Queso Valdeon

[Mallet]

I just bought some queso valdeon cheese from the supermarket (although it was labelled queso valdon) . the cheese counter guy there couldn't tell me much about it. our exchange was as follows:

me: wow, what kind of cheese it that?

clerk: it's blue cheese.

me: I can see that. what can you tell me about it?

clerk: nothing. it's from spain, and it's wrapped in grape leaves

*awkward silence*

Anyways, I bought 100 grams and tried it as soon as I got home. I love it! It's very strong and complex, but not overpowering. Can anyone tell me anything about it (typical age, what sort of milk etc..)?

Any other Spanish cheeses I'm missing (I'm sure there are lots)?

[Jason Perlow]

Valdeon is a Spanish blue cheese similar to Cabrales produced normally with a mix of raw cow's, goat's and sheep's milk, and aged between two and four months, although it is frequently aged for even longer periods than Cabrales. The main difference is that Valdeon is wrapped in Sycamore Maple leaves (not Grape) and is somewhat more pungent than Cabrales, at least according to my personal taste. Valdeon is a superior cheese to Cabrales in my opinion.

Valdeon Cheese Article at SFGate.com

Edited June 16, 2005 by Jason Perlow (log)

[JohnL]

One of the finest goat cheeses I have ever had was something called

"Suspiro de Cabra" from La Mancha.

This was several years ago--I have been unable to find it since.

Anyone familiar with this and better--anyone know where to find it?

[docsconz]

Valdeon is a superior cheese to Cabrales in my opinion.

←

I concur.

[vserna]

The relative quality depends strictly on the individual producer. Valdeón, Cabrales and Picón de Bejes-Tresviso are just the local names in (respectively) Castilla y León, Asturias and Cantabria of the same type of blue cheese, aged in natural caves in the Picos de Europa mountain range where those three Spanish regions converge.

It's interesting to search for different styles (creamier, drier, more or less pungent...) made by different shepherds in that spectacular area. Real Valdeón, Cabrales or Picón should be made artisanally, not industrially.

JohnL., please note that these blue cheeses are all from mixed milks (or sometimes, depending on the time of the year, single-type milk), and that the name Cabrales, a village in Asturias, has no relation with 'cabra' (goat). If I remember rightly, Suspiro de Cabra is the brand name for a 'torta', i.e. a soft, fermented, almost liquid round cheese of the same style as France's and Switzerland's Vacherin Mont d'Or, Spain's Torta del Casar, Torta de Castuera, Torta de La Serena and other assorted Extremadura 'tortas', and Portugal's Queijo da Serra and similar ones.

The originality of the Toledo 'tortas', one of which is this Suspiro (a name I haven't seen on Spanish shelves, and which seems reserved to the US market), is that they're the only ones of this type made with goat's milk - 'vacherin' is cow's milk, and the other Spanish and Portuguese 'tortas' and soft 'queijos' are sheep's milk.

This cheese has no appellation yet, so it doesn't appear on a Spanish government map of goat cheeses, but it is mentioned in this text, which explains that there are zillions of goat's milk cheeses in this country:

http://www.cheesefromspain.com/CFS/133Tipos_C_I.htm

[Mallet]

Thanks for all the info and suggestions! I think this cheese will make a regular appearance on my plate.

[Saborosa]

I read somewhere or was told that *generally* (of course there are variations) that valdeon was less pungent than cabrales (that's been my experience so far) and that this was because of the climatic difference between the cheese-making areas - cabrales being wetter therefore more mould is produced. Or is this complete rubbish (or goat-sighing as I may now start to call it)?

[vserna]

Urban legends, Saborosa. Or bucolic legends, as it were.

[slbunge]

One of the finest goat cheeses I have ever had was something called

"Suspiro de Cabra" from La Mancha.

This was several years ago--I have been unable to find it since.

Anyone familiar with this and better--anyone know where to find it?

←

Formaggio Kitchen here in Boston/Cambridge carries Torta de Cabra but their website (click) indicates they are currently out of stock. The other Tortas that they list on their site under Spanish cheeses tend to be fantastic as well. Formaggio Kitchen is one of the best handlers of European cheeses that I have ever encountered.

As an aside, I think the leaves used to wrap Valdeon and Cabrales can be dependent on the producer. My very favorite Valdeon whose name is lost in the fog of time (about 10 years ago) was wrapped in chestnut leaves.

[Bux]

I seem to have noticed that Banons in the US are wrapped in paper that looks like chestmut leaves. Is it still legal to import cheese wrapped in chestnut leaves?

[slbunge]

In my experience, yes. I have seen several varieties of Spanish cheese wrapped in Chestnut leaves.

[dfunghi]

I reccomend going to the Picos De Europa and visit the following towns ( villages)

Bejas / Treviso ( for Picon), Sotres ( cabrales), Posada de Valdeon ( Valdeon). Having been fortunate enough to vist all these places at different times and bought cheeses from several sources i would say that they differ more from producer to producer than town to town. One thing for sure is they all are very aromatic ( they stink!) and run from soft, spreadable consistancy to firm, crumbly cheese. They also run from mostly blue to slightly blue and sharp and salty to sweet and ethereal. My favorites have been from Sotres although they aree all good. If you do have a chance to visit these areas bring cash, ( small bills) some plastic wrap or ziplock bags, and just look for signs in windows "QUESO" or ask around where the cheese makers are. They range from small proffesional "kitchens" to home spun. The largest I saw was in Bejas and he produced maybe 75 - 100 cheeses a year. They will usually have a taste available or at least drill into the center to show you the blueing than "spackle" it back in. The range in price from 7 or 8 Euros ( less than a kilo) for small to mid sized and up to 12 - 14 euros ( 1 - 1.5 kilos) for larger ones. Always ask if they use RAW milk and when was the cheese first made. Summer milk is sweeter.

[dfunghi]

For cheese purests let me add that I know sealing cheese in bags or plastic wrap is not a good thing. However for short stays in order to get the cheese home little damage is done , plus you can always unwrap or open bags daily to let cheese breath. Once home just put in a bowl or cazuela covered with a damp towel. Put in fridge or pantry if you live in a cool climate ( 50 degrees or less)

[Pelayin]

I will add that the best cheese from Cabrales (and surroundings) arise in late summer - early autumn. And this because the best grass (is this correct in English when related to what the cattle eats?) is from spring, and it is grass what the animals eat to produce milk

So if you want the definitive experience, I strongly recommend september as the best time in the year for Cabrales.

P.

[Bux]

Yes, the herds eat grass when they are eating the fresh green stuff growing on t he ground. Later in the winter, I guess they eat dried hay and other feed.

[Pelayin]

Thanks Bux,

as you may know, most of the produce of Cabrales (and surroundings) is still done by shepherds that stay with the cattle in the mountains for most part of the year. And, thus, they eat fresh grass.

Best,

P.