Mahón-Menorca

Mahón

What it is

Menorca was British for most of the eighteenth century, and the occupiers brought Friesian cattle and shipped the cheese out under the name of the port at Mahón. The square shape is the cloth: the curd is knotted into a fogasser and hung by its four corners, which leaves the raised nipple, the mamella, on top.

In the kitchen

Only the aged wheels are worth grating — under four months the paste is elastic and mild. It is the curado that brings the salty, faintly citric edge that stands in for Parmesan in a Spanish kitchen.

Goes with

Olive oil Tomato Quince paste Almond Honey Oregano

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