The Murcia Gastronomic Region staff had to set up a table at the last minute to seat almost a hundred cheese enthusiasts waiting to enter the tasting area on the terrace. Carmen, from the Murcian specialized store La Lechera de Bordeos, was waiting there with full plates so that each of the attendees could enjoy another appetizer at the start of the day on Saturday.
With everyone settled, the feast began, which had an important and rigorous order of tasting, following the hands of a clock turned into a plate in which ten pieces of the most different varieties of cheeses from the Region of Murcia rotated. In the center, a few peaks served as an axis to accompany the tasting, although Carmen soon explained the true intention of that crunchy bite: “They are designed to be eaten between cheese and cheese, to leave prominence to the true star of the tasting.” .
To help diners, the operation ran parallel to that of a wine tasting, since the steps are very similar. In fact, the expert was missing that wine or a beer to accompany the bites, although some attendees were foresighted and brought their glasses full for a perfect pairing. “You have to observe, smell, taste, taste the cheese again and then pay attention to the aftertaste it leaves in your mouth,” said Carmen, confirming that cheese is a delicacy to be enjoyed with all the senses.
The tasting, which was a ‘in crescendo’ of power and flavor, offered pieces from five cheese factories in the Region: La Zarcillera de Lorca, Beee in Moratalla, Ruperto from San Javier, Sabores de Tallante de Mazarrón and El Roano in Murcia, in addition of the Murcia DOP. All of them, most of them with milk from their own farms, were in charge of putting cheeses that began with a fresh cured cheese and ended with two blue ones, going through mixed options of cow and goat, curro with mullet roe or one made in brine, among others. The characteristic wine cheese was also present, the only one from the Murcia DOP and a classic in the city’s tastings.
Towards the end of the event, not a piece of cheese remained safe on the plate of any of the attendees, with the exception of one who confessed to having left his favorite piece for last. Among the favorites, the mullet roe and the matured ones seemed to triumph, although at the back of the tables voices sounded declaring that “everyone”, while many were already thinking about the next bite of the appetizer on the Calle de las Tapas.
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