Within the world of spreadable cheeses with intense flavors in Spain, we could say that the most famous is the torta del casar DO from Extremadura and the Urbiés cheese from the Principality of Asturias, these cheeses are the most chosen by gourmets when it comes to start a meal or finish it, all accompanied by a good wine.
In this publication we will talk about an artisan cheese «Tupi» of Catalan origin. The origin of this variety is due to the use of poorly prepared cheeses or those that have a defect at the time of manufacture, this added to the carelessness of the shepherds when maturing the cheeses gave life to this exquisite cheese, highly desired at the gastronomic. The name of this spreadable cheese “Tupi” comes from the Catalan meaning small clay pot with handles, in this pot is where the second fermentation of the Tupi takes place.
There are two ways to make the Tupi in an artisanal way:
*Originally, this cheese was made from Serrat cheese, from sheep, when the cheese broke during manufacturing, matured more than normal or had some kind of anomaly, the artisan chopped them up and put them in a jar of clay, adding sheep's milk, oil and brandy or liquor. Later it is covered with a cloth, so that the cheese ferments in contact with the air, but at the same time is protected from insects or other organisms.
After two or three months, depending on the environmental conditions, and going through almost unbearable moments of smell during maturation, the cheese is homogenized, rested and transformed into that unctuous and intense cheese, suitable for demanding palates.
*Another artisan way that we can also do is to take matured and old goat, cow or sheep cheeses, we remove the rind, we pass it through a meat grinder and we get a purée. We add any liquor, hot water or white wine and ferment them for 2 months inside the clay pot, we must not forget to mix every so often and that it must be covered with a cloth.
Video about making Tupí cheese in Sort: http://ow.ly/kXPJP
Source: Ear Chef Blog
