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Photo by Tashoma Lemard
Mató de Montserrat
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Photo by Tashoma Lemard
Uff! d'Alba
Uff!, named for its potent, strong flavour, is for the adventurous foodie. The unpasteurised goat's cheese washed with beer can be found at Formatgeria La Seu, a shop in the Gothic quarter specialising in Spanish farmhouse cheeses. As a passionate cheese specialist, owner and founder Katherine McLaughlin has a small selection of Catalan cheeses (she restricts the number to avoid competing too much with the wide variety of Catalan cheeses sold in markets close to her shop). Scottish-born McLaughlin gets Uff! and Tupí d'Alba (see below) from Mas Alba, an 18th-century masia near Girona. A half of Uff! costs 5 euros whilst a whole wheel costs 9 euros, but the strength of the flavour ensures that a little bit as an appetiser goes a long way.
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Photo by Tashoma Lemard
El Tupí d'Alba
Despite coming from the same producer, El Tupí is quite distinct to Uff! It's not too aggressive and quite creamy, and is sold in a jar (tupí means pot in Catalan). This goat's cheese undergoes a second fermentation process soaked in liqueur, a sweet wine or brandy, for at least two months. The result is a slightly toasted and caramelised flavour, and the cheese is best served on toast as it has a buttery note to it with a sharp aftertaste. El Tupí costs 4.70 euros for a jar. Formatgeria La Seu: Dagueria 16. www.formatgerialaseu.com
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Photo by Tashoma Lemard
Formatge de Cabra
The traditional Catalan hard goat cheese is integral to the Barcelona gastronomic experience. You can find the Montbrú formatge de cabra for 25.97 euros a kilo at Andreu, a modern deli with two branches in the city that also offer a place for you to sit down and enjoy some of the cheeses and other gourmet items they sell. The best way to eat this cheese is with savoury biscuits or in traditional tapas style, baked with tomato sauce and served on toasted bread. Add a glass of red wine and you have the perfect Catalan plat. Andreu: Avinguda Francesc Cambó, next to the Santa Caterina market and another in L'illa shopping centre.
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Photo by Tashoma Lemard
Pur de Bufalà Català
Made in the Masia del Montbrú, located in the central Catalan county of Bagès, this cheese made from buffalo's milk is semi-sweet and uncharacteristically soft for a Catalan cheese. The family-owned farm was first known for their goat's cheeses (right) but the family started experimenting with buffalo's milk after many trips to India; their venture was the first time that this milk had been used in this way in Spain. The Pur de Búfala Català costs 20.90 euros a kilo at Can Martí, a family stall at the Santa Caterina market, where Rafael Martí opened his business in 1927.
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Photo by Tashoma Lemard
Mató de Montserrat
The Catalan fresh cheese mató can be made with either goat, sheep or cow's milk - this one is made with cow's milk, which is boiled up then filtered through material to create an unsalted cheese to serve with sugar or honey (this latter combination is a popular pudding here called mel i mató). Pair it with a local dessert wine, such as moscatell, and you have the perfect sweet and savoury treat. Made in the Marganell region to the north of Montserrat, an area known for its mató, this particular version of the cheese is sold at Can Martí for 9.50 euros a kilo. Can Martí Jordi, Mercat de Santa Caterina: Avinguda Francesc Cambó 16. www.mercatsantacaterina.com
Barcelona is well renowned for its delicious cuisines and selection of food throughout the city.
This month, we look at some of Catalunya's finest cheeses, from strong, potent flavours to the more subtle and creamy. Click our slideshow to see which cheese is the right choice for you!