VERA Platform_2070 Casin Cheese "Cas\u00edn, which is produced by only two small dairies in Asturias, is one of the cheeses with the oldest written references in the world, one of the most intense in flavour, protected by a Designation of Origin since 2011, and unique in its method of production. Cas\u00edn takes its name from its place of origin: the municipality of Caso, which also gives its demonym to the Asturian Mountain cattle breed, or \u201ccasina\u201d cow, which yields little milk but of exceptional flavour thanks to the excellent pastures on which it feeds. Documentary references to Cas\u00edn date back to the 14th century, when it was known as queso assadero. The cheesemaking technique used for Cas\u00edn cheese arose from the need to achieve a safe and long-lasting method of preservation in an area where mild temperatures and the predominance of rainy, overcast days create high ambient humidity, which hinders the drying of the curds produced by milk coagulation. Thus, kneading emerged as the customary method of combining several small-format curds into a single piece. Repeating this process resulted in drier, more compact pastes, producing a longer-lasting product without the need for pressing. To facilitate kneading, the \u2018rabilar machine\u2019 was developed (see description below)." iain Asturian,Spanish Intangable Heritage TEXT University of St Andrews VERA Platform "Cas\u00edn, which is produced by only two small dairies in Asturias, is one of the cheeses with the oldest written references in the world, one of the most intense in flavour, protected by a Designation of Origin since 2011, and unique in its method of production. Cas\u00edn takes its name from its place of origin: the municipality of Caso, which also gives its demonym to the Asturian Mountain cattle breed, or \u201ccasina\u201d cow, which yields little milk but of exceptional flavour thanks to the excellent pastures on which it feeds. Documentary references to Cas\u00edn date back to the 14th century, when it was known as queso assadero. The cheesemaking technique used for Cas\u00edn cheese arose from the need to achieve a safe and long-lasting method of preservation in an area where mild temperatures and the predominance of rainy, overcast days create high ambient humidity, which hinders the drying of the curds produced by milk coagulation. Thus, kneading emerged as the customary method of combining several small-format curds into a single piece. Repeating this process resulted in drier, more compact pastes, producing a longer-lasting product without the need for pressing. To facilitate kneading, the \u2018rabilar machine\u2019 was developed (see description below)." 43.18138889 -5.34055556 43.37416667 -5.35861111