Cheeses

Dairy products do not rank high in Aletejo cuisine, but we do love to eat cheese, before a meal or as a starter along with olives and broa, or even after a meal. Taste the sheep and goat cheeses of the Alentejo, both of which beautifully accompany the wines produced in the region.

Indulge yourself with a buttery Serpa cheese, the direct descendant of the famous Queijo da Serra, whose manufacturing technique it borrowed. This has a strong individual aroma and peppery flavour, and can almost be eaten off the spoon. Made from sheep milk, it can be enjoyed as a dessert, for a snack, as part of a meal, or as an appetiser. But it should always be accompanied by good Alentejo bread and red wine.

Small and salty, the cheeses of Évora may not win you over with their appearance. But the unique flavour, slightly peppery, will make your mouth water. Hard or semi-hard, and yellow in colour, when cut open they reveal a smooth, balanced consistency, which makes them suitable as an appetiser.