For The Love Of Port

Years ago Roy turned us on to this cheese, which is greatly loved by some Port aficionados. However, the first time it came into the United States it wasn't the genuine DOP item, and I haven't seen it since.

I have email information that there is more in the United States at a retailer familiar to me, but I can't share details yet until I know about shipping. There may be enough for all here who want some. Stay tuned!

I get it at a local grocery store along with 5-6 other "Serra" cheeses from Portugal. They only sell the whole wheel which is around $30 I think. I'll buy some of the others instead that are little harder and smaller. Haven't had a reason to buy the whole wheel in years.

Moses Botbol wrote:I get it at a local grocery store along with 5-6 other "Serra" cheeses from Portugal. They only sell the whole wheel which is around $30 I think. I'll buy some of the others instead that are little harder and smaller. Haven't had a reason to buy the whole wheel in years.

Moses, does your supplier ship out of state? By the way, the 'serra' mountain cheese that I tasted was obviously in the first category. Forgive me a few questions. How do you assess the soft versus hard (probably older) as a companion for porto? What style of porto is the best for this (vintage, lbv, tawnies various, reserve, and so forth?)

I thought you could only bring unpasteurized cheeses in if they where of a certain minimal age. Thus, the soft version was unavailable. This was my favorite type with Port.

John Trombley wrote:Forgive me a few questions. How do you assess the soft versus hard (probably older) as a companion for porto? What style of porto is the best for this (vintage, lbv, tawnies various, reserve, and so forth?)

For me, the softer the better. It is a quintessentially Portuguese thing. Which answers your 2nd question as well - since it is so very Portuguese, the obvious answer is Tawny Port. There's nothing quite like Serra da Estrela, some warm Portuguese bread, a slightly chilled tawny, and a sunny afternoon on any patio overlooking the Douro.

On a hot day in Lisbon, I had it with white wine:

We visited an artisian producer on one trip. It was actually a spur of the moment sort of thing, but it turned out to be a highlight. Tasted their range of cheeses of different ages. Lovely local breed Shepard dogs as well!

Folks, this is really turning out to be educational. I haven't heard from the supplier mentioned but will call them right now.

jht

John Trombley wrote:

Moses Botbol wrote:I get it at a local grocery store along with 5-6 other "Serra" cheeses from Portugal. They only sell the whole wheel which is around $30 I think. I'll buy some of the others instead that are little harder and smaller. Haven't had a reason to buy the whole wheel in years.

Moses, does your supplier ship out of state? By the way, the 'serra' mountain cheese that I tasted was obviously in the first category. Forgive me a few questions. How do you assess the soft versus hard (probably older) as a companion for porto? What style of porto is the best for this (vintage, lbv, tawnies various, reserve, and so forth?)

No they don't, but I think you may have luck with stores in Fall River, MA who are probably the importers. That area is Portugal central! The other serra cheeses I see are more name sake and can run the gamete of flavor and hardness. I see various different cheese from Portugal every time I stop in. English is a third language around my parts... You have to beat the cashier to the punch so they know how to respond at the register.

As it ripens with age, this particular Portuguese queijo goes from soft and gooey, to soft and barely spoon-able, to soft and slice-able and then a bit harder and still able to be sliced. After that, no fun anymore.

That being said, we are going to re-visit a great producer on the slopes of the Estrela mountainside on our Five Regions Tour again this year. I can't wait. One year I hope to ski their slopes. I was in Dao a few weeks ago, but the snow was not good enough at the time. The wine during visitation in the region, made up for that ... well, somewhat.

Not sure the right away to use this cheese over time, but I cut a slice from the edge all the way through and work my way down like a loaf of bread. I find it ties up better with the cheese cloth between servings. Other wise its runs too easily. We can't finish one in time so I don't buy them unless it's for an event. Quince paste is nice to serve along with it. At least that is easy to find.

Did this go bang with Broadbent’s 10 y/o SERCIAL, ESPECIALLY DILUTED 1:1 with water.

Also we took a whole wheel, reserving thE cloth and leaving it bound around the outside, removing an end, removing sufficient soft cheese to allow packing the cavity with roasted various root vegetables, replacing the severed top, warming in a 325 degree oven, about 10 minutes, like a stuffed Brie but much better. Idea came back from a small Spanish village with Tim York (Ann Arbor, MORGAN & YORK), years ago.