The Ibores cheese is a Spanish

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...

 cheese made from unpasteurized goats’ milk in Extremadura

Extremadura

Extremadura is an autonomous community of western Spain whose capital city is Mérida. Its component provinces are Cáceres and Badajoz. It is bordered by Portugal to the west...

. It has Denomination of Origin protection and is made specifically in the districts of Ibores, Villuercas, La Jara y Trujillo in the south east of the province of Caceres

Cáceres

- Places :* Cáceres in Spain** Cáceres which covers the province* Cáceres, Spain, the capital of Cáceres Province* Cáceres, Antioquia, municipality in Colombia...

. It is a fatty cheese made exclusively from the milk of Serrana, Verata, Retinta breeds and crosses between them and only from farms registered with the regulatory council.
The cheeses are flat cylindrical and measure 5-9cms(2-3.5inches) high and 11-15cms(4-6inches) across. They weigh from 600-1200gm (1-2lbs).

Manufacture

The milk is coagulated by natural or some other authorised method when the milk is from 28-32C(F) and takes from 60–90 minutes. The curd is then cut to grains of 5-10mm(inches) and allowed to drain. The curd is then placed in moulds and subjected to a pressure of 1-2k/cm2 for 3-8 hours. After this the cheeses are salted, either dry salt rubbed onto the outside of the cheese or the cheese is immersed in a brine bath for a maximum of 24 hours. The cheeses are then allowed to mature for a minimum of 60 days. For the cheese to be labelled ‘artesanal’ it must have matured for at least 100 days.

Flavour

Gentle to moderate aroma of goat, a characteristic taste with some slight acidity, at times a little peppery and slightly salty. Some goat flavour in the after-taste.

Rind

Smooth and not too hard with a natural colour of straw to dark ochre if it has been rubbed with pimentón or olive

Olive

The olive , Olea europaea), is a species of a small tree in the family Oleaceae, native to the coastal areas of the eastern Mediterranean Basin as well as northern Iran at the south end of the Caspian Sea.Its fruit, also called the olive, is of major agricultural importance in the...

 oil. The rind of older cheeses may be coloured by various moulds which can populate the surface, a greyish or reddish-orange if rubbed with pimentón

Paprika

Paprika is a spice made from the grinding of dried fruits of Capsicum annuum . In many European languages, the word paprika refers to bell peppers themselves. The seasoning is used in many cuisines to add color and flavor to dishes. Paprika can range from mild to hot...

 and yellow ochre if oiled.

Texture

The cheese is ivory-white and firm. It has a buttery and moist texture and is friable but elastic. It has a few small cavities unevenly dispersed in the cheese.

External links

English Translation of Spanish Professional Cheesemakers website

English Translation of Spanish Government website