SKU: 2041

Idiazabal (smoked) – per 200g

£9.75

In Stock

About

Idiazabal is a traditional, farmhouse, hard cheese made from raw milk of Latxa or Carranza sheep in the Basque and Navarra regions of northern Spain.

Named after the village of Idiazabal, the cheese received Spanish D.O. (Denominacion de Origen) in 1987. In summer, the sheep migrate to higher pastures to graze on the blossoming, new grass. During this time, the artisanal cheesemakers milk the sheep, make the cheese and leave it in the rafters to mature. At the end of summer when the cheesemakers return back to the lowlands with their sheep, the cheese has ripened and is ready.

Idiazabal is produced in the shape of a cylinder, with a smooth and hard natural rind that is pale yellow to amber in colour. The cheese has a compact texture, with a few pinprick holes. It is dry, but not crumbly, and feels pleasantly oily in the mouth. The rind carries the marks of the wooden moulds in which it was drained. The characteristic, smoky flavour is the result of the cheeses having been stored near the fireplaces. There were no chimneys in the simple mountain huts, so the cheeses absorbed the sweet, aromatic smoke.

Check the range of Sheep’s Cheeses in Lunya online shop here.

Description

A wonderful, limited edition unpasteurised smoked shepherd’s cheese in the Basque country. Made with the raw milk from cheesemaker, Pedro Zuzarregui’s sheep, bred and raised on his own farm. Aged for 4 months, it has gentle smoke flavour, caramel and butterscotch flavours.  It pairs well with red wine and cider.

Additional Information

Product Size: 200g