Torta del Casar
Encyclopedia
Torta del Casar is a cheese made from sheep's milk in the Extremadura
region of Spain
. It is named after Casar de Cáceres
, its city of origin. The milk is curdled using a coagulant
found in the pistils of the cardoon
, a wild thistle. This ingredient lends a subtle bitterness to the otherwise rich and slightly salty tasting cheese. It is aged for at least sixty days. The fully ripe cheese has a creamy consistency in the center, and is traditionally eaten by slicing off the top and scooping out the inside.
In 1999, the cheese was given protected-origin status
, regulations that stipulate not only where it can be produced, but also that it can only be made with the milk of Merino
and Entrefina sheep. These breeds have a low yield of milk, and it takes the milk of 20 sheep to make a 2.2-pound wheel of Torta del Casar.
Torta del Casar is produced commercially today by eight family-run dairies. Only about 10 percent of the production is exported from Spain.
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...
region of Spain
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...
. It is named after Casar de Cáceres
Casar de Cáceres
Casar de Cáceres is a municipality located in the province of Cáceres, Extremadura, Spain. According to the 2005 census , the municipality has a population of 4848 inhabitants....
, its city of origin. The milk is curdled using a coagulant
Coagulant
Coagulant can refer to:* flocculation* coagulation agent...
found in the pistils of the cardoon
Cardoon
The cardoon , also called the artichoke thistle, cardone, cardoni, carduni or cardi, is a thistle-like plant in the aster family Asteraceae. It is the naturally occurring form of the same species as the globe artichoke, and has many cultivated varieties...
, a wild thistle. This ingredient lends a subtle bitterness to the otherwise rich and slightly salty tasting cheese. It is aged for at least sixty days. The fully ripe cheese has a creamy consistency in the center, and is traditionally eaten by slicing off the top and scooping out the inside.
In 1999, the cheese was given protected-origin status
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...
, regulations that stipulate not only where it can be produced, but also that it can only be made with the milk of Merino
Merino
The Merino is an economically influential breed of sheep prized for its wool. Merinos are regarded as having some of the finest and softest wool of any sheep...
and Entrefina sheep. These breeds have a low yield of milk, and it takes the milk of 20 sheep to make a 2.2-pound wheel of Torta del Casar.
Torta del Casar is produced commercially today by eight family-run dairies. Only about 10 percent of the production is exported from Spain.