Mahón Cheese

The first cured, farmhouse-made Mahóns of the season will be appearing in stores this fall, after 150 days of carefully tended ageing. These box-shaped cheeses, with their distinctive rounded edges, fold-like markings and beautiful deep orange-gold rinds are one of the gastronomic jewels of the Balearic islands, and have long been so.

Archaeological remains suggest cheese was made on Menorca as early as 2000 BC; in the 11th century, the Arab historian Ashashaskandi praised Menorca’s “good cattle and vines that are used to make good cheese and wine.” The Crown of Aragon’s archives document the importance of cheese production on the island from the 15th century. Its trade had increased so significantly by the 18th century that there were four ships dedicated to transporting the Menorcan cheese from the natural harbor in Mahón to ports throughout the western Mediterranean. Though much of the cheese was actually made elsewhere on Menorca, because the port of origin was Mahón, it came to be known as “Mahón cheese.”

It was not until the 19th century that the art of ageing the cheese was truly perfected, with the emergence of professional “cheese maturers” or “master curers.” These were usually agricultural merchants who traveled the island selling items such as seeds and tools. In return, they would often receive freshly made cheese as payment. The master curers would then take them to their houses where special curing cellars had been built, enabling control of the ageing conditions down to the minutest detail. The curers could even tell when a wind was good or bad for the cheese and open or close the cellar windows accordingly.

This long and unique history was finally given official recognition in 1985, when Mahón cheese was awarded its own Denominación de Origen Protegida (DOP) certification by the government.

But what actually makes Mahón so distinctive? For a start, the island of Menorca has a microclimate that is markedly different from that of its neighbors. It is the wettest Balearic island, with high rainfall, high atmospheric humidity and mild temperatures. This, and its relative flatness, make for good grazing land; cows graze freely in fields separated by the island’s traditional, dry stone walls.

One of the most interesting things about Mahón cheese is that many producers still use traditional, farmhouse methods. Called “Artisanal Mahón-Menorca cheese,” it is made with raw milk in authorized, artisanal dairies. These producers are often small farmers who have been making Mahón for generations, according to methods handed down through the centuries. They’ll make cheese twice a day, after each milking, from late September to early June.The curd is made with animal rennet and put into cloth molds called fogassers. It’s then hand-pressed to get rid of excess liquid and tied as tightly as possible with a special tie called a lligam. After that it’s pressed mechanically for a few hours. Pressing leaves an imprint of the cloth on the cheese known as mamella — one of Mahón’s distinctive hallmarks.

After pressing, the cheese is soaked in a highly concentrated brine for one to two days; then, it is cleaned, dried and left to air before it is taken to be matured. During the ageing process the cheeses are turned, and the rind may be rubbed with olive oil or butter and sometimes paprika, which helps preserve it and adds color.

CLASSIFICATIONS

There are three types of Mahón cheese, classified by age. Tierno (matured 21-60 days) has the palest, softest, most elastic flesh and mildest flavor: buttery, lightly acidic and slightly salty. It’s good for making light creamy cheese sauces in savory dishes.

Semi-curado (matured two to five months) is still fairly mild, with a flesh that retains some elasticity, but shows signs of maturity in its golden color and slightly piquant flavor, contrasting with nutty and buttery notes. The cut flesh should show a number of irregular holes. Its balance of sweet and savory flavors makes it a favorite ingredient in inventive desserts. 

Mahón curado (matured more than five months) is the version with the biggest personality. Its deep orange to toffee-brown flesh is harder and crumblier than its younger siblings, with crunchy lactose crystals in the older versions. Its aromas and flavors suggest wood, smoke, leather, caramel, nuts and spice. It’s a wonderfully intense tapa or dessert, simply cut in slices and served with fruit and nuts.