Zamorano

I recently enjoyed a new kind of Spanish cheese (new to me, at any rate): Zamorano, a raw sheep's milk cheese from the region of Castile-León. The name comes from the city of Zamora, a provincal capital in Castile-León. Spanish shepherding families are said to have been handcrafting this cheese from the milk of the region's Churra and Castellano sheep for centuries.

Zamorano is a somewhat hard, pale cheese with a slightly sharp, buttery flavor. It is often compared to Manchego, though it is less dry and has a richer, nuttier flavor. During the three to nine month aging process its rind is brushed and rubbed with olive oil.

Zamorano pairs well with smoked meats, pears, tomatoes, and red wines such as Rioja, Zinfandel (the red, not the pink kind) and Cabernet. I highly recommend this very flavorful Spanish cheese.

(Buffalo readers: I bought my sample of Zamorano at the Lexington Co-Op.)

Photo credit: Jon Sullivan