REGION

Specificity of the geographical production area

 

Taking into account the integrated ecosystem in the region, the secular knowledge of grazing techniques and the climatic conditions required for the processing and maturation of the cheese, the special microclimate, the know-how demonstrated for centuries, the existence of local, loyal and constant methods, the obligation to protect the consumer against fraud and deception, the need to carry out the control of all operations and the obligation to guarantee the traceability of the product, throughout the entire production process. The geographical area of ​​production and processing of raw materials raw and maturation, prolonged storage, cutting and packaging of the cheese is limited to the municipalities of Carregal do Sal, Celorico da Beira, Fornos de Algodres, Gouveia, Mangualde, Manteigas, Nelas, Oliveira do Hospital, Penalva do Castelo, Seia, Aguiar da Beira, Arganil, Covilhã, Guarda, Tábua, Tondela, Trancoso and Viseu, in the districts of Viseu, Coimbra, Guarda and Castelo Branco.

Visit and pay tribute to our cheese factories and shepherds.
Welcome…

Link between geographic area and product quality

The entire region is based on the great Beira highland, with agro-climatic conditions translated into cold, rainy, and prolonged winters, sometimes with snow and hot, dry summers. The natural pastures are made up of spontaneous perennial grasses and the cultivated pastures based on white clover and subterranean clovers give sheep’s milk and cheese unique flavourful characteristics. The region and the cheeses produced in it were already mentioned in texts written by roman authors, being also mentioned as the food of choice for the caravels of the Discoveries and in plays from the 19th century. The link with the origin is further strengthened by the fact that the milk comes exclusively from sheep of local breeds (Serra da Estrela and Churra Mondegueira).

(…) Serra da Estrela Cheese. The paste, so thin, is like no other from the same category in Europe.

António Maria de Oliveira Bello (Olleboma)

Founder of the Portuguese Society of Gastronomy, president of Portuguese Society of Natural Sciences, an epicure by nature, he established himself as one of the greatest portuguese gastronomists. A great booster of national cuisine.