Portuguese Cheese--Serra de Estrela

[John Trombley]

For Roy and Friends,

Finally I've found that there's some Serra de Estrela in several places around the US. I've been on the lookout for it for the last year or so, since it was mentioned by Our Fearless Leader.

Today I took delivery of a wheel from IGourmet, the easiest and fastest way for me to get it.

Now--what do I do with it? I've got a nice young mid-level VP airing (Feist '95) (so far--sweet prune juice, cherries, and tobacco smoke, underlain with gobs of vanilla). (Opened it as soon as the cheese arrived.)

Thanks in advance for any suggestions. I took some pics of the wheel just in case someone wanted to see an image of the label.

John H (Sweetstuff) Trombley

[Glenn E.]

ooh, iGourmet has Serra da Estrela???

I'd just serve it room temp (or slightly cooler) with plain crackers. It goes great with VP!

[Glenn E.]

Now they have 1 less.

This is the aged variety, which is sliceable, so it's not quite the same stuff I was thinking of. I'm not sure how I'll serve this, but I can't wait for it to get here!

[Eric Menchen]

Out of stock. You guys must have bought it all up.

[Roy Hersh]

Hi John and welcome back. Great to "see" you here again!

The Serra cheese can come in a varying degree of ripeness which makes a big difference on how it is served. Best very ripe, the top rind of the cheese is removed and then the cheese is spooned over a fresh slice of a baguette or simple cracker. It has the same consistency as chocolate pudding, or close to it.

The firmer or less ripe variety which sadly is what normally finds its way over to the USA, is best sliced and served with crackers and anything from (all by itself) to quince, apricot jam or lingonberries. Of course you can innovate too, as there is no firm rule for this type of cheese when it is not in its molten form.

Either way, enjoy and thanks for dropping by, a very pleasant surprise!

For those of you who don't know John, he lives in the mid-west and is one of America's true authorities on the Rieslings of Germany. His expertise has been a great help over the 14 years or so that we've known each other.

[Glenn E.]

The firmer or less ripe variety...

Wait... it gets softer with age? Isn't that backwards?

I know that Manchego definitely gets firmer with age, so I assumed that Queijo da Serra would also (both are sheep's milk cheese).

[Brian C.]

I'd certainly love to know who the other sellers are here in the US if IGourmet is out of it. I can only assume that I will never see it anywhere in Chicago. I gather that it is only seasonally available, also. We have never forgotten this cheese since our trip to Portugal two years ago. As I've said before in another thread, a major highlight of the trip was buying a fresh loaf, some presunto, and some Serra de Estrela at the open marketplace in Porto, and having some sandwiches for our lunch. I have no doubt that we had the best and cheapest lunch of anybody in our tour group that day.

[John Trombley]

Murray's in Manhattan claims to have it. This is a sweet-salty washed-rind cheese wrapped on circumference with gauze, with the inner 1/2 inch very soft and the rest gradating to firmness.

Absolutely best match to young VP, such as the Porto Feist 1995 I've been sipping, showing multiple scent and palate synergies. Different from, and better, than, Stilton, at least any I've had, and that has been many many.

[Roy Hersh]

I am in Atlanta, moderating two Port tastings. Tonight we had 15 bottles of 1963 VPs and I brought a 1952 Dalva to finish off the event. The person who has put me up at their family's home bought a pound of the Serra to bring to the tasting tonight followed by an amazing cheese course of great Stilton and then the S. de Estrela. It was from IGourmet and he never reads this board, so totally a coincidence. He paid $50/lb.

It was good but not nearly what I normally get to try in Portugal, as this required slicing rather than spooning it onto bread. But it was quite a pleasure to try the Serra here in the USA. The Stilton was in perfect shape and actually was my favorite of the night.

The lineup of 1963 was outstanding and I really loved this tasting. The table wines at dinner were absolutely killer, someone brought two bottles of domestic wine ... a Pinot and a Cab that cost him $800 for the Pinot Noir and $1000 for the Cab. While both were very good, I thought the price was literally insane. Talk about cult wine. Sheesh. I must say that what drew the most comments other than the two aforemented wines (in a lineup that included some big hitters like 1991 Musar, 1989 Chateau du Beaucastel, etc.) was a bottle of 2004 Quinta do Crasto Vinha da Ponte, which was the first Portuguese wine that almost any of them had ever tried. They really loved it.

Another great Port event coming tomorrow.

[Carlos Rodriguez]

I know that Manchego definitely gets firmer with age, so I assumed that Queijo da Serra would also (both are sheep's milk cheese).

Glenn, Queijo da Serra doesn't get firm with age, is like spanish Torta del Casar or Torta de la Serena cheese. The good thing of those cheeses, is that it doesn't get firm, then you can spread them in bread.

Last time I had a Serra da Estrela was with a Guimaraens 1987 and it was great.

[David Spriggs]

someone brought two bottles of domestic wine ... a Pinot and a Cab that cost him $800 for the Pinot Noir and $1000 for the Cab. While both were very good, I thought the price was literally insane.

Well... if you are going to do it you might as well pull those bad boys out at an event where everyone can try them. You have to appreciate the generocity

[Roy Hersh]

David,

You are absolutely right. We all DID appreciate the generosity of these wines both being opened, because of the true scarcity and exorbitant price
In all seriousness, it was a privilege to taste wines that possess an image that people are willing to support. My brain agrees with that statement.

And certainly sharing at an event like this with great wines and nice Ports, one knows that the experience will be remembered. In this case, the name of the winery is Ghost Horse, fwiw.

[Roy Hersh]

Queijo da Serra doesn't get firm with age,

Interestingly, the one I had the other night was the firmest Serra I have ever seen. It had to be sliced, no option unless one wanted to use it to shred over a nice pasta dish, which I can assure you would be another great way to enjoy Serra in this form.

[Frederick Blais]

It was good but not nearly what I normally get to try in Portugal, as this required slicing rather than spooning it onto bread.

I must have tried this cheese at a dozen different places in Portugal. The only place that have served it with slicing was at Vinho Logia. Everyone else does spooning! Mainly because when it ripe and ready enough to be eaten, the cheese is so liquid that you need a spoon.

[Glenn E.]

It was good but not nearly what I normally get to try in Portugal, as this required slicing rather than spooning it onto bread.

I must have tried this cheese at a dozen different places in Portugal. The only place that have served it with slicing was at Vinho Logia. Everyone else does spooning! Mainly because when it ripe and ready enough to be eaten, the cheese is so liquid that you need a spoon.

There are obviously different forms of the cheese, because the round I just purchased from iGourmet also feels firm. However, we were served the runny form of the cheese when we visted Quinta da Pacheca last fall.

It's not hard like a parmesan... just firm enough to slice. I haven't opened it yet, but my guess based on external feel is that it will be similar to havarti (but without the holes, from what I've been told).

[Frederick Blais]

Glenn if you purchased the serra de Estrela cheese and it looks firm, leave it at room temperature for a few days or weeks until it becomes soft. To me it just has so much flavours, just like a good Vacherain, it needs time before you can eat it.

When I was in Douro in February of 2008, I forgot one block of Serra de Estrala cheese in the car. When we came back at the end of the day, the cheese almost melt. I had a dinner at Passadouro that night so I said, lets open it and share it. There was a group of 8 winemakers from Italy that I did share with them, they crave it so much one was licking the inside!

[Glenn E.]

Frederick, I'm afraid that it is a tad too oderous to leave it sitting in the house at room temperature for a week or more. It's not that it stinks or anything, but it definitely smells like cheese and I wouldn't want that smell permeating the house.

Would it be okay to seal it in a plastic ziploc bag and leave it sit for a week? Or does it need to breathe while aging?

[Frederick Blais]

I think in a bag its fine, just need enzymes to work. Wrap it in sponge tower so the humidity does not build too much.

[Glenn E.]

Thanks, that's good to know. I'll take it out of the fridge tonight, pack some paper towels or a clean sponge in the bag with it, and leave it sit on the counter while we're in NYC. That will give it a week... so with luck it will be ready to eat when we get back! :lick:

[Roy Hersh]

From what I have been told in Portugal during visits, the soft and gooey version of Serra is never exported. So, supposedly, only the firmer versions wind up going overseas or to other parts of the EU.

I had the IGourmet type the other night and while Havarti is probably a good reference point in terms of pliability, the flavors are more reserved than when it is ripe and gooey. It will be interesting to see if Frederick's suggestion to leave it out to "ripen" at room temp over an extended cheese decanting proves to be a worthy experiment.