The Tetilla cheese (D.O.P “Queixo Tetilla”) is undoubtedly the most famous cheese among those that are natural from Galicia. It is made from cow’s milk from the Galician blonde, Friesian or Alpine brown breeds (these are the three most common breeds of cattle in Galician countryside). Its conical shape with a rounded tip is caused by the funnels in which the milk is allowed to curdle at the beginning of the production process. The very name of the cheese refers to this shape, which is reminiscent of the “breasts”. The flavor is smooth, with a sour and salty touch; the rind is thin and yellowish, the inner paste is creamy, soft, whitish. Although the D.O.P. covers the entire Galician territory, this cheese is historically typical of some A Coruña concellos that border the province of Lugo, and that have an important cheese-making tradition: Arzúa, Melide, Curtis. . . The maturation lasts between ten and thirty days.

The San Simon da Costa also has a conical shape, an inverted top. It receives its name from one of the parishes of Vilalba, capital of the Terra Chá region where this cheese, also made from cow’s milk, is produced. The maturation period of San Simón da Costa lasts between 30 and 45 days; after this time, the cheese is smoked with birch wood. It can be purchased in two variants: “ordinary” and “jester” (the latter smaller in size). The rind is hard and greasy, of a toasted ocher color, and the inner paste is fine, almost white and solid; the aroma is smoky.

The first modern references to the San Simón are from the end of the 19th century, although there is speculation about the possible pre-roman origin of the recipe. This cheese earned its D.O.P. in 1991, at a time when production was at a low level and did not leave its native region. Today, San Simón cheese is available in any Galician supermarket and is exported to the rest of Spain and the world; being allowed its elaboration both handmade and industrial.

The Arzúa-Ulloa cheese (also with D.O.P.) is produced in some municipalities in the neighboring regions of Arzúa, Terra de Melide, Ordes, Santiago de Compostela (province of A Coruña), Chantada, Lugo, Ulloa (province of Lugo), Deza, and in the concello of A Estrada (province of Pontevedra); it is indeed an area with a lot of cheese tradition. The Arzúa-Ulloa, made from cow’s milk, has a rounded and flat shape, a somewhat acidic aroma, yellowish rind, a light interior, a creamy and fatty paste; not very salty. Three variants of this cheese are marketed: the “Arzúa-Ulloa” (the most famous, with a two-week maturation process), the “Arzúa-Ulloa de granxa” (made on the same farm from which the milk comes, more artisanal) and the “Arzúa-Ulloa cured” (more solid and intense thanks to its long maturation period of six months).

The Galician cheese with D.O.P. that remains is the “Queixo do Cebreiro”, produced in the eastern province of Lugo, in the mountains of Os Ancares and O Courel. It is made from cow’s milk, although up to 40% goat milk is also allowed. It draws attention for its mushroom or chef’s hat shape, and for its whitish color; sour taste and even a little spicy; interior paste creamy, grainy, very brittle. This cheese has been documented since the 18th century, and achieved a certain fame thanks to the pilgrims who passed through Pedrafita do Cebreiro, the entrance to Galicia according to the French Santiago’s Road. In the 20th century, the production fell to a minimum: it was only made for self-consumption. However, with the introduction of the D.O.P., the production went back up, and although it is still limited in relation to other cheeses in the country, it stands out for its quality: this cheese has already several awards and a growing fame. Depending on the time of maturation, the O Cebreiro can be bought fresh or cured, the latter being of strong flavor and solid pasta.

In addition to these cheeses with officially recognized history and value, Galicia continues to innovate; In recent years, successful new products have appeared (as well as existing recipes have been consolidated). Some of the most prominent cheeses on the current scene, apart from those from D.O.P., are: Touza Vella, O Rexo, Galmesán (or “Galmesano”) and Queso al Pimentón. 

The Touza Vella, made in a cheese factory that bears the same name and which is located in the tourist Ribeira Sacra, has the particularity of being made from goat’s milk. It has a hard and grayish outer rind, a solid inner paste that turns whitish after forty days of maturation taken by the most sold product of the cheese factory, the matured Touza Vello.

O Rexo, which bears that name because of the O Rexo Eco-space (near Allariz, Ourense province): a forest crossed by the Arnoia where the sheep graze that give the milk with which this cheese from buttery texture interior paste. The exterior is orange; the maturation period lasts about 90 days. 

The Galmesán (or “Galmesano”), whose name merges the words “Galician” and “Parmesan”, has many similarities with the famous Italian cheese, and despite its not many years of life, it has already earned a reputation as one of the best cow’s milk cheeses in Spain. The Galmesán is sold in large pieces or wedges, its inner paste is hard and with grooves. The idea for this cheese arose after the association of some Italian cheesemakers who arrived in Arzúa with local professionals; together, they began to develop a project that over the years would give rise to the Galmesán that can be tasted today.

The Queso al Pimentón (“Cheese with Paprika”) is a Galician cheese made from cow’s milk. It’s particular due to the fact that paprika is added to the paste during production. It belongs to the Ulloa region (Lugo province) and the neighboring concello of Agolada (Pontevedra province).

The truth is that Galicia, as a livestock land that it is, has a great cheese tradition, supported by four products with D.O.P. and by many other cheeses, whether old or new, that prove the vibrancy of the sector today.

Tetilla

It is probably the best-known cheese outside the borders of Galicia, because of both its unmistakable conical shape (“tetilla” means “nipple”) and its long history. It is made throughout the Community and to receive certification it must be made from milk of rubia galega, Friesian or brown alpine cows, fed in the traditional way. Proof of its popularity is the fact that approximately two million pieces of between half a kilo and kilo and a half are sold every year. It is a mild-flavoured cheese, with a slightly acidic smell, buttery texture and intense milky flavour, enclosed by a thin yellow rind.

San Simon

The one from San Simón da Costa is another cheese with a conical shape but it should not be confused with the tetilla, not even by far. Although it is also made with milk from rubia galega, Friesian and Alpine brown cows, the most characteristic phase of its production is its smoking, which is conducted with birch wood. It is a cheese weighing between 0.8 and 1.5 kilos, with the shape of an inverted spinning top, hard and yellow rind, smoky smell, and a very characteristic flavour. It is produced in several parishes of the Lugo municipalities of Vilalba and Muras and, although it comes from a centennial recipe, its first known references come from the late nineteenth century.

Arzúa-Ulloa

This cheese, very popular throughout  Galicia, already identifies in its name the areas in which it is produced: the ones that line the border between the provinces of Lugo and A Coruña, specifically the areas of Arzúa, Melide, A Ulloa and Chantada, which are also among the most beautiful in Galicia in terms of traditional agricultural landscape. Rubia galega, Friesian and Alpine brown cows are once again responsible for providing its milk. It is a soft cheese, made with either raw milk or pasteurized milk with little ripening time in most of its types, although the cured variety is also included within the Designation of Origin. With a thin rind, the Arzúa-Ulloa is soft, slightly acidic, and with a round and usually flat shape.

Cebreiro

This is an unmistakable cheese that, according to its Regulatory Council, was among the favourites of Spanish kings over centuries. It is produced exclusively in thirteen municipalities in the mountainous east part of Lugo, in the surroundings of O Cebreiro, the entry point into Galicia of the French Way. It is shaped like a hat or mushroom and tastes somewhat acidic and even spicy. Made with milk from rubias galegas, Friesians and Alpine cows, the production of this full-fat and very creamy cheese is small, although not as small as it was in the eighties, before the Designation of Origin was established. At that time, only a handful of people were still producing this delicacy of the Galician mountainside.