Ahuyentalobos cheese: the most daring cheese in the Valley of Roncal

1. Origin of the Ahuyentalobos cheese. The Valley of Roncal
2. Elaboration of the Ahuyentalobos cheese. Long maturation
3. Curiosities of the Ahuyentalobos cheese
4. Ahuyentalobos Cheese: A Story of Wolves and Sheeps
5. Recipes

Ahuyentalobos cheese is a raw sheep's milk cheese from the Valley of Roncal. Matured during about 8 months on olive oil. It is an ideal cheese for those who like an intense flavor with the best texture.

1. Origin of the Ahuyentalobos cheese. The Valley of Roncal.

The Ahuyentalobos cheese is made in the Valley of Roncal, in the province of Navarra. The main characteristic of those cheeses is that they are made from raw sheep's milk. The main difference is the maturation time of the cheese, which in this cheese is longer.

The starting point of the Ahuyentalobos cheese are the popular fables of sheep and wolves that have been told to all of us during our childhood. However, in this cheese the sheep has a more forwarded role. The essence of this cheese is the situations in our daily life and the environment in which these situations occur.

2. Elaboration of the Ahuyentalobos cheese. Long maturation

The Ahuyentalobos cheese has been made with raw matured sheep milk. Its maturation period is around 8 months and its production method gives it a unique touch. This cheese has been made with a surface treatment based in olive oil, which makes the rind of the cheese to have that ochre tone so characteristic.

In the mouth, it has the purest and most characteristic flavor of raw sheep's milk, with spicy touches, notes of black pepper and slightly acid. The aroma of the Ahuyentalobos cheese reminds us of wet soil and has an intense milky smell. At sight, the cheese has an ivory yellow, that goes down to a more subdued yellow on the inside. In the rind, dark ocher tones predominate, thanks to the fact that they have been treated with olive oil and other vegetable oils.

We can find the Ahuyentalobos cheese from raw sheep's milk in three formats: portion of 250 grams, whole cheese of 1 kilo and whole cheese of 3 kilos.

3. Curiosities of the Ahuyentalobos cheese

History of the Ahuyentalobos cheese

The Ahuyentalobos cheese is based on the typical children's stories of sheep and wolves that our parents and grandparents told us. As we will see below, this story has a different touch with respect to the children’s stories that are found usually. 

Similarities and differences of the Ahuyentalobos cheese with other roncal cheeses

The Ahuyentalobos cheese comes from this area of ​​Navarra, where roncal cheeses are so characteristic. Its main similarity is that it has been made with raw sheep's milk, using “rasa” and “lacha” sheep's milk. Another of its main similarities is that it does not have holes, but it has the small ones of roncal cheeses.

Although they may seem very similar, organoleptically they have notable differences. While the roncal cheeses have around 45% fat, the Ahuyentalobos cheese has 38% fat. The maturation of the roncal cheeses is about 40 days, the maturation period of the Ahuyentalobos cheese is longer, about 8 months.

The Ahuyentalobos cheese, the new cheese on TV

Ahuyentalobos cheese is gaining popularity thanks to the advertisements of TGT cheeses on television and social media. Its advertisements on the main television channels in our country, at times when the audience is higher and during the retransmission of some of the most followed programs of the day.

We will also see that they are very present in social networks, both as advertisements, publications or making important sponsorships.

4. Ahuyentalobos Cheese: A Story of Wolves and Sheep

The history of the Ahuyentalobos cheese is based on the supposed relationship that wolves and sheeps have in the woodlands. Normally, children's fables and tales tell that the wolves were the villains and that, in short, these animals ended up eating the sheep.

With the Ahuyentalobos cheese, the story has a different approach. The Ahuyentalobos sheep is the bravest of the mountain. On the grounds she is, wolves cry crawling through the ground instead of howling at night. It is the most feared sheep by wolves and has a strong character. In short, the Ahuyentalobos sheep is the toughest sheep that one can imagine. This cheese is defined as having a strong character and its flavor and aroma are so characteristic.

5. Recipes

Table of sausages with wolf repellent cheese

Ingredients

Bellota Iberian ham

Ahuyentalobos cheese

Iberian Bellota loin

Bellota Iberian chorizo

Bellota Iberian sausage

The rest of the sausages you want to add

Preparation method

Take out the portion that we are going to consume about 30 minutes before so that it is tempered.

Cut the cheese, loin, chorizo, salami and the rest of the sausages as thin as possible.

Place it by type of sausage slice by slice on a white plate

Salad with cherry tomatoes and Ahuyentalobos raw sheep cheese

Ingredients

Ahuyentalobos cheese

Basil

Provençal herbs

Cherry tomatoes

EVOO

Elaboration method

Halve the cherry tomatoes

Cut wolf-repellent cheese into tiny pieces. It can also be scratched or even cut into triangle slices.

As a dressing, we can make a vinaigrette with basil, Provencal herbs and extra virgin olive oil.

We can also serve it on skewers as a presentation suggestion.