-By James Mellgren

All Cheese Considered
"You see, it turns out, little did we know, well, shut my mouth, we cheesemongers with the vainglorious counters here in the U.S., counters busting our buttons, mucho guapo, muy orgulloso, counters rivaling and surpassing the finest cheese counters in Europe, egregiously were we oblivious to the utterly spectacular cheeses of regional Spain."
– Steven Jenkins, Author, Cheesemonger

After visiting the Spanish cheese exhibit at the recent Alimentaria in Barcelona, aptly titled "El Pais de 100 Quesos" (The Land of 100 Cheeses), it occurred to me, in spite of Mr. Jenkins' epiphany, Spain still doesn't get enough credit from most retailers and cheese lovers for the range and diversity of its cheeses. While it is true that the cheeses of Spain have rocketed to stardom in recent years, helped in large part by the educational efforts of Foods From Spain, as well as by enthusiastic cheesemongers around the country, they are still all too often compared unfavorably with other countries in terms of the entire scope of textures, styles and flavors. And while there are muchos quesos that are extremely similar -- take, for example, Manchego, Zamorano, Roncal and Iberico -- there is plenty of diversity to satisfy even the most ardent cheesehead; and in terms of flavor, well, the meek need not apply, for the true flavors stemming from the ancient cheese tradition throughout the Iberian Peninsula would sate even the most jaded palate.

Like many of its European neighbors, Spain is a distinctly regional country. Many of the regions are cut off from one another by geographic boundaries that have kept them insular, even to the point where several of the regions in Spain have their own languages, such as Galicia, Catalunya and the Basque Country. While this insularity has kept many of the nation's finest cheeses from being known outside of Spain until very recently, it also helped keep these cheeses distinct from one another rather than becoming a homogenized, industrial mass. Of course, now that Spain has made the leap into the 21st century, there is plenty of homogenization going on, but thankfully, much of the regional identity of the country, especially in regards to cheese, remains intact.

Sheep, or more accurately the ewes, reign supreme in Spain for cheesemaking. Ewe's milk accounts for many of the most famous cheeses, as well as the cheeses that initially brought Spanish cheesemaking to the attention of the rest of the world. However, there are also many wonderful world-class cheeses made from both cow's and goat's milk depending on which region one looks to. In fact, the choice of milk is so regionally distinctive that one could essentially draw lines on the map of Spain delineating the respective dairy animals. For example, across the northern regions of Spain, from Galicia, which sits atop Portugal like Oregon to California, and on through Asturias and Cantabria, as well as the Balearic Islands in the Mediterranean Sea, the cow is the animal best suited to the terrain and the temperament of the people. These cheeses range from the simple and provocative Tetilla to the more aggressive Afuega'l Pitu, and the Cabrales -- an ancient blue that likely existed before Roquefort -- as well as a number of other worthwhile blues. Perhaps the greatest expression of Spanish bovine cheesemaking is found in the most unlikely of places, on the island of Minorca. Mahon, named for the city from which it departs the island, looks like a little square tufted pillow. When young, it is a pleasant, mild cheese with nutty overtones. When fully aged, however, it takes on great depths of flavor -- fruity, nutty and caramel -- not unlike the great Parmigiano Reggiano.

The vast midsection of Spain is where sheep rule, from the Basque Country down through Navarre, La Rioja and Aragon, and continuing through Madrid, Castile-La Mancha, and Extremadura. The cheeses here are certainly the most well-known and arguably the greatest; from Manchego, which can range from the blandly industrial to astonishing artisanal versions that make one appreciate why this cheese is so famous, to the fabulous Roncal, the first cheese in Spain to be awarded name-protection status like wine. Others include Zamorano and the hauntingly beautiful, lightly smoked Idiazábal made by the Basques, the culinary giants with a curious language, the roots of which are lost in antiquity. Finally, goats are the animal of choice in the regions that border the Mediterranean Sea, from Catalunya down the coast through Valencia, Murcia and the sweeping southernmost region of Andalusia, and also in the Canary Islands in the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of Africa. From the dreamy, downy-rinded Garrotxa to Murcia al Vino (affectionately known as "drunken goat") to the magnificent Majorero from the island of Fuerteventura, the goat cheeses of Spain are unlike anything most consumers are used to. It all adds up to a cheesemaking country that can easily stand with the greatest in Europe and elsewhere. Once people begin to experience the range of Spanish cheeses, they will appreciate the diversity, the bold flavors and a tradition of cheesemaking that is firmly rooted in the history of the country. As the venerable Don Quixote himself once said, "While I am eating, I know nothing. But when I have finished eating, I begin to understand."

Industry News
The Power of Green From IDDBA
In an unprecedented offer, the board of directors of the International Dairy•Deli•Bakery Association (IDDBA) is providing free downloads of its newest research study, Environmental Sustainability: The Power of Green, to its members. Your company must be a member to get the free download, and you will need the VIP # from your Dairy•Deli•Bake Digest mailing label to access the report. Printed copies are also available for $395 for IDDBA members and $795 for non-members. The 80-page report includes tables, cases studies, best practices and more. Also, if you are not a member, and would like to be, membership ($200 for retailers, $450 for others) includes a free copy of What's in Store 2008 and various newsletters, as well as discounts on training, registration, and exhibit fees. You can download a membership application from www.iddba.org and click on Membership. To buy a copy of the Green study, call Jeremy at 608-310-5000 and mention order #1717.

WMMB Celebrates Cheese on the Grill With Special Promotions
The Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board (WMMB) is celebrating the onset of summer with a great summer grilling promotion that retailers can customize with their own signage, counter cards, displays and recipe brochures. Supermarkets can also take advantage of WMMB's educational three-minute streaming video about grilling and cheese ideas. According to the NPD group, a national market research company, outdoor grilling continues to gain popularity, with 38 percent of American households preparing a meal on the grill at least once in a two-week period in 2007. Hamburgers remain the most popular item on the grill, according to the 18th annual Weber Grill Watch survey. Seven out of 10 grillers top their burgers with cheese which presents an opportunity to introduce new cheese choices such as blue, feta, asadero, fontina and habanero Jack, and more. Burgers are only the beginning, however, as the WMMB wants to emphasize that everything from appetizers to desserts can be done on the grill. To learn more about WMMB's summer grilling promotion program and tools, contact Peter Buol at 800-373-9662 or pbuol@wmmb.org. Be sure to check out www.WisDairy.com for great grilling recipe ideas and to view the summer grilling video.