Baack with a Sheep Cheese

Way west of Barcelona, just off the north-east corner of Portugal, grazing in a pasture, somewhere close to Lacteas Zamora, stands a sheep. Baa … This is the home of cheese produced by Doña Encarnación. And, this is a queso de España muy excelente.

We discovered the cured curd (aged 11 months) from sheep milk at the most fantastic tapas shop in Toronto called: “The Cheese Boutique.” Coincidently, this cheese superstore is also located way west of our Riverdale home in south Etobicoke.

I love Manchego, but I love this one more. It’s like a slightly crumblier version of its popular cousin, with the added Heck Yes of a more intense flavouring. We paired it beautifully with a sparkling rosé from the Malivoire Wine Co. in Beamsville. Fortuitously for us, the bubbly we’d selected (Biscous) had won platinum at the National Wine Awards only 24 hours earlier. And, as a side note, Malivoire also earned the distinction of being named Canada’s Winery of the Year for 2021 at the same event.

The Spanish producer touts the cheese as: “an exquisite taste for our palate.” To which, I agree. And what does the Cheese Boutique say about it? “Decadent and Rich.” Again, picture me nodding my head. But where I disagree, is with the verbiage on the store’s sign. They called it: “The Greasy Pig.” Yes, I needed a paper towel to wipe my hands after handling the purchase, but PIG? Although perhaps they were referring to how we would likely scarf down the cheese.

We did.