Idiazábal Cheese: The cheese from the Basque Country
The source of our dairy products lies in the mountains of the Basque Country and Navarra, where the latxa sheep graze.
A good example is the Idiazabal cheese, one of the best cheeses in the world.
Apart from cheese, you can also find other traditional dairy products produced by the shepherds of our farmhouses.
On Egin!! Bon Appétit!!
Discovering Idiazabal Cheese: The best-known cheese of the Basque Country
If you are on this website we are sure that you already know the most recognized cheese from the Basque Country, but surely you are willing to learn more about our Idiazabal cheese, right?
Idiazabal cheese is a high quality product recognized for its unique flavor and aroma.
Made with raw milk from sheep of the Latxa breed, raised in the green landscapes of Navarra and the Basque Country, its production process is completely artisanal and with great care in its maturation.
What is Idiazabal cheese?
Its origin is in nature, in the green landscapes of Basque Country. The same environment in which, with little variation over more than eight thousand years, Basque shepherds have raised Latxa and Carranzana sheep, native breeds with peculiar characteristics whose raw milk is used to make this unique and appreciated cheese.
Idiazabal is a cheese:
• Raw milk.
• Made exclusively from Latxa and/or Carranzana sheep's milk.
• With a minimum of 2 months of healing.
• Small or medium in size, from one to three kilos, although it is also sold in wedges.
• Enzymatic coagulation (rennet).
• Pressed, hard paste.
• Fatty: minimum 45% fat matter on dry matter.
• Smoked or unsmoked.
How to differentiate a Latxa sheep?
If you are walking through the green landscapes of the Basque Country you will surely come across sheep, follow these tips and you will be able to differentiate a Latxa sheep from others:
• Blond-faced or black-faced.
• It is a small, slender and very agile and resistant sheep.
• It needs to be fit to climb the pastures in our mountains and feed on fresh grass.
• Producer of high quality milk.
• Excellent lamb breeder.
• Sheep that produces about one hundred liters per season, mainly from February to June.
How do we know if we are looking at an authentic, high-quality Idiazabal Cheese?
The bark: Crumpled, softened or dirty bark is considered defective, as well as bark that has cracks, fissures or mold that causes colored spots.
The color: It is a homogeneous color, variable from ivory to straw yellow, and is matte.
The smell: Characteristic and intense smell of sheep's milk, penetrating and clean.
The Texture: In general it is a compact cheese, with a not very pronounced elasticity, quite firm, where grains can be detected when chewing it, without becoming lumpy.
The Flavor: The flavor of an Idiazabal cheese is intense, broad, “fills the mouth,” and at the same time is balanced and characteristic. A clean and consistent flavor with a marked “ripened sheep's milk” character and some natural rennet flavor.
The aftertaste: This sensation should be pronounced and persistent, prolonging the duration of the pleasant and characteristic initial flavor. There should never be a feeling of satiety.
Where to buy Idiazabal cheese online?
You're lucky! At Bask Selekt we have a wide selection of cheeses ready to be sent directly to your home. You will not only find individual varieties, but also packs that will combine wonderfully with your meals and special moments.
Why buy from Bask Selekt?
Because in addition to guaranteeing the authenticity and quality of Idiazabal cheese, we offer gourmet gift packs and Christmas baskets that will perfectly complement your choice.
What is the price of Idiazabal Cheese?
The range varies depending on the brand or weight, but on the Bask Selekt website you can buy cheeses starting at 7.70€.
Do you dare to try Idiazábal cheese? Don't hesitate and choose Bask Selekt to buy your Idiazábal cheese, whether as a dessert, starter or complement to your recipes. “On egin!”