In the 1980s, a group of idealistic city dwellers moved to the country to reconnect with nature. Although they knew very little about living off the land at first, these self described urban hippies or “neorurals” learned farming, animal husbandry, and, happily for us, cheesemaking! They decided to bring back a traditional Catalan cheese that had almost been forgotten: Garrotxa. While Garroxa was originally a fresh goat’s milk cheese, they decided to “surrender” to the mold that grew readily on the exterior of the cheese because it neutralized some of the acidic flavors of the cheese and added a subtle sweetness. Thus, Garrotxa’s new, suede gray look and subtle flavors became the norm. 

Aged for one to three months in natural caves, Garrotxa ranges from semi-firm when young, to dry and almost flaky with more age. While not overwhelmingly acidic, it still has a bit of a goaty tang and flavors of damp earth, lemon, and herbs. Pair it with the classic cured jamón serrano, olive oil fried and salted Marcona almonds, and a glass of sherry for an enticing Spanish aperitivo, or heck, make it your whole meal! Salud!