Name: Idiazabal Spanish Sheep Cheese
Place of Purchase: Wheatsfield Organic Co-op in Ames, Iowa
Country of Origin: SPAIN
Price in Iowa: $19.98/lb
Milk: Sheep
Processing: Twice-cooked, pressed and smoked
Texture: Firm
Color: Straw-yellow
Rind: Natural, but hard and inedible
Aroma: Sweet, piquant dairy
Taste: Nutty, warm umami, with a strong, fruity aftertaste
Mouth feel: firm, dry paste, but not crunchy
Notes: There are a few varieties of this Basque-style cheese. The cheesemonger at the Co-op says that this is a Navarre variety, that is well-aged and smoked. Which essentially means that this is a grinding cheese. I tried slicing off a piece for flavor and I had to switch to a serrated blade just to do that. The aroma, however, is a lovely bit of rich protein-filled dairy and sweet, smokey fruitiness. The flavor is equally exotic, with a beefy, nutty foreflavor and a smashingly fruity aftertaste. I ground what I had left for sprinkling over buttered bread or pasta. I look forward to a week of this delectable cheese.
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