Majorero () is a

goat milk Goat milk is the milk of domestic goats. Goats produce about 2% of the world's total annual milk supply. Some goats are bred specifically for milk. Goat milk naturally has small, well-emulsified fat globules, which means the cream will stay i ...

cheese from

Spain , image_flag = Bandera de España.svg , image_coat = Escudo de España (mazonado).svg , national_motto = ''Plus ultra'' (Latin)(English: "Further Beyond") , national_anthem = (English: "Royal March") , i ...

. Similar to

Manchego Manchego (officially es, queso manchego, ) is a cheese made in the La Mancha region of Spain from the milk of sheep of the Manchega breed. It is aged between 60 days and 2 years. Manchego has a firm and compact consistency and a buttery tex ...

, this firm cheese has a

milk Milk is a white liquid food produced by the mammary glands of mammals. It is the primary source of nutrition for young mammals (including breastfed human infants) before they are able to digest solid food. Immune factors and immune-modula ...

nut Nut often refers to: * Nut (fruit), fruit composed of a hard shell and a seed, or a collective noun for dry and edible fruits or seeds * Nut (hardware), fastener used with a bolt Nut or Nuts may also refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Co ...

ty flavour that goes well with various

pear Pears are fruits produced and consumed around the world, growing on a tree and harvested in the Northern Hemisphere in late summer into October. The pear tree and shrub are a species of genus ''Pyrus'' , in the family Rosaceae, bearing the po ...

products. It is pale white in colour, and comes in large wheels. Currently, it is protected under European Law with Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) status. Majorero comes from the island of Fuerteventura in the Canary Islands. The word ''Mahorero'' (''Majorero'') is a

Guanche Guanche may refer to: *Guanches, the indigenous people of the Canary Islands *Guanche language, an extinct Berber language, spoken by the Guanches until the 16th or 17th century *''Conus guanche ''Conus guanche'' is a species of sea snail, a ma ...

word still used today to describe the people of Fuerteventura. This island has a rich farming tradition, and goats were very important to their economy. It is from the

Majorera The Cabra Majorera is a Spanish breed of dairy goat native to the islands of Fuerteventura and Lanzarote in the Canary Islands. It is one of three goat breeds from the islands, the others being the Palmera of La Palma and the Tinerfeña of Tene ...

goat The goat or domestic goat (''Capra hircus'') is a domesticated species of goat-antelope typically kept as livestock. It was domesticated from the wild goat (''C. aegagrus'') of Southwest Asia and Eastern Europe. The goat is a member of the a ...

that this particular cheese is made. The goat produces a thick, aromatic and high-fat milk. Majorero cheese is usually available in three ways: in its natural rind rubbed with oil, rubbed with pimenta, or with roasted

gofio Gofio is a sort of Canarian flour made from roasted grains (typically wheat or certain varieties of maize) or other starchy plants (e.g. beans and, historically, fern root), some varieties containing a little added salt. Gofio has been an ...

. The cheese has a slightly gummy texture. The taste is acidic, with a buttery but not salty taste. This cheese is very versatile, and can be used with pastas, potatoes and many vegetables. After

milking Milking is the act of removing milk from the mammary glands of cattle, water buffalo, humans, goats, sheep, and, more rarely, camels, horses and donkeys. Milking may be done by hand or by machine, and requires the animal to be currently or rec ...

, lamb rennet is added and after an hour a

curdle Curdling is the breaking of an emulsion or colloid into large parts of different composition through the physio-chemical processes of flocculation, creaming, and coalescence. Curdling is purposeful in the production of cheese curd and tofu; und ...

develops. This curdles must be beaten and drained to remove the

whey Whey is the liquid remaining after milk has been curdled and strained. It is a byproduct of the manufacturing of cheese or casein and has several commercial uses. Sweet whey is a byproduct resulting from the manufacture of rennet types of har ...

. The cheese is then heavily pressed and shaped. Dry salt is rubbed on the top. The cheese must be aired for several days before it can be eaten, or it can be set in dry rooms to age. After ageing, the cheese can be rubbed with oil or gofio to prevent excessive drying and give it different tastes and textures.

References

Goat's-milk cheeses Spanish cheeses Canary Islands cuisine Fuerteventura Spanish products with protected designation of origin {{Cheese-stub

See also

References