(São Jorge Cheese)
This hard cow's milk cheese hails from the Azores. São Jorge cheese is still made from milk taken from free-grazing island cattle using traditional processing methods, and its wheel shape, size, and firm texture have been consistent for the past 200 years.
The milk is curdled with animal rennet and the whey is extracted and salted before being pressed into cheese molds and left to mature. São Jorge cheese has a thick, smooth, dark yellow rind. The interior of the cheese is yellowish in colour with a smooth, semi-hard consistency.
It has a pronounced, clean flavor with a spicy note. The cheese is widely used in dishes both simple and elaborate, and it is often used to add extra flavor to mashed potatoes or croquettes. Fondue made with São Jorge cheese is considered a delicacy.
The cheese pairs quite well with both red wine and vintage Port.
