Palmita cheese (''queso palmita'') is a soft, salty, fresh white farm

cheese Cheese is a dairy product produced in wide ranges of flavors, textures, and forms by coagulation of the milk protein casein. It comprises proteins and fat from milk, usually the milk of cows, buffalo, goats, or sheep. During production, ...

from

Venezuela Venezuela (; ), officially the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela ( es, link=no, República Bolivariana de Venezuela), is a country on the northern coast of South America, consisting of a continental landmass and many islands and islets in th ...

. The palmita cheese is usually made in large circular containers 6 feet in diameter and four feet in height. Each batch of palmita cheese can vary in taste depending on the ingredients which are mixed slowly for 2 to 3 days until the cheese has settled. Then the containers are set for an additional 10 days until

coagulation Coagulation, also known as clotting, is the process by which blood changes from a liquid to a gel, forming a blood clot. It potentially results in hemostasis, the cessation of blood loss from a damaged vessel, followed by repair. The mechanism o ...

. For the best taste, it is imperative that the cheese reaches an optimum level of saltiness. It is packaged into pressed wooden crates of 30 kilos each and set for distribution. Once the cheese is packaged, it must be sold within two to three days due to the sweating (loss of liquid) of the cheese from the boxes. Palmita cheese is originally from the

Zulia State Zulia State ( es, Estado Zulia, ; Wayuu language, Wayuu: ''Mma’ipakat Suuria'') is one of the States of Venezuela, 23 states of Venezuela. The state capital is Maracaibo. As of the 2011 census, it has a population of 3,704,404, the largest popu ...

in northwestern

, which is the main source of dairy products in the country. A softer type of cheese from this region is known as palmizulia.

References

Venezuelan cheeses Zulia {{cheese-stub