Queijo Serra da Estrela: a unique cheese recipe passed down from generation to generation

Queijo Serra da Estrela: a unique cheese recipe passed down from generation to generation

27 Apr 2018

27 Apr 2018

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Queijo Serra da Estrela: a unique cheese recipe passed down from generation to generation

We met our friend Pierre at his vineyard Quinda de Lemos in Viseu on a beautiful Saturday morning to go discover the renowned cheese from the Serra da Estrela area, located an hour away. We sat at the back of the van with his kids. The centre of Portugal had recently been devastated by unprecedented forest fires and Pierre showed us the devastating effects it had on the surrounding area while we were driving. The smell was coming through the windows and the burnt-out fields gave the landscape a apocalyptic atmosphere. We all observed the scene closely and witnessing that burnt to ashes site disturbed us very much. Thankfully our destination had not been affected by the wildfires.

We were expected at the Queijaria Do Armindo cheese shop, located in the small village of Cativelos, at the base of a preserved mountain chain called the Serra da Estrela. These mountains have a culminating point of 2000 metres and they welcome many sheep herds who produce the milk that contributed to the cheese’s reputation.

The shepherd was taking his herds out of the pen when we arrived. The sheep were being watched by a sheepdog, a famous breed of the Serra da Estrela area. We began walking with them under the rising sun. While chatting with the herder, I learned that these shepherds walk their herds all day to take them to meadows where they can browse freely.

Since the walk was going to take a long time and we still needed to attend the cheese production, we had to turn around with a bit of reluctance and we went back to the cheese shop. The lovely couple of owners was awaiting us to explain the unique and flavourful production process of that famous cheese.

Armindo produces his cheese following his dad recipe, which originated from an artisanal technique that was proven successful for several generations. The secret ingredient: thistle flowers plucked that very morning in the surrounding mountains. The infusion made with it is used to coagulate the milk, and it gives the cheese a singular taste. The cheese can be consumed fresh right after production, or it can be aged for several weeks.

After visiting the cheese lab came the time to sample these fresh products made with a perfect balance of love and skills. Armindo and his wife invited us to join them in their side of the house, right next to the cheese factory. They welcomed us in a light-flooded room where they arranged few fresh cheese wheels on the table, along with a good bottle of their homemade wine. The cheesemaker took that opportunity to share his story with us. He invested all of his life, business and passion into the cheese company that he initially inherited from his dad, who started it to hand it down to him. The already delicious cheese becomes even tastier once we became aware of the devotion and affection put in its production process.

After all, this hundred-year-old recipe results from a harmonious collaboration amongst the inhabitants of the mountain. By perpetuating this culinary tradition, the cheesemaker, the shepherd, the sheep, the dogs and the flowers are maintaining the reputation of the mountain. It is also their way of expressing their gratefulness to the lucky star that watches over them.

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