No. 25 - Its Gran Canaria Magazine

12
GET TO KNOW GRAN CANARIA I CONOCE GRAN CANARIA EDICIÓN 25
Gáldar cheeses
A tradition spanning five centuries
The area of Los Altos de Gáldar produces the most
original cheese in the Canary Islands, namely
Flower Cheese, a highly prized variety which owes
its exceptional quality to its curdling with the thistle
flower (Cynara cardunculus and Cynara scolymus).
The first reference to the cheeses of Los
Altos de Gáldar is documented in 1678, when Fray
José de Sosa, in his work 'Topography of the fortunate
isle of Gran Canaria', argued that those produced
in Barranco Hondo 'were on a par with the
most highly acclaimed cheeses of Flanders and
Parma”.
There are so many influences, including climate,
the cheese’s completely artisanal production, the
mixture of milk from Canarian breeds of sheep,
cow and goat, the types of rennet (vegetable and
animal), the maturing in caves and the feeding of
the livestock, rich in aromatic grasses of endemic
plants All these lend the product nuances of
scents and flavours that are unique in the world.
Production is very limited, between December
and early summer, and is sustained by families
who herd their sheep and who have engaged
in migratory grazing down the generations. The
thistle flower is harvested between the end of July
and the beginning of August and its stamens are
used to make an infusion which is strained and
poured over the milk to make the cheese. Depending
on the type of curdling, there is the full
'Flower Cheese', 'Half Flower Cheese', which uses
both animal and vegetable rennet, with a milder
flavour, and 'Rennet Cheese', which used to use
only animal rennet, nowadays chemical rennet.
The cheese is matured on reeds in caves, which
gives it its distinctive aroma and flavour. The rind
ranges from yellowish-white to brownish tones,
depending on the maturing time, and is printed
with the geometric cheese-maker designs that
distinguish the producers from one another. Inside,
the cheese is creamy and fatty with a slightly
bitter taste. They are classified as 'semi-mature' if
the maturing process is between 15 and 60 days,
or 'mature' if the maturing process is longer.
These cheeses have their own Protected Designation
of Origin seal that certifies that all the steps
have been followed to guarantee an artisan ritual
that goes back five centuries.
Caideros, the epicentre of a migratory grazing
landscape inherited from the ancient Canaries
The mid-altitude hills to the north of Gran Canaria
are currently the last stronghold in the Canary Islands
of the practice of migratory grazing, handed
down from aboriginal society, which moves livestock
up and down between high and low areas
throughout the year.
Caideros, in Los Altos de Gáldar, is still today one
of, if not the, main shepherding hubs on the island.
Its paddocks are home to an important part of the
livestock that make the 'mudadas', the name given
to the movement of the herds in search of fresh
pastures.
From Caideros, the most common route is towards
the summit which provides access to the
interior of the Caldera de Tejeda mainly in summer,
while the rest of the year the cattle are found
in the lower areas and the pastures of the mid-altitude
hills. They then remain in the surroundings of
the mountain pass for almost half the year.
The Gáldar Cheese Fair on Sunday 16th April
Once again this year the Sala Sábor of the Council
Offices will host the Gáldar Cheese Tasting on
Friday 14th April, where the best products of the
island are selected and whose prizes will be announced
the following Sunday, 16th April, at the
Cheese Fair held in Plaza de Santiago. Cheese
dairies from Gáldar and the whole of Gran Canaria
will present their products to a professional jury
made up of tasters from the Cabildo, the Canary
Islands Government and the PDO, who will select
the winners for the 23rd Gáldar Cheese Tasting,
the 22nd Gran Canarian Artisan Cheese Tasting
and the 15th Flower and Half-Flower Cheese Tasting.
On Sunday 16th April, the public are invited to a
craft fair at Plaza de Santiago and to sample the
cheeses participating in the different tastings,
together with the sale of artisan cheeses from
all over the island of Gran Canaria. They will all
be gathered in the square, where visitors will be
able to taste and purchase the different cheeses,
which will surely delight the most demanding of
palates.
DISCOVER THE ARTISAN CHEESE DAIRIES
FROM LOS ALTOS DE GÁLDAR:
Quesería Cueva Sosa
Address: Cueva Sosa, 4 Saucillo
Telephones: 697 747 322 / 667 028 502
Quesería El Cortijo de Caideros
Address: Lomo La Mareta, 3 Fagagesto
Telephone: 928 555 289
Quesería El Cortijo El Montañón
Address: El Montañón, 4 Caideros–Fagagesto
Telephone: 928 555 050 / 600 051 186
Quesería La Caldera
Address: Camino La Caldera, 5 Fagagesto
Telephone: 679 798 543
Quesería Lomo El Palo
Address: Lomo del Palo, 1 Fagagesto
Telephone: 659 040 226
Quesería Barranco de Chirino
Address: El Montañón s/n Fagagesto
Telephone: 928 171 045
Quesería Juncalillo Fuente Bruma
Address: Los Llanos s/n
Telephone: 609 955 057
WHERE TO BUY CHEESES:
La Recova Municipal Market
Address: Calle Capitán Quesada, n.º 29
Opening hours: Monday to Saturday from
08:00 to 13:30, Thursday from 16:00 to 19:00.
Enyesque Delicatessen
Address: Calle Santiago de los Caballeros, 7
Opening hours: Monday: 10:30-14:00 and
18:00-21:30
Tuesday: Closed
Wednesday: 10:30-14:00 and 18:00-21:30
Thursday: 10:30-14:00 and 18:00-21:30
Friday: 10:30-14:00 and 18:00-21:30
Saturday: 10:30-14:30 and 18:00-21:30
Sunday: 10:30 and 14:00
Telephone: 649 75 01 60