# Help with cheeses



## redbourn (May 8, 2013)

Today I wanted to buy a cheese similar to Gruyere but had no idea which Portuguese one might be close.

What I'd like to do is get a list of Portuguese cheeses that can be substituted for ones that we are likely more familiar with.

I found São Jorge to be a pretty good substitute for Parmesan for example.

If no one has a list then maybe we can put one together from different people's feedback.

Michael


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## ViaVinho (Jul 29, 2016)

redbourn said:


> Today I wanted to buy a cheese similar to Gruyere but had no idea which Portuguese one might be close.
> 
> What I'd like to do is get a list of Portuguese cheeses that can be substituted for ones that we are likely more familiar with.
> 
> ...


This is a Sisyphusian task, Michael! I find the São Jorge rather similar to cheddar, but with stronger flavor! People's perception of tatste can differ quite a bit. Then the tastes of cheeses also depend on how much they were aged. Moreover, there are often regional variants of cheeses that are not available elsewhere in the country. Finally, I found that the quality of the same cheese could vary quite a bit. A given cheese could have a certain taste and when you buy the same one at another time, the taste could be rather different! One could see this variability as a problem or as contributing to the rich variety of things to experience in Portugal where often things are not standardized and homogenized into bland similarity.
Nevertheless, I have myself started to make a list of cheeses that I enjoy in the hopes of being able to encounter them again. I like the raw milk cheeses, but do not have many on my list.

In support of your endeavor, here are a few from my current list.
Sao Miguel (Vaca pasteurizado)
Sao Jorge (Vaca cru)
Charneca (Mistura pasteurizado)
Fonte Mourisca (3 leites pasteurizados)
Palhais Rustico (Cabra pasteurizado)

VV


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## redbourn (May 8, 2013)

Thanks very much and I will start my list with your findings.

I try to buy local goods if I can.

Wanted to make onion soup.

So I went to Continente to buy Gruyere but my branch didn't have it so I bought Emmental which was very expensive.

Would love to have bought a close Portuguese substitute.

Michael


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## advolex (Mar 8, 2015)

*Cheese in PT*

Normally I prefer domestic cheese, but the varieties here are not exceptionally good when it comes to "our cheese", which is the hard cheese. They're far, far better at the softer cheeses, expecially when they're made of either goat or sheep milk. Often they're made of unpasteurized "cru" milk which adds to the taste. And I've never become ill even if there would be a health risk involved, from listeria.

Recently I found at the local Pingo Doce two very fine PT cheeses from the mountain region, "Serra" something ("Sierra" in Spanish), one was goat/sheep and the other pure goat. The cost was around 15 and 12 Euros a kilo. For around € 10 or slightly less you get the hard cheese from the Acores that you mentioned, which should be aged a bit longer for that price, 9 - 11 months.

You mentionned Emmental, which is expensive everywhere if it's the Swiss original. That is not available at the supermarkets like Lidl, which instead provide a synthetic product which is absolutely tasteless. Even if it's produced in Bavaria, I think. I find the similarly low priced Cheddar from England much better, when it's aged longer. Now, where will we find that after Brexit? The mature Cheddar is € 7 and quite good, comparable to the São Jorge. It's in the wine that this country really excels, generally I find the French cheeses to be superior to all.


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## redbourn (May 8, 2013)

redbourn said:


> Thanks very much and I will start my list with your findings.
> 
> I try to buy local goods if I can.
> 
> ...


Thanks very much.

Yes, it's the hard cheeses which are the most problematic.

But soft cheeses? 

Hard to beat a Camembert or Brie!

It's hard to find a bad wine in Portugal and I look for the ones that are on sale and for €3 there are some pretty decent ones.

Back to my onion soup.

Is there a Portuguese cheese similar to Gruyere?


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## RichardHenshall (Jul 26, 2009)

advolex said:


> ... I find the similarly low priced Cheddar from England much better, when it's aged longer. Now, where will we find that after Brexit? ...


I prefer Irish cheddar anyway, though I am biased.


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## redbourn (May 8, 2013)

RichardHenshall said:


> I prefer Irish cheddar anyway, though I am biased.


I like cheddar too but it doesn't run like Gruyère so it doesn't work for French onion soup.

The attached photo is an onion soup that I made using cheddar.


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## advolex (Mar 8, 2015)

redbourn said:


> It's hard to find a bad wine in Portugal


Don't try your luck with the sparkling wine, though. With the exception of the crémants of the French wine regions or even better Luxembourg, they're all really bad.

I stay with my suggestion of Lidl's "Valley Spire Mature Cheddar", matured for 9 months ("Produzido no Reino Unido a partir de leite de origem britânica.") Unbeatable value, 250 gs for € 1.99. It goes well to your cheese burger and should do equally well to your onion soup. The Gruyère I'd save for raclette. Or fondue.


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## RichardHenshall (Jul 26, 2009)

I've literally just been presented with this by Google, when I started to search for Manchego as a possible alternative!


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## advolex (Mar 8, 2015)

*Irish cheddar*



redbourn said:


> I like cheddar too but it doesn't run like Gruyère so it doesn't work for French onion soup.
> 
> The attached photo is an onion soup that I made using cheddar.


Yes, you made your point concerning cooking with Irish cheese. This is what we will have to live with when the Brits are away making friends again with the Americans. Seriously though, the brownish taint to your lasagna is not the cheese's fault. You're probably looking for the "tears" (is that the proper translation of "larmes"?). They are not there because the cheese is too meagre. It should be fattier, "gordo". The cheese I favour has "Lipidos 34,9 g" which should suffice for onion soup.


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## JohnBoy (Oct 25, 2009)

RichardHenshall said:


> I've literally just been presented with this by Google, when I started to search for Manchego as a possible alternative!


The most helpful post I've seen in a long while. Thank you Richard.


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## redbourn (May 8, 2013)

RichardHenshall said:


> I've literally just been presented with this by Google, when I started to search for Manchego as a possible alternative!


Thanks for that.


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