Cabrales cheese of cow 550 grams approx

Cabrales Cheese is an Asturian cheese, made naturally and by hand by the farmers of the area, with raw cow's milk or with a mixture of two or three kinds of milk: cow, sheep and goat.
After its production, the cheese is transferred to the natural caves in the mountains, where the maturation process begins, which lasts between two and four months. These caves present the ideal natural conditions for the maturation of Cabrales: a humidity of 90% and a temperature that oscillates between 8 ° C and 12 ° C. In addition, these environmental conditions allow the development of molds in the cheese, which then They are presented in the form of greenish-blue streaks. Cabrales cheese is characterized by its slightly spicy flavor, especially when it has been made with goat and sheep milk, both pure and mixed.

Once matured, Cabrales cheese has the following characteristics: a cylindrical shape, 7 to 15 centimeters high; a soft, thin bark, gray in color with reddish-yellow areas; a creamy and compact paste, with different degrees of cohesion; a minimum humidity of 30%; and a fat content of at least 45% on the dry extract.

For marketing, the cheese is wrapped in green aluminum foil. The presentation also includes the manufacturer's label and the back label of the Regulatory Council, the body in charge of guaranteeing authenticity, quality and compliance with the rules of the Cabrales Protected Designation of Origin.

How to know if a Cabrales cheese is of good quality?

According to the tasting manual and the conditions imposed by the PDO, there are a series of minimum parameters to determine the quality of a Cabrales cheese. Some of these parameters are appearance, texture, and olfactory-gustatory characteristics.

To evaluate the appearance of Cabrales cheese, it is convenient to focus on the following aspects:

The shape: the cheese must have a cylindrical shape, but also its heels must be straight or slightly convex. The weight must vary between 0.750 g and 4 kilograms.
The bark: the maturation takes place in the natural caves of the high mountains of Asturias. Due to the high humidity of these environments, the Cabrales bark is soft and thin. It does not have to present cracks, the color must be orange-brown or grayish and it must be muddy to the touch.

The color of the pasta: it must present an ivory white hue, which may present small variations, according to the type of milk used in the preparation. The color must be homogeneous throughout the mass, characterized by its bluish green streaks, due to the growth of the "Penicillium" type fungus.

Characteristics of the development of Penicillium: the fungus will spread throughout the mass. The color of Penicillium is bluish-green, and can vary from light to dark depending on the time of maturation; however, it should never turn black.

To analyze the texture of Cabrales, we must pay attention to the firmness of the pasta. Although it depends on the ripening time, its optimum quality is found in the semi-soft or soft consistencies. Both guarantee that the cheese has been matured in the natural caves for the necessary time. The texture must be homogeneous throughout the dough.

If we want to evaluate the olfactory-gustatory characteristics of Cabrales, we have to look at the smell, taste and taste. The smell of Cabrales cheese is intense and penetrating, but also clean, pleasant and fruity. The taste should be salty, bitter, sour and spicy, but also balanced. For its part, the residual taste emphasizes the flavor that the cheese leaves on the palate once ingested: it must persist for a few minutes.

 

We already know: if the Cabrales cheese has dimensions different from those mentioned, if its taste is too salty or bitter, if the color of the pasta looks rather brown and does not present bluish green areas, if we can barely distinguish the growth of the fungus "Penicillium" and the texture tends to crack, if its aroma is weak and confusing and the aftertaste that remains after ingesting it seems rancid, then, we are faced with an imitation of Cabrales cheese , that is, a cheese that has not It has been elaborated according to the traditional techniques incorporated in the PDO nor with the native raw materials of the Asturias areas registered as legitimate for the elaboration of the cheese. We are facing not endorsed by the Regulatory Council.

Now you can enjoy the unique flavor of Cabrales cheese. With all you know, they won't be able to sell you the copy instead of the authentic Asturias cheese.