Evora De L'Alentejo

Evora De L'Alentejo (Queijo de Evora, or Evora) is a DOP-protected, semi-hard cheese from the town of Evora in Southern Portugal. The raw milk used to make the cheese is from Merino ewe, a breed more popular for its wool. Production for this cheese starts in November and peaks in March and April when milk production is at its highest.

Evora's inedible rind and paste are delicate, pale yellow and quite meaty. Flavours mirror the green pastures and the thistle flowers which are used to coagulate the milk make the cheese slightly bitter but not distasteful in flavour. As Evora ages, its flavour becomes slightly acidic and spicy.

Crisp white and light to medium-bodied red wines go well with the cheese.