Fifty Shades of Whey
Asturias is know for several hearty dishes that will keep your innards warm in the chilly wet climate of northern Spain. During my December visit, as part of my gastric escapades, I turned my attention to the cheese selection and cider ritual.
After landing comfortably in Asturias, I quickly immersed myself in soccer and cider at a local sidrería in Gijón. It was the middle of the World Cup and Spain was playing against Japan. Sidrerías, or cider houses, are the local go-to haunts in Asturias. They are so populous that it seemed as if there were more sidrerías than convenient stores.
Christmas tree made entirely of cider bottles in Gijón, Spain
El escanciador translates to pourer and refers to either man or machine responsible for pouring cider. The majority of sidrerías assign a person to this task to ensure it’s done correctly and in line with tradition. Pouring cider is an art form in Asturias where ciders are made all naturally. There is no added sugar, yeast, or carbonation. Pouring from above the head provides the natural fizz you would otherwise get from adding carbonation, and most importantly it helps open the flavors by adding oxygen. This is why cider is always poured in small amounts and consumed in a few gulps in one take.
Escanciador pouring cider at La Fueya de Tomas sidrería (cider house) in Gijón
Like an amateur, I did not drink cider correctly during my first couple of bottles. On the third try at a different establishment, the waiter was kind enough to point this out. He told me to drink all of the cider once it is poured. It should not sit long as this defeats the purposes of the manually created carbonation effect. Plus, the popping flavors will loose their potency if left unattended. Half-jokingly, I asked if I should down it like tequila, and he was quick to correct me and say “como agua” (like water). To truly enjoy the perks of the pour, cider should be consumed slowly with intentional gulps, one after the other, like coming out of the desert and into an oasis.
Asturias has somewhere between 40 and 50 different types of artisanal cheeses with a remarkable range of flavors. I ordered a plate of six different cheeses at a local sidrería. Without writing the name of each cheese down, I couldn’t possibly remember them all (especially when mixing my experience with copious amounts of cider), and the restaurant keepers aren’t so concerned as to write them down on the menu.
I found Cabrales to be the most memorable cheese, and incidentally one of the most famous in the region. It is a pungent blue cheese made with cow’s milk and sometimes blended with goat or sheep. Cabrales is surprisingly smooth and, dare I say, delicate to the palate. I tried a Cabrales at two different sidrerías. There was a slight distinction in that one of them reminded me of Brie in taste and texture.
Cabrales cheese with membrillo de manzana (apple) on plate decorated with Cruz de la Victoria (victory cross)
Cheese samplings come with membrillo, a thick, sweet paste resembling a firm block of jam. Membrillo in Asturias is often made with apple, given the popularity of the fruit in the region. There are hundreds of varieties of apples in the region, and over 20 from which cider is made.
Among the many things to see and do in Asturias, patronizing sidrerías was time well-spent. Something as simple as sampling local cider and cheese opened new doors to understanding and enjoying Spanish culture.