When it comes to gastronomy, we are happy, because, like the Mediterranean diet, there are few things. Variety, color, flavor and a lot of health. Among all these foods are dairy and inside cheeses. A study has analyzed the most recognized cheeses from all over Europe and Spain is in third place only behind Italy and France.
In Spain we like to eat and in our country there are true lovers of cheeses. It is estimated that in Spain there are about 150 different types of cheeses and more than 20 of them have Protected Designations of Origin. Based on this, it is not surprising that we are among the European countries with the most recognized cheeses and that our gastronomy breaks down walls and crosses borders.
A new study has made us shine in Europe and if there were cheese Olympics, we would have been in third position, only surpassed by Italy and France, two great countries with a long tradition and love for cheese.
Cheeses with designation of origin in Spain
According to this study by the European Commission, Spain has almost 30 protected designations of origin, that is, we have cheeses that belong to certain geographical indications within our territory. In addition, the recipe and its preparation are also protected, so the history and creative work is recognized.
Up to 26 cheeses with protected designations of origin and of which the most recognized cheeses in Spain are Manchego cheese, Cabrales cheese, Arzúa-Ulloa cheese, Idiazábal cheese, Torta del Casar and Mahón-Menorca cheese. If any of us have not tried all of these, we encourage you to go to a specialty cheese shop, or even to the gourmet section of El Corte Inglés, for example, and give them a try. Through gastronomy, we can get to know our own country better, in addition, eating cheese is beneficial for health.
Another option is to choose the towns where these cheeses are made and make weekend getaways and try the best Spanish cheeses in situ, or at least the most recognized at European level.
Italy and France complete the ranking
The Top 3 is completed with two countries very close to us that are Italy in first position with 53 cheeses with protected designations of origin and in second place France with 49 cheeses with designations of origin. Within those recognitions, there are some that sound more familiar to us than others.
For example, in Italy we have the normal Mozzarella and the buffalo mozzarella, the burrata, the Parmesan, Grana Padano, Provolone and Gorgonzola, among the most recognized in Europe. And it does not surprise us at all, since Italian cuisine is something international and they are cheeses that we have come to taste even on the other side of the world and thousands of kilometers from Italy.
The same happens with France as the study reveals that the best known cheeses from the neighboring country are Camembert, Roquefort, Brie, Munster, Comté and Reblochon.
Then, in the rest of Europe there are already Cheddar in the UK, Edam and Gouda in the Netherlands, feta cheese in Greece, among other recognized cheeses that we can see in the photo that we have left a few paragraphs above.
