Description
The Queijo de Évora PDO is a cheese made with the milk from the Merino breed of sheep.
Production Area
Queijo de Évora PDO cheese is made in the district of Évora.
Production Method
The sheep are reared naturally and feed on the abundant, natural vegetation of the pasture land in the region. The time between milking and the start of the cheese making process is one hour. The raw milk is filtered through a muslin cloth which has been filled with a large amount of salt to produce a salty cheese. The milk is then heated over a low, wood burning fire. The coagulant used is an infusion of the local, naturally occurring Cardoon flower petals (Cynara cardunculus). Coagulation takes from 20 minutes to 40 minutes. Once the whey has been removed the cheese is placed in moulds with barely any pressure applied. The maturing process takes 30 days for a semi-hard cheese and 90 days for a hard cheese, at a temperature of between 8°C and 15°C and a humidity of 80% to 95%. The cheeses are turned twice a day and at the end of the maturing process are washed and cleaned.
Appearance and Flavour
Queijo de Évora PDO cheese has a well formed smooth, or slightly wrinkled, yellowish coloured rind. It is cylindrical, between 2 cm and 4 cm thick with a diameter of between 6 cm and 14 cm. It has a distinctive aroma and taste, slightly spicy and acidic, which is more accentuated in the harder versions.
History
Queijo de Évora PDO cheese is part of the ancient cheese making tradition of the Alentejo region, which developed because of the abundant supply of sheep's milk in the area. Cheese was an important source of food for the local rural community and its production was a way of life. In the distant past it was also used as a form of currency when even salaries were paid in the form of food.
Gastronomy
Queijo de Évora PDO cheese must be stored at a temperature of between 0°C and 10°C. It can be eaten as a snack, a starter or with an aperitif. It is ideal with a slice of crusty fresh bread and a glass of good local red wine.
Marketing
This cheese is sold as Queijo de Évora PDO. It is either sold as it is or wrapped in cling film clearly labelled, bearing a seal of guarantee and its PDO certification. It may also be sold in prepacked portions.
Distinctive Features
The famed quality of Queijo de Évora PDO cheese is closely linked to the deeply rooted rural tradition of livestock rearing in this area, which has always been a principal source of food for the local inhabitants of the region and the fine cheese making tradition.
