TASTY REGULARS: BISQATO CHEESE SHOP

Bisqato's Lía cheese, awarded the Gold Medal at the World Cheese Awards … just like its "brother" Xiros!

You may already be familiar with some of the cheese dairies that supply our boards, or perhaps they're all new to you. In any case, they are always small, artisanal dairies, each with certain characteristics that set them apart and make us fall deeply in love with their cheeses.

This time we'll tell you about Bisqato , a cheese factory located in the small village of Os Xiros in the Labrada region of Guitiriz (Lugo). Its name comes from the Galician word "biscato," which means "a small portion of something." For us, Bisqato represents that small piece of rural Galicia, its culture, its people, its traditions, and, of course, its gastronomy.

Bisqato is the project of María Veiga and Miguel Garea, both veterinarians with a shared dream: artisanal cheese. When interests and passions combine, magic is inevitable. Their project began in 2018 with modest production, but with exceptionally high-quality products, which have been deservedly rewarded in various competitions. For example, Bisqato won first prize at the 2021 National Signature Cheese Competition – El Talento del Queso (The Talent of Cheese), an event organized by the Cheese Institute and the International Cheese Festival. And the two delicacies we will present below each won Gold Medals at the 2019-2020 World Cheese Awards.

Xiros and Lía are two soft cheeses, matured in a controlled environment and made with raw milk from Friesian and Jersey cows that graze freely next to Bisqato's dairy workshop. But despite sharing all these characteristics, they are quite different…

XIROS

Bisqato debuted with Xiros, a soft cheese named after the village where María and Miguel make their cheeses. This cheese has a milky flavor like few others, a buttery mouthfeel, and subtle mushroom notes in the rind.

Known by some as the "Galician Camembert," its edible, white, and rough moldy rind imparts a subtle salty, mineral, and earthy aroma, while the creamy, ivory-colored interior adds a richer contrast. Flavors and aromas reminiscent of high mountains, butter, and nuts burst on your palate.

LÍA

The name of Bisqato 's second offering, Lía, pays homage to the daughter of its creators and the Galician writer Rosalía de Castro. This soft cheese with an orange/pink rind, washed in water and salt during its maturation, offers somewhat more intense notes.

In the style of Italian Taleggio or French Munster, this marvel will surprise you with a smooth and lingering flavor, touched with dairy and slightly fruity aromas. Reminiscent of dry straw, a clean farm, and subtle herbaceous nuances of the pastures.