La Dama Sagrada: From the region of La
Mancha—home to Manchego—comes this
moderately priced gem from raw goat's milk.
The "sacred lady" is a six-pound pressed wheel
formed in the same basket-weave molds used
for Manchego, so there's a family resemblance.
The creamery releases it at six months, longer
than most Manchego, yielding a firm, brittle, yet
shaveable interior with those sought-after protein
crystals. The aroma is nutty with hints of pale
caramel or cajeta, and the flavor is sweet, with a
bright, tart finish. This one is hard to stop nibbling.
Etxegarai: Even people who don't like smoked
cheese will enjoy Etxegarai, a delicately smoked
Basque wheel made from raw sheep's milk. A six-
pound cheese matured for about six months, it has
a subtle wood-fired scent that complements, but
doesn't dominate, the other aromas of lemon and
warm butter. The texture is silkier than you might
expect in a cheese of this age; it is supple enough
to shave with a plane. Say Etch-eh-gah-ray, more
or less.
Cabra al Gofio: Another new creation from the
Canary Islands, this 100 percent goat's milk wheel
is similar to Majorero but smaller (two pounds)
and younger (two months). The flavor is sweet, the
texture moist, and the aroma reminiscent of dulce
de leche. Gofio is a type of corn flour used in the
islands' cooking; the wheels are rubbed with it to
give the cross-hatched rind a distinctive appearance.
Los Cameros: From the Rioja region, this mixed-
milk stunner incorporates cow's, goat's, and sheep's
milk to irresistible effect. Weighing about seven
pounds and matured for six months, the cheese
smells of brown butter, roasted nuts, and warm
cream, and delivers sweet yet tangy flavor. With its
natural rind and pale ivory interior, Los Cameros
looks like sheep cheese, but the blend is typically
60 percent cow's milk. Given the quality and long
aging, the wheel is remarkably well priced.
PHOTO: FRANCESCO SAPIENZA
PHOTO: FOREVER CHEESE
PHOTO: FRANCESCO SAPIENZA
Cabra al Gofio
PHOTO: FOREVER CHEESE
Etxegarai
PHOTO: FOREVER CHEESE
La Dama Sagrada Malvarosa
26 SPECIALTY FOOD SPECIALTYFOOD.COM
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