Cheese from Zamora

Spain has a long tradition of producing cheese. Many cheeses are made in Spain, some of them are internationally renowned, and also there are many PDO. Throughout the entire country there is a wide variety of cheeses made from the milk of cows, goats and sheep. Some of them are manufactured from single types of milk of sheep, goat or cow and a few are mixtures of different milks.

There is a huge variation in the presentation of the cheeses, from the hard, dark-skinned, to the soft, small and tender. The cheeses are made in a wide variety of styles including fresh, matured, semi-matured, and from different types of milk such as pasteurised, unpasteurised or creamy. Therefore, some of them are inoculated with moulds to make blue varieties.

We are going to analyze and describe some characteristics of each producing area in different posts, but today we want to talk about Cheese from Castilla y Leon, the largest region of Spain.

Castilla y Leon is one of the oldest regions of Spain, as it was from where it started the Spanish reconquest in the Middle Ages. Many products are made on the traditional way. Its cuisine is based on roast and cooked meats, most notably roast lamb, black pudding (morcilla), legumes, the humble and great garlic soup, and red, rosé, claret and white PDO wines.

But definitely, there are two notably foods in this area: Jamon and Cheese. Specifically cheese from Zamora, a province of Castilla y Leon, is really known. This is a hard cheese which is typically aged about alt least 6 months. The cheeses are turned often and rubbed with olive oil, giving the cheese its characteristic dark colour. The secret of its flavour is the breed of sheep, the ‘Churra’: small, scruffy and predominant Castilian sheep.

The cheese is hard and nutty, but creamy, sweet and savory flavour. Some of them are a bit spicy. So similar to the famous Manchego cheese, its shape is cylindrical with a distinctive zig zag pattern.

Chesees from Zamora are protected and controlled by its PDO (Protected Designation of Origin by the EU) which specifies its production, ingredients, and maturation.

One of the best brands ofcheese from Zamorais Pago Los Vivales. The make 4 different types of cheese:

Blue Label – Fresh: short maturation, milk-white colour.

Green Label – Semi-matured: melting in the mouth. From 3 to 5 months of curing process.

Black Label – Matured: thick and bit dry, but pleasant flavour, its colour is ivory-white. The curing process takes from 7 to 9 months.

Burgundy label – Aged or Reserva: honey colour, stong and aromatic, reminiscent of sheeps flavour. More than 11 months of maturation.

Cheese in Spain is served sliced as a tapa, usually together with Jamon, sausages and other cold meats. But it’s quite ordinary to see a group of friends sitting at the table and tasting different kids of cheese. The Spanish are really good cheese producers, one of our greatest treasures indeed. But above all, we are excellent tasters not only of Spanish cheese, but of the whole world.

In the coming weeks, we will continue talking about cheeses from other parts of Spain, as Manchego, Spanish most valued cheese. 

CHARCUTERIE, SAUSAGE-LIKE PRODUCTS. "EMBUTIDO" FROM TERUEL BY ANTONIO MATA.

One of the most typical foods from Spain is our "embutido", mainly the "chorizo", "lomo" and "salchichón". Did you ever tasted them?...If you like cured ham you will enjoy its "charcuterie"!.

The term charcuterie here refers to the sausage-like products in which different mixtures of minced meat, usually pork, are encased in a cylindrical skin, then cured or cooked so, that they can be kept for a long time. Geography, history and tradition combine in Spain to produce an extensive catalogue of these delicacies which, alongside Teruel and Iberico porks, are some of the most characteristic foods in the Spanish larder.

Charcuterie is generally made from pork from the Duroc, Landrace and Large White pig breeds.

"CHORIZO"

The paradigm of the former is "chorizo", which is matured not only by time and air but also by the salt and spices that are added to the pork, especially pimentón (a Spanish type of paprika), the main distinguishing ingredient.

"CHORIZO"

If you want to know more about the enormous variety of Spanish sausage products, you might have a look at the magazine "Foods from Spain", where you will find further details about the families and how they are made.

There is not a single region or district in Spain without its own, ancestral recipes and sausage-making traditions. Most of the products retain their local name and some have become known far from their place of origin, such as Teruel. 

Black truffle tasting menus at "Hotel Los Leones", Rubielos de Mora, Teruel, Spain.

Black truffle and the Rubielos de Mora Saint Mary´s Cathedral

Borage with clams, ham and black truffle

Teruel is the most famous Spanish province speaking about the "black diamond of the gastronomy":  black truffles (Tuber Melanosporum). Winter time is the perfect moment to come and enjoy the excellent and unique gastronomy with this delicacy.

The beautiful village Rubielos de Mora, (Spanish "citta slow") is one of the most reputed areas in Teruel when it comes to black truffles culture and gastronomy: http://www.rubielosdemora.es/

We kindly invite you to discover the " Hotel Los Leones" restaurant, to taste their special menus dedicated to the black truffle during its season: http://www.losleones.info/

Do you love Spanish gastronomy and Mediterranean diet?. Do not hesitate to visit our village and to taste and enjoy the original cook with ham and black truffle. You will never forget it!

In Antonio Mata, we are specialized in black truffles delicacies. For further information and of course if you want to buy truffles, you are welcome to visit our online shop.

JAMON DE TERUEL, THE OLDEST SPANISH P.O.D.(ORIGIN DESIGNATION).

EU P.O.D. JAMON DE TERUEL LABEL

www.jamondeteruel.com 

"JAMON DE TERUEL" is the registered trade mark refering to the oldest Spanish cured ham origin designation.

Teruel is a Spanish province belonging to Aragon (North of Spain).

To get more information about our famous JAMON DE TERUEL you can link to our English Brochure: HAM FROM TERUEL.

ANTONIO MATA is specialized in JAMON DE TERUEL, you are invited to visit our ecommerce: www.antoniomata.com to better discover our hams.

Jamon de Teruel Symbol