Majorero is a goat milk cheese

Cheese

Cheese is a generic term for a diverse group of milk-based food products. Cheese is produced throughout the world in wide-ranging flavors, textures, and forms....

 from Spain

Spain

Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...

. Similar in texture to Manchego, this firm cheese has a milk

Milk

Milk is a white liquid produced by the mammary glands of mammals. It is the primary source of nutrition for young mammals before they are able to digest other types of food. Early-lactation milk contains colostrum, which carries the mother's antibodies to the baby and can reduce the risk of many...

y, nut

Nut (fruit)

A nut is a hard-shelled fruit of some plants having an indehiscent seed. While a wide variety of dried seeds and fruits are called nuts in English, only a certain number of them are considered by biologists to be true nuts...

ty flavour that goes well with various pear

Pear

The pear is any of several tree species of genus Pyrus and also the name of the pomaceous fruit of these trees. Several species of pear are valued by humans for their edible fruit, but the fruit of other species is small, hard, and astringent....

 products. It is pale white in colour, and comes in large wheels. Currently it is protected under European Law with PDO status.

Majorero comes from the island of Fuerteventura

Fuerteventura

Fuerteventura , a Spanish island, is one of the Canary Islands, in the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of Africa. It is situated at 28°20' north, 14°00' west. At 1,660 km² it is the second largest of the Canary Islands, after Tenerife...

 in the Canary Islands

Canary Islands

The Canary Islands , also known as the Canaries , is a Spanish archipelago located just off the northwest coast of mainland Africa, 100 km west of the border between Morocco and the Western Sahara. The Canaries are a Spanish autonomous community and an outermost region of the European Union...

. The word Mahorero (Majorero) is a Guanche

Guanche language

Guanche is an extinct language that was spoken by the Guanches of the Canary Islands until the 16th or 17th century. It is only known today through a few sentences and individual words recorded by early travellers, supplemented by several placenames, as well as some words assimilated into the...

 word still used today to describe the people of Fuerteventura. This island has a rich farming tradition, and goats were very important to their economy. It is from the Majorera

Majorera

The cabra majorera or Fuerteventura goat is a breed of dairy goat native to the Canary Islands. Majorero cheese is made from its milk.It is a particularly strong breed, and has been exported to Africa and Latin America.-External links:...

 goat

Goat

The domestic goat is a subspecies of goat domesticated from the wild goat of southwest Asia and Eastern Europe. The goat is a member of the Bovidae family and is closely related to the sheep as both are in the goat-antelope subfamily Caprinae. There are over three hundred distinct breeds of...

 that this particular cheese is made. The goat produces a thick, aromatic and high-fat milk.

Majorero cheese is usually available in three ways: in its natural rind rubbed with oil, rubbed with pimenta

Pimenta

Pimenta is a genus of the botanical family Myrtaceae. Well-known species include allspice and the West Indian bay tree Pimenta is a genus of the botanical family Myrtaceae. Well-known species include allspice (P. dioicia) and the West Indian bay tree Pimenta is a genus of the botanical family...

, or with roasted gofio

Cornmeal

Cornmeal is flour ground from dried maize or American corn. It is a common staple food, and is ground to fine, medium, and coarse consistencies. In the United States, the finely ground cornmeal is also referred to as cornflour. However, the word cornflour denotes cornstarch in recipes from the...

. The cheese has a slightly gummy texture. The taste is acidic, with a buttery but not salty taste. This cheese is very versatile, and can be used with pastas, potatoes and many vegetables.

Majorero cheese must be made with unpasteurized milk. After milking

Milking

Milking is the act of removing milk from the mammary glands of an animal, typically cows , water buffalo, goats, sheep and more rarely camels, horses and donkeys. Milking may be done by hand or by machine.-Hand milking:...

, lamb rennet is added and after an hour a curdle develops. This curdle must be beaten and drained to remove the whey

Whey

Whey or Milk Serum is the liquid remaining after milk has been curdled and strained. It is a by-product of the manufacture of cheese or casein and has several commercial uses. Sweet whey is manufactured during the making of rennet types of hard cheese like cheddar or Swiss cheese...

. The cheese is then heavily pressed and shaped. Dry salt is rubbed on the top. The cheese must be aired for several days before it can be eaten, or it can be set in dry rooms to age. After ageing, the cheese can be rubbed with oil or gofio to prevent excessive drying and give it different tastes and textures.