Idiazábal
$45.00 / Lb
- Raw
- Animal Rennet
- Age: 6 Months
- Sheep Milk
- Spain
- ApproachableAdventurous
- SoftHard
The milk of Latxa and Carrazana sheep is used to make Idiazábal, a Basque D.O. or Denominación de Origen cheese. Similar to its Spanish cousin Manchego, it has a buttery, nutty profile, but Idiazábal is lightly smoked, giving it a particular depth of flavor and smoky essence. This sheep’s milk cheese is both gamy and snackable, and should be paired with rich, savory Spanish meats like Jamon Serrano or Palacios Mild Chorizo.
“I am a sucker for smoked cheese. Our Idiazábal is unmatched by comparison to other iterations I have tried. To me, its subtle smokiness never overpowers the buttery flavors of the paste. The salt level is balanced as well, making it one of my favorite snacking cheeses or salad toppings. When I want to dress it up, I briefly marinate it in good olive oil, chile and fresh rosemary, or I will skewer it, pintxo-style, with cherry tomatoes or peppadews!”
Ewe´s Raw Milk, Lysozyme,Salt, Lactic Ferments And Rennet
Allergens: Eggs, Milk
- Idiazábal is a traditional Basque cheese, made from the unpasteurized milk of Latxa and/or Carrazana sheep.
- Idiazábal has been name protected since 1987. One of the stipulations is that lamb rennet be used.
- The D.O. (name protection) of this cheese allows—but does not require—the cheese to be smoked. This harkens back a few centuries to when the cheese was hung up to dry over the fireplace.
- The optional smoking takes place at the end of the aging process, using beech, birch, cherry or white pine wood.
- Similar to Manchego, Idiazábal has a firm texture dotted with tiny “eyes” or holes.
When you receive your cheese, unpack the order and refrigerate the items. We recommend using the cheese paper we send most of our products in to store the cheese. The cheese paper helps cover the items and stop them from drying out, while also allowing the cheese to breathe. Since cheese is mold, it's a living thing! If you cut off air circulation to the cheese, you can actually cause it to suffocate and spoil at a faster rate.
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