St Gil d'Albio Garrotxa Spanish Goat Cheese (Pasteurized)

Is there a more iconic symbol of the foods of the Spanish Pyrenees? I'd be hard pressed to think of one.

Made from the milk of goats grazing in the foothills of Catalonia, where Garrotxa (guh RAH shuh or garr OH CHA in the Catalan pronunciation). This is a firm cheese from the milk of a breed of goats known as Murciana - prized for a milk that is dense, rich, high fat content, and very aromatic. The cheese is then aged in caves for 3-6 months prior to release.

Garrotxa fell out of favor in the late 1970s and its production fell to miniscule levels. But a younger generation of adventurous cheesemakers formed a cooperative that began producing it in time to save it from the brink of eternal obscurity. If you like this cheese, raise your wine glass to the youthful cheesemakers of the early 80s who put it back on the global cheese map!

This cheese comes from Albió, a small town perched on a hilltop. Sant Gil d'Albió, was originally founded by Nati Ninot who passed it on to his son, Josep, who maintains it as a small family-owned dairy for more than 40 years. With his team of just 12 employees, the family specializes in matured goat’s milk cheeses.