Garrotxa cheese

Garrotxa
Country of origin Spain
Region, town Garrotxa, Catalonia
Source of milk Goats
Pasteurized Yes
Texture Semifirm
Aging time 1 to 2 months
Certification None

Garrotxa is a traditional Catalan goat's milk cheese.[1] Almost extinct by the early 1980s, it has been revived by a young cheesemakers and goat farmers' cooperative in the Garrotxa area of Catalonia.[1][2] The revival began in 1981,[3] and the cheese has since become widespread in artisanal production.[4]

Garrotxa is traditionally made from the milk of Murciana goats and aged in caves to enhance mold development and the resulting flavor.[1] Garrotxa is described as having a powdery gray or grayish-blue rind, a firm texture, an ivory-colored interior, and an earthy flavor.[1][4] The cheese is semi-soft.[4] Cheese wheels of Garrotxa are small (typically around three pounds) and mature relatively quickly in the humid Pyrenees.[2] Maturing time varies, but is typically between four and eight weeks.[2][3] The cheese is pasteurized.[2][4][5]

Garrotxa pairs well with crusty country bread,[1] pears,[1] and nuts, such as toasted hazelnuts,[1] or almonds or walnuts.[3] It may be served as tapas or at the end of a meal.[3] Garrotxa is sometimes described as a dessert cheese.[6] The cheese is mildly acidic.[7]

Wine pairing include white wines such as a Catalan Priorat,[3] or Pinot Gris, Verdejo, or Chardonnay with "texture to complement the cheese's buttery sweetness," or fino or dry amontillado sherry, to bring out the cheese's nuttiness.[2]

Some Catalans are seeking designation of origin status for Garrotxa.[4]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Ari Weinzweig. Zingerman's Guide to Good Eating (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2003), p. 275.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 Janet Fletcher, Cheese & Wine: A Guide to Selecting, Pairing, and Enjoying (Chronicle Books, 2007), p. 70.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 Juliet Harbutt, The World Cheese Book (Penguin, 2009), p. 156.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 John W. Fischer, Cheese: Identification, Classification, Utilization (Cengage: 2010), p. 69.
  5. ↑ Max McCalman & David Gibbons, Mastering Cheese: Lessons for Connoisseurship from a Maître Fromager (Random House: 2009), p. 151.
  6. ↑ Janet Fletcher, Cheese & Beer (Andrews McMeel Publishing, 2013), p. 62.
  7. ↑ Suzanne Maher & Andy Pforzheimer, The Barcelona Cookbook: A Celebration of Food, Wine, and Life (Andrews McMeel Publishing, 2009), p. 106.
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