Villalón Cheese

Tasting notes

It has a sweetish, milky flavor, and is moist, slightly salted and oily. Despite its soft texture, this is a firm, dense cheese on the inside, and with a pleasant taste reminiscent of ewe's milk. It has sweet, slightly salty, oily notes.

Other notes

It is tube-shaped, and circular or oval when cut into sections. The cheese size is small, starting at half a kilo (1.1 lb) and never more than 2 kilos (4.4 lb) per cheese. The rind is rough but fine-textured and white. The interior has a dense, somewhat flaky texture, and is dotted with tiny holes. It is sweetish with a slightly milky and somewhat salty taste. Whitish color.

Production / Processing method

It is made with ewe's milk, or with a mixture of ewe and cow's milk. The rennet is added after kneading the mixture, which is then pressed, placed in molds and salted by immersing it in brine. As this is a fresh cheese, it is allowed to ripen for between 10 and 20 days.

Geography / Relief and climate

Tierra de Campos is crossed by two small rivers, the Valderaduey and the Sequillo; it is an area of rolling landscape dotted with castles which stand atop various low hills. The geographic limit of Tierra de Campos is marked by the Carrión river to the east, the Cea river to the west and the Pisuerga in the easternmost part. It is in the heart of Spain's central plateau, and is characterized by its flat landscapes.

The climate is extreme and dry, with low temperatures in winter and high temperatures in summer. Rainfall is scarce, although slightly higher in spring and fall; the climate is continental.