| I used to think that Mascarpone was a little horse | | | | taste, but it should smell of roast lamb when cut. |
| wearing a blindfold, then a clever person told me it | | | | It is sold at various stages of maturity. At |
| was a cheese, but later an even cleverer person | | | | thirteen weeks it is considered 'curado' (cured), |
| said it wasn't actually a cheese at all, so I asked if | | | | whilst after three months it is 'viejo' (old). Other |
| it really was a small horse. 'No', they said 'it's a | | | | well known cheeses of Spain are the hard Queso |
| curd', so now I'm not sure if it's a horse, a cheese | | | | Iberico, Zamorano, made from ewe's milk and |
| or a native of a much troubled area of Asia. | | | | Picos de Europa, the blue cheese which is also |
| Some of the less confusing cheeses of Italy are | | | | known as Valdeon and eaten with honey for |
| Ricotta, a firm, white cow's milk cheese, | | | | breakfast. |
| Mozzarella, a soft buffalo milk cheese and | | | | Portugal, having a small section of Mediterranean |
| Parmesan, the ever popular, hard cheese of | | | | coast has Serra de Estrela, its most famous |
| Parma. It is believed that Parmesan has been | | | | cheese which has been produced by shepherds in |
| produced in the area for at least seven hundred | | | | the mountainous region of Biera for centuries. This |
| years and the basic methods of production | | | | cheese can still lay claim the title of hand made, |
| haven't really changed. | | | | as the curds are parted by hand as they always |
| The Mediterranean bowl is a hotspot for cheese | | | | were. This is a very soft cheese that has a |
| making, and each area has its own favourites. | | | | sweet yet almost burnt flavour. |
| The hundreds of different cheeses are derived | | | | The French love and produce numerous cheeses, |
| from goat, cow, sheep and buffalo milk, and each | | | | but one of the best in my opinion is Neufchatel, a |
| has its own distinctive flavour. My personal | | | | soft, white table cheese. I'm cheating a little here |
| favourite is Feta, the soft, crumbly Greek cheese | | | | as the cheese actually originates from Normandy, |
| that brings to life any salad dish. This is one of the | | | | but this cheese does warrant a mention. Its |
| oldest cheeses in the world, made as long ago as | | | | grainy texture hides a delightful taste of |
| six thousand years. In 2002, the Greeks won an | | | | mushrooms. As it matures, it develops salty taste |
| importation battle of denomination, and earned the | | | | that isn't for everyone. Amongst the endless list |
| sole right to name their cheese 'Feta'. It is made | | | | of French cheeses are Brie, commonly known as |
| from sheep milk or a combination of sheep and | | | | the queen of cheeses, Roquefort, the king of |
| goat milk. It's worth visiting Greece solely to | | | | cheeses and Camembert which dates back to the |
| enjoy a Greek Salad drizzled with Olive Oil. Why is | | | | eighteenth century. |
| it that when you try to reproduce these tastes in | | | | The ideal way to taste cheese at its best is to go |
| your own country, it's never quite the same? Of | | | | to the country and enjoy it along with other local |
| course, Greece produces many other cheeses, | | | | products. Often, the wine chosen to accompany |
| but none are as popular as Feta. | | | | the cheese can make a great difference, and |
| Spain too has its fair share of cheeses to choose | | | | vice-versa. This is where local knowledge comes |
| from, the most famous being Manchego, made | | | | into its own, and in my experience, the people of |
| from pasteurised sheep milk in the La Mancha | | | | the Mediterranean are only too willing to help you |
| region of the country. This may need an acquired | | | | enjoy your experience. |