Description
The Queso de Valdeón PGI is a fat cheese, made only with cows' milk or cows' milk mixed with goats' or sheep's.
Production Area
The production area of Queso de Valdeón PGI covers only the area of Posada, in the municipal area of León, in the region of Castilla y León.
Production Method
The milk used is curdled for 60-120 minutes, during which the Penicillium is injected at a temperature of 28-32°C. After the breaking of the curds, the paste is left for 14-17 minutes, after which there is a process to extract the whey and the paste is then left to rest again in cylindrical moulds. Dry salting is then made on both sides. Finally holes are made in the dough to air the inside. Ripening takes place in rooms with humidity over 85% and lasts up to two months for cheese produced with raw milk, and a month and a half for those with pasteurised milk. Battuto cheese is made from raw milk, the rind is then removed and it is reduced to pieces and mixed.
Appearance and Flavour
Queso de Valdeón PGI Whole has a cylindrical shape; the paste is mouldy and has a bright ivory-cream colour. Inside it has holes of various sizes and is of a greenish-blue colour. The rind is soft and thin and yellowish in colour. Queso de Valdeón PGI Beaten has an oily, creamy consistency. Both versions have a flavour which is spicy, sourish, salted and melt in the mouth.
History
Queso de Valdeón PGI history goes back thousands of years ago. Indeed in the pre-Roman era the cheese was made from goat's milk in the Valdeón area. Over the centuries this activity has expanded becoming an important resource. Cheese ripening boasts characteristic methods, as in the past it took place in grottos.
Gastronomy
Queso de Valdeón PGI should be kept in a very fresh area or in the refrigerator, wrapped in tin foil. When kept in the refrigerator, it is advisable to remove it an hour before eating, so as it can regain it characteristic flavour. It is perfect to prepare sauces for the white risotto, boiled potatoes and white bread with a salad. Queso de Valdeón PGI goes perfectly with dry white wines or new red wines.
Marketing
The product is sold as Queso de Valdeón PGI in the varieties: Whole or Beaten. When sold whole it is wrapped in maple leaves, and then a protective transparent cover.
Distinctive Features
Queso de Valdeón PGI owes its particular flavour to the mountain microclimate of the area of Valdeón, which is particularly suited to the development of microbic flora which characterise this type of cheese.
