Castelo Branco Cheese (DOP)

Queijo de Castelo Branco is a typical handmade cured cheese with a half-compact or half-soft paste, slightly yellow with a few holes, obtained after raw sheep’s milk coagulation by infusion of "Cynara Cardunculus" thistle. It has a yellowish shade rind, a strong, distinctive aroma, but a mild and particular flavour.

Castelo Branco

Castelo Branco (meaning "white castle") spreads over the eastern slope of a small hill rising from a vast plateau. In 1851, the town was thus described by Alexandre Herculano:«The Beira Baixa, when one looks round, looks like a plain, and on its middle rises the hill of Castelo Branco, whose eastern slope the town brightens.» The situation endowed Castelo Branco with all the features of a fortress town and, for centuries, determined its purposes and duties. Its defensive function is witnessed by the Castle, erected in a good strategic position, from where, in a clear day, can be seen all of the upper course of the River Tagus, right up to the border.

For further information visit Castelo Branco official Web Site

Serra da Estrela Cheese (DOP)

This 12th century DOP cheese is famous throughout the world for its unique character and intense flavor. Made in the mountains of Serra da Estrela (also a national park), in the Beiras region, this traditional washed rind farmhouse cheese is described as the "king of Portuguese cheeses".

The Bordaleira ewes thrive on a diet of wild herbs, scrub, gorse blossoms and brambles, producing thick, luscious, aromatic milk. Serra da Estrela is handmade in small batches using wild thistle (Cynara cardunculus) to coagulate the milk. The curds are broken by hand instead of cut. It takes an average of three hours to make one cheese and only two or three are made per day. After the wheel is salted, it is then wrapped in cloth and aged in caves.

It is available in two stages of ripeness, that correspond to two kinds of texture:"Amanteigado" (like butter) - this is when Queijo Serra da Estrela is younger, the rind is sticky and pungent and the interior is so creamy that it is almost spoonable; "Curado" (cured) - as it ages, the rind becomes harder and smoother with the interior becoming denser and sliceable. Either way, this is an incredible Portuguese treasure. It has a perfumed intensity and a sweet grassy taste that is fruity and mildly bitter. All that's needed is some fresh crusty bread and a bottle of wine. Perfect!

Mondegueiro Cheese

Mondegueiro is a deliciously herbaceous raw sheep's milk cheese from north-central Portugal. Traditionally, the soft, gooey and mild paste is scooped out of its leathery clothbound rind with pieces of hearty peasant bread. As the wheels age, their texture becomes harder and chewier. Mondegueiro is a smaller version of the Serra da Estrela, made by the same cheesemaker from the same herd of sheep. Mondegueiro makes a beautiful presentation for just a couple of people or as a part of a cheese selection for a larger group. Pair this cheese with spicier reds. Each wheel weighs approximately one pound.

Rabaçal Cheese (DOP)

Produced in Beira Litoral region, 200 km north of Lisbon, Rabaçal is a cheese weighing about 1 kg, with a white curd, most often served when fresh. You'll find Rabaçal cheeses made from goat's milk or a mixture of milk, but they're only derivatives - though sometimes honorable ones - of the real thing. The geographical area of production includes some areas in the villages of Penela, Alvaiázere, Ansião, Condeixa-a-Nova, Soure and Pombal.

Requeijão Cheese

Requeijao is produced from whey, the residue of cheese production.
About 10% whole milk is added to the whey and the mixture is heated (hence the Italian name ricotta, meaning recooked), and skimmed. The skimmed thin cream is placed into round wicker baskets and drained. This produces the requeijao, literally "re-cheese", low in fat and according to local tradition, it may be served with honey, pumpkin jam, or merely sprinkled with sugar and cinnamon.The best known requeijao is from Serra da Estrela, followed by that from the Saloios region near Lisbon.

Amarelo da Beira Baixa Cheese (DOP)

This is a raw sheep and goat milk cheese from Portugal's Beira Baixa region, located between Portugal's central mountains and the Spanish border. Made with animal rennet, Amarelo has a yellowish paste and small irregular holes; its texture ranges from semi-soft to firm. The flavor of this artisan cheese reflects its homeland: rugged and rustic with a hint of Portugal's sea salt.

Not a cheese for the faint of heart, Amarelo has a distinctive aroma and a forceful, buttery flavor. Along with its piquancy, the cheese parts with a pleasant sensation. Grassy overtones of sheep's milk develop as they linger, leaving you with the desire to take another bite. Pair Amarelo with Pinot Noir or other, spicier reds that can bring out the rich, earthy flavors of the milk.

Picante da Beira Baixa Cheese (DOP)

Picante da Beira Baixa, or Picante, is a hard, piquant, highly salted traditional cheese handcrafted from a mixture of raw sheep and goat's milks. This is dark white to grey coloured cheese weighting between 400 g to 1.000 g. It’s also caled “queimoso” (burning) due to strong burning flavor and peculiar intense smell.

This is a cheese only advised for the fans of strong flavors. It comes mainly from Serra da Gardunha mountain range located beyond the Estrela mountain range, in the Central region of Portugal. With its peak (“Pirâmide”) at about 1224 meters high, mainly dominated by Granite rocks. This area presents excellent conditions for the practice of Paragliding activities.