Island cheese — Azorean (or Portuguese)

Question

I have a recipe that uses island cheese and I am not sure what type of cheese that is. I've found a place online that sells "Island Cheese" in the Azores but it doesn't describe the type of cheese. I am trying to find a substitute that would be similar. Any ideas?

Answer 1

I'm pretty sure it's the famous Sao Jorge cheese from the Azores although there are many cheeses from these islands:

There's some good information here:

http://www.culturecheesemag.com/Sao%20Jorge

The Azores have traditionally been home to a variety of cheeses. These range from fresher styles, designed to be eaten within a few days of production, to more robust, aged cheeses able to withstand the rigors of transportation - and consequently often sold to ships’ crews to sustain them for many months at sea.

Made from raw cow’s milk, São Jorge cheese falls into this second category. It is the largest of the Portuguese cheeses weighing between 8kg (16 lb) to 12kg (26lb) and is aged for between three and seven months before release.

To make the cheese, cows are milked twice a day and the evening milk gets delivered to the cheese plant about 8:30pm with cheesemaking commencing right away, continuing through the night from about 9 pm to 4 am. Then, after morning milking another round of cheese is made.

A cooked curd pressed cheese, São Jorge is made by three dairies on the island although just one produces cheese that has been awarded DOP (name protected) status. The DOP status is awarded to cheeses matured for a minimum of 90 days although usually wheels of São Jorge are released at three, four and seven months.

Answer 2

Surely it is a goat or mix cheese.

I just found "island cheese" from Azores (pay attention that the single page of images changes if you set on english).

Since it is a travelling touristic page, it is impossible to get specific informations about cheese, that should be that:

it seems a mountain-cheese, a medium-aged cheese, semi-hard, with crust. Impossible to know how much salted (to me not to much) and the type of flavor.

More specific informations could be given if you tell about your recipe, since I found:

• Arran Island Cheese (like cheddar)(mustard cheese)

• Bruny Island Cheese from Tasmania (it seems like some Camembert)
• Salt Spring Island Cheese (any type from goat)
• King Island Cheese from Australia (mostly blue ones)

and many other. That from Azores looks like Italian "Asiago", Swiss "gruyere", Spanish (gallego) "tetilla".

Since the "tetilla" is produced in Galizia, that means the place closest to Portugal, and I tasted it, I think it is the more close to what you search.