Today we return to the Never Met a Cheese(/Beer) I Didn’t Like series with a cheese from Portugal.  Serra da Estrela came to mind because I am currently reading Gordon Edgar’s book Cheesemonger: A Life on the Wedge. It’s both informative and a hoot. Plus it is full of thoughtful commentary about 1980s punk rock/anti-Reagan political activism. We all need to read more about those things nowadays.

Anyhow, Serra is a raw sheeps milk cheese that is made using milk thistle as a coagulant. It’s not for everyone, says Edgar, a cheesemonger at San Francisco’s Rainbow food co-op.

“Oozy, rich, sour and pungent, a combination that is hard to match. It’s so distinctive that I think of it as a gift for the cheese eater who has tried everything.”

Hmmm. Sounds like something I would enjoy, and I might pair it with really tart beer from Belgium or Colorado (can’t blame me for trying!) Or, maybe a safer bet would be an India Black Ale.

Might be hard to find in the states, but I’m going to do my best.