🧀 Picón Bejes-Tresviso
Also known as: Picón, Queso Picón Bejes-Tresviso
Picón Bejes-Tresviso is a Spanish blue cheese from Cantabria with a protected designation of origin (PDO), made from cow's, sheep's or goat's milk, or a mixture of two or three of them, and ripened in natural limestone caves of Liébana.
Picón Bejes-Tresviso is a Spanish blue cheese from Cantabria with a protected designation of origin (PDO; registered in the EU in 1996, eAmbrosia number PDO-ES-0084). It is made from cow's, sheep's or goat's milk, or from a mixture of two or three of them, in the Liébana district in the south-west of Cantabria.
According to the specification the milk is whole and comes from registered farms in the production zone. The permitted breeds are Tudanca, Pardo Alpina and Frisona cattle, Lacha sheep, and Pirenaica and Picos de Europa goats. The curd is of the lactic-acid type: the milk is coagulated at 22–26 °C for at least one hour, cut, drained and broken into pieces of 1–2 cm. The moulds are filled loosely so that gaps remain for the Penicillium to grow, and the cheese is salted dry. Preservatives, colourings, flavourings, milk powder, caseinates and added fat are prohibited.
After 12–18 days of airing the cheeses go to natural limestone caves with a temperature of 5–10 °C and 85–95% humidity. Ripening lasts at least two months, counted from the day the curd is made. Vents in the caves allow Penicillium to develop inside the cheese and Brevibacterium linens on its surface.
The cheese is cylindrical with nearly flat faces and 7–15 cm high. The rind is soft, thin and sticky, grey with yellow-green patches. The paste is white with blue-green veins, buttery yet compact, with eyes. The flavour is slightly piquant, stronger when sheep's or goat's milk is used. Fat is at least 45% of dry matter and moisture at least 30%.
Labels must carry the words "Denominación de Origen Picón Bejes-Tresviso", and each cheese gets a numbered back label from the Consejo Regulador. The cheese is sold wrapped in maple (plágano) leaves, which according to the specification became a hallmark of Picón.
Facts
| Raw material | Whole cow's, sheep's or goat's milk, or a mixture 3 |
|---|---|
| Country | Spain |
| Region | Cantabria: Liébana |
| Duration | At least 2 months in natural caves 3 |
| Legal basis | EU PDO since 1996, PDO-ES-0084 1 |
How it connects to Cheese
🧀 Picón Bejes-Tresviso → kind of → 🔵 Blue cheeses → kind of → 🧀 Cheese
Links
- Made from which milk
- 🥛 Cow's milk, 🥛 Goat's milk, 🥛 Sheep's milk
- Part of
- 🔵 Blue cheeses, 🏷️ Protected cheese names, 🇪🇸 Spanish cheeses
- Similar and different
- 🧀 Cabrales
Frequently asked questions
What milk is Picón Bejes-Tresviso made from?
From whole cow's, sheep's or goat's milk, or a mixture of two or three of them, from registered farms in the Liébana district of Cantabria.
Where and for how long does Picón ripen?
In natural limestone caves at 5–10 °C and 85–95% humidity, for at least two months counted from the day the curd is made.
Why is Picón wrapped in leaves?
The specification says it is sold wrapped in maple (plágano) leaves. They originally covered the sticky rind and eased transport from the caves to the valley markets, and have become a hallmark of the cheese.
What to read next
- 🥛 Cow's milk — The most widespread milk in the world: versatile, inexpensive and the basis of almost all dairy products.
- 🧀 Cabrales — Cabrales is a Spanish PDO blue-veined cheese from Asturias, made from raw whole cow's, sheep's or goat's milk, or a mixture, and ripened mostly in caves.
- 🥛 Sheep's milk — The richest in protein and calcium of the common milks; almost all of it goes into cheese.
Similar
🧀 Gamonéu · 🧀 Queso de Valdeón · 🧀 Strachitunt · 🧀 Cabrales · 🧀 Stilton · 🧀 Bleu d'Auvergne
ℹ️ Dairy products contain lactose and milk proteins: if you are lactose intolerant or allergic to milk protein, ask a doctor.
Sources
- eAmbrosia — Picón Bejes-Tresviso (PDO-ES-0084)
- EUR-Lex — Регламент (ЄС) 1107/96
- Pliego de condiciones — DOP Picón Bejes-Tresviso (MAPA, expediente de registro 1996)