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MARIO Ramos knows his cheese. That was apparent as soon as our little group of turophiles (cheese lovers) sat down at a long table, set with brimming dishes of walnuts and cubes of quince chutney, and watched an introductory PowerPoint on making the great dairy invention we were there to taste. From culturing to draining to ripening, each process was narrated by Ramos - our host for the evening, on behalf of Ibérica’s Spanish supplier Manduca - with great enthusiasm. He then taught us how to appreciate each cheese, using factors such as aroma, texture and aesthetics like pulp, eyes and rind.
There are few more satisfying ways to spend an evening
At last, it was down to the important business of tasting. Friendly staff bought in the cheeses on stylish slate mats, often accompanied by complementary sauce or fresh grapes, and topped up drinks with attentive regularity. Considering our beverage for the night was artisan cider, curated by Juan Luis, this was much appreciated. Luis is a sommelier at Casa Marcial - the two Michelin-starred Asturian restaurant owned by Nacho, Ibérica’s executive chef - so, unsurprisingly, the five ciders chosen paired perfectly with our cheeses for the night.
Speaking of which, we were to taste seven varieties; a mixture of cow, sheep, goat and buffalo. The first was Gomber, a cow’s milk cheese from Cabuérniga Valley, Cantabria. This was paired with a delicious natural cider full of apple shreds, my favourite drink of the evening. After taking a few optional notes - semi-soft texture, elastic, buttery aroma - I tucked in with anticipation and, as expected for someone who could happily live on cheese if it were possible, thoroughly enjoyed it.
Next up was Santa Gadea, goat’s milk cheese from a farm in Burgos: slightly bitter, with a creamy texture and strong aftertaste. Having travelled through Burgos province on a trip from Salamanca, for me it carried memories of ochre plains under sunny blue skies and carefully-tended comarcas. Paprika-rubbed Ibores made for a zingier taste while Mahón - named after a Minorcan port - was lightly aromatic and, my tasting companion observed, smelled pleasantly of popcorn. Torta de Trujillo, in contrast - much like the buffalo cheese that followed - was very intense and earthily pungent. This was wisely served with mini crisp breads as it oozes messily when cut.
Last but not least was Manchego Dehesa, whose origins are in La Mancha: a fertile area also famed for cereal, oil, wine and, of course, Don Quixote’s windmills.
With each new cheese came several informative slides, narrated in Ramos’ excellent English. Secretly, I’d gone to eat cheese rather than learn the mechanics behind it, but found myself leaving with enhanced knowledge of my favourite food nevertheless. For me, there are few more satisfying ways to spend an evening, and I found it great value too. Reservation costs £10 but this can be redeemed against Ibérica products: since all the cheeses we tasted are stocked in the restaurant deli, this meant I could buy them to enjoy at home too. Perfecto.
Ibérica can be found in London, Manchester Spinningfields and - from April 15 - Leeds’ city centre, when the Spanish restaurant opens in Hepper House.
To find out about more tasting events at Ibérica , click here
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