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Queijo de Azeitão
About Queijo de Azeitão
Queijo de Azeitão is a traditional cheese from Portugal, specifically produced in the Palmela, Setúbal, and Sesimbra councils. It is a matured cheese made from raw sheep's milk, cardoon preparation, and salt. The cheese has a distinctive shape, being a short, flat cylinder with a malleable, soft rind and a creamy, buttery paste. It is known for its slightly piquant flavor, a mix of sharp and salty, with a mild, delicate aroma. The cheese is produced using traditional methods passed down through generations, and its quality is attributed to the unique soil and climate conditions of the Serra da Arrábida region. The cheese is protected under the PDO (Protected Designation of Origin) status, ensuring its authenticity and link to the geographical area.
Key Facts
| Country of Origin | Portugal |
| Specific Origin | Palmela, Setúbal, and Sesimbra councils |
| Protection | PDO (1996) |
| Milk Type | Sheep |
| Milk Treatment | Raw |
| Fat Content | Over 45% and under 60% in dry matter |
| Moisture Content | 63% to 69% in non-fat solids |
| Rind | Malleable, quite soft, whole, well-formed, smooth, fine, yellow, uniform |
| Texture | Semi-Soft |
| Flavor | Slightly piquant, a mix of sharp and salty |
| Aroma | Mild, delicate |
| Colors | Rind is yellow; paste is white or slightly yellow, uniform |
| Forms | Normal size (250 g, diameter 6-11 cm, height 3-5 cm), Small size (100 g, diameter 5-7 cm, height 2-4 cm) |
| Age | Minimum curing time is 16 days |
| Rennet Type | Cardoon (Cynara cardunculus L.) preparation |
What is Queijo de Azeitão?
Azeitão is a Portuguese cheese with a PDO designation, named after the village of Azeitão at the foothills of the Arrábida mountains. It is produced exclusively in the municipalities of Palmela, Sesimbra, and Setúbal. Azeitão cheese is crafted from raw ewe’s milk and coagulated using vegetable rennet from the thistle flower. The process involves salting the milk and adding the coagulant to form a stable curd. After cutting and molding, the cheese is hand-pressed and ripens for twenty days in summer or forty days in winter, with frequent turning and rind washing.
The cheese is characterized by its rich flavor and semi-soft, yellow paste with a sticky, pudding-like appearance. Its taste is medium to strong, with acidic, salty, slightly bitter, spicy, and pungent notes, complemented by grassy, herbaceous, and nutty aromas. The diverse microflora of Azeitão cheese includes Lactococcus lactis and lactobacilli like Lactobacillus casei ssp. casei. Azeitão is enjoyed as an appetizer or dessert, paired with artisanal bread and red wine.
Made from unpasteurized sheep's milk in Portugal's Setubal, Palmela, and Sesimbra regions, Azeitão cheese is semi-soft, artisanal, and creamy. It features a pale yellow color and a washed rind, with a herbaceous, salty, and sour flavor. This vegetarian-friendly cheese, also known as Queijo de Azeitao, uses Cardoon thistle for coagulation. It undergoes a minimum curing time of 21 days, resulting in a buttery and semi-soft consistency with few or no holes.
Alternative Names for Queijo de Azeitão
Azeitão
