Cow’s milk cheeses are produced in Galicia, Cantabria, Cataluña and the Balearic Islands. Generally, a different breed of cattle is raised in each region. The Friesian produces large quantities of milk and is raised in Cataluña or Menorca. The brown Alpine is very frequently seen in mountainous regions. In addition, there are indigenous breeds like the Leonesa, Casina and the Pyrenee.
Tetilla: A very light, mild, creamy cheese from the region of Galicia in the Northwest. Its shape is similar to a woman’s bosom and is also known as perilla or “pear” cheese. It is soft and has almost no rind and few holes. Tetilla is a great cheese to use for melting.
San Simon: A tangy, semi-cured cheese from Galicia, matured for three weeks and then smoked over birch wood gives it an unusual flavor. Like Tetilla, San Simon is shaped like a pear, but it has a waxy, grey-brown rind. Its color depends on how mature it is and can range from white, if less cured to yellow if more cured. Generally, this semi-hard cheese is used as a tapa and not in recipes.
Arzua-Ulloa: A semi-cured cheese, from the region of Galicia, similar to Tetilla, but with a slightly stronger flavor due to longer ripening. It is a Denomination of Origin cheese and is known in the Galician language as queixo do país or “cheese from the land.” It is yellowish and creamy, with no holes and a smooth, clean, waxy rind.
Mahón:This cheese originates from the Balearic Island of Menorca, situated off the coast of Spain in the Mediterranean Sea and has a long history. It became known as Mahón cheese much later simply because it was exported through the port city, Mahón. There are three versions of this cheese – soft, semi-cured and cured. The soft version is white and has a thin rind. The semi-cured has an orange-colored rind and is firm, with small holes. It has a stronger flavor that is buttery and nutty at the same time. The cured version has a hard texture, is crumbly and has a stronger flavor. An unusual characteristic of this cheese is that during the cheese-making process, the milk is thickened with herbs, rather than animal rennet.
