Cheese tastes very good, it's not a secret, but what secrets don't you know about cheese? To resolve doubts and clarify concepts in the context of World Cheese Day, we chatted with Álvaro Ocaña, one of the most renowned fromeliers in our country.
Thanks to the great variety of climate, land and breeds of cows, sheep and goats that exist in Spain, the large quantity and variety of cheeses in Spanish territory is derived. And not only quantity is the trademark of the house, but also quality, as certified by the Sevillian and finalist of the Young Cheesemonger of the Year, the most important fromelier competition in the world.
Despite the great variety of cheese and how much we like it, “in Spain we have very little cheese-making training,” says Álvaro Ocaña, who with his cart of more than 45 references tries to adapt to the customer's tastes with just three questions: intensities, elaboration and creaminess, playing with the optimal ripening points of each cheese.
And the fact is that “cheese is alive”, defends the fromelier who, thanks to his knowledge, is able to select the appropriate variety for each diner: “The most important thing is to have different types of cheese to be able to cover as much as possible and thus satisfy the customer. ”. Thus, his proposal is based on tables of 4 to 6 varieties that travel from milder flavors to more intense proposals. To refresh the palate between cheese and cheese, he advises combining them with toast and Granny Smith apple.
“Each cheese has its moment and every moment has its cheese” so it invites us to adapt, enjoy and get to know different varieties depending on the moment in which we find ourselves (a family dinner, a date, a tasting, etc.). The expert, who has worked in some renowned restaurants in the country with Michelin Stars, bets without hesitation on national cheeses with Protected Designation of Origin: “In Spain we have a wide variety of very high quality cheeses that are recognized all over the world” . So, when in doubt, it is better to opt for a protected national cheese.
Ocaña reveals that the three cheeses that cannot be missing in your refrigerator are: a lactic cheese, which is a type of cheese that is characterized by its preparation, it is creamy and has a touch of acidity, like TGT's Ahuyentalobos. A cured cheese with a toffee or caramel aroma that is perfect for cooking a delicious pasta, like the delicious 7 Coronas Tostado, and a blue cheese, not very strong and creamy, like Roncari Blue.
Although the expert's favorite cheese, within the wide range of TGT Cheeses, is the Ronkari DOP from the Roncal Valley for its creaminess and aroma, made with raw milk from Latxa sheep, "the characteristics of the area in which the sheep are found and “Seasonality is the elements that make the difference in the quality of the milk.” This is how its location in the high mountains, specifically in the Navarrese Pyrenees, where sheep graze freely and with a marked seasonality, make Ronkari a high quality cheese.
