Casin Cheese

Info

Casin Cheese
Language	Asturian,Spanish
Contact	iain
Size	x x
Type	Intangible
Omeka	Link
Talk Page	Link

Omeka

Casín, 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. Casín takes its name from its place of origin: the municipality of Caso, which also gives its demonym to the Asturian Mountain cattle breed, or “casina” cow, which yields little milk but of exceptional flavour thanks to the excellent pastures on which it feeds. Documentary references to Casín date back to the 14th century, when it was known as queso assadero. The cheesemaking technique used for Casín 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 ‘rabilar machine’ was developed (see description below).

Casin Cheese talk