Serra da Estrela cheese
Encyclopedia
Serra da Estrela is a cheese
from the cold and mountainous region of Serra da Estrela in Portugal
, which has been granted PDO
status in the European Union
. Its production has very rigorous rules and is limited to the region consisting of the municipalities of Seia
, Nelas
, Mangualde, Celorico da Beira
, Tondela
, Gouveia
, Penalva do Castelo
, Fornos de Algodres
and Carregal do Sal
.
It is made from sheep's milk, mostly during the months of November to March. Its maturation period has specific norms and must last thirty days at least. The texture of the paste varies depending on its age, from a very soft semi-liquid when young, to a soft but sliceable solid when older. It is a cured cheese created by artisanal
producers with a white or slightly yellow color and a uniform creamy consistency with at most a few small holes in it. Its particular qualities result from slow draining of curdled raw sheep's milk which has been coagulated by using local Cynara cadunculus
thistle rather than rennet.
The cheese is formed into a somewhat irregular wheel with slightly bulging sides and upper surface. It typically has a soft well-formed rind, smooth and thin with a uniform straw-yellow colour, and is traditionally bound in cloth.
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 the cold and mountainous region of Serra da Estrela in Portugal
Portugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
, which has been granted PDO
Protected designation of origin
Protected Geographical Status is a legal framework defined in European Union law to protect the names of regional foods. Protected Designation of Origin , Protected Geographical Indication and Traditional Speciality Guaranteed are distinct regimes of geographical indications within the framework...
status in the European Union
European Union
The European Union is an economic and political union of 27 independent member states which are located primarily in Europe. The EU traces its origins from the European Coal and Steel Community and the European Economic Community , formed by six countries in 1958...
. Its production has very rigorous rules and is limited to the region consisting of the municipalities of Seia
Seia
Seia Municipality is located in Guarda District in Portugal. It has a total area of 435.7 km² and a total population of 27,574 inhabitants. Its urban population is about 7,000...
, Nelas
Nelas
Nelas is a municipality in Portugal with a total area of 125.7 km² and a total population of 14,504 inhabitants.The municipality is composed of 9 parishes and is located in the district of Viseu....
, Mangualde, Celorico da Beira
Celorico da Beira
Celorico da Beira is a municipality in Portugal with a total area of 247.2 km² and a total population of 8,752 inhabitants.The municipality is composed of 22 parishes, and is located in Guarda District.Main town: Celorico da Beira, near the Mondego River....
, Tondela
Tondela
Tondela is a municipality in Portugal with a total area of 371.2 km² and a total population of 31,026 inhabitants.The municipality is composed of 26 parishes and is located in Viseu District....
, Gouveia
Gouveia
Gouveia is a city and a municipality in Portugal with a total area of 300.6 km² and a total population of 15,792 inhabitants. The city itself has a population of 3,759....
, Penalva do Castelo
Penalva do Castelo
Penalva do Castelo is a municipality in Portugal with a total area of 134.2 km² and a total population of 8,768 inhabitants.The municipality is composed of 13 parishes and is located in the district Viseu....
, Fornos de Algodres
Fornos de Algodres
Fornos de Algodres is a municipality and a town in Portugal with a total area of 131.5 km² and a total population of 5,435 inhabitants. The municipality is composed of 16 parishes, and is located in Guarda District, Centro Region, Serra da Estrela Subregion...
and Carregal do Sal
Carregal do Sal
Carregal do Sal is a municipality in Portugal with a total area of 116.9 km² and a total population of 10,555 inhabitants.The municipality is composed of seven parishes and is located in Viseu District....
.
It is made from sheep's milk, mostly during the months of November to March. Its maturation period has specific norms and must last thirty days at least. The texture of the paste varies depending on its age, from a very soft semi-liquid when young, to a soft but sliceable solid when older. It is a cured cheese created by artisanal
Artisan cheese
Artisan cheese is manufactured by hand using the traditional craftsmanship of skilled cheesemakers. As a result the cheeses are often more complex in taste and variety. Many are aged and ripened to achieve certain aesthetics...
producers with a white or slightly yellow color and a uniform creamy consistency with at most a few small holes in it. Its particular qualities result from slow draining of curdled raw sheep's milk which has been coagulated by using local Cynara cadunculus
Cynara
Cynara is a genus of about 10 species of thistle-like perennial plants in the family Asteraceae, originally from the Mediterranean region, northwestern Africa, and the Canary Islands....
thistle rather than rennet.
The cheese is formed into a somewhat irregular wheel with slightly bulging sides and upper surface. It typically has a soft well-formed rind, smooth and thin with a uniform straw-yellow colour, and is traditionally bound in cloth.