Zamorano
|Zah-moh-RAH-noh|
A classic Spanish cheese named for the province of Zamora, Zamorano has a distinctive piquant flavor that lingers on the palate. Made with raw milk from Castellana and Churra sheep, it has a full, well-balanced flavor with a hint of burnt caramel and pleasant buttery sweetness. On the nose, expect soft aromas of cooked butter and hay in younger cheeses and nuttier scents as the cheese matures. Its paste—ivory when young, then darker with age—is firm in texture and dotted with a few eyes.
To make Zamorano, raw sheep’s milk is curdled, heated, salted, and molded into wheels. The wheels ripen for at least 100 days, often in caves, and the version imported by Forever Cheese ages for six months. As the cheese ages, flavors and aromas become more complex. Like other recognizable Spanish cheeses, wheels of Zamorano are imprinted with a herringbone pattern and dark tint, making it an eye-catching addition to any cheese board.
Serve it as a table cheese and pair with fresh apples and grapes, or shave atop roasted vegetables or onto pasta.
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