Notes
What is queijo da Serra cheese?
“This is the reigning monarch of Portuguese cheese and has been for more than eight hundred years. Produced from the raw milk of Bordaleira sheep that graze on Beira Alta’s soaring Serra da Estrela mountain range, hence the name, queijo da Serra is still a handmade, artisanal cheese. Because of the work involved, each maker can turn out at most three wheels a day, but the EU is pressuring makers to automate the process. The cheese is produced in colder months, primarily from November to March, and it undergoes a four- to six-week maturation process. Initially, the cheese is sumptuously, creamily soft, and the linen-wrapped wheels are traditionally served with their tops shorn off and spoons are passed around for scooping. As it ages, the cheese firms up but never hardens.”
How to pick the perfect queijo da Serra?
To pick a perfect wedge or wheel, definitely poke. The rind should yield under even the slightest pressure. And always serve the cheese at room temperature, taking it out of the fridge up to three hours in advance if necessary. If you’re bereft of queijo da Serra in your area, you can order it online or you can substitute Spain’s queso de la Serena or an Italian Taleggio, an oozy, deliciously stinky cow’s milk cheese.
