Tijoco dairy wins Tenerife's best cheese award

[Janet]

Recently Tenerife's cheese producers met during the III Pinolere Fair in the Parque Etnográfico de Pinolere in La Orotava, and the winner, named best Tenerife cheese 2014, was Adeje cheese maker Montesdeoca, whose one-year-cured mature cheese was chosen for the award. The dairy is a family business, and Daniel Montesdeoca said that "this is an important award for us as it is the result of hard work and effort. We have always given priority to producing cheeses of high quality which people will select and enjoy for their flavour and texture". He added that he was delighted that their cheeses were appreciated by so many people and promised that they would continue to work to improve the product and ensure that the island's cheeses were known both here and outside Tenerife.

Adeje councillor for Agriculture Esther Rivero Vargas explained that the "Pinolere fair is the perfect setting for displaying all of the island's natural produce and of course promoting the cheese making industry and culture which has been recognised with this award". The Montesdeoca dairy makes a variety of different cheeses including smoked, semi-cured, cured, gofio and pepper cheeses and, of course, this now prize winning mature cured cheese. I'm sure I'm not going to be the only one who would like to try it, and we are lucky that it's locally available either through the dairy itself in Tijoco Alto, or perhaps more conveniently, at the dairy's stall in Adeje Farmers' Market every Saturday and Sunday, 8am -2pm. JA

[Perikles]

I don't suppose by any chance they provide irrelevant information such as which animal provides the milk for the cheese and where exactly in Tijoco this place is. I haven't seen any cows around this area, so they might be kept underground, or the cheese is from lizards or something.

[Myrtle Hogan-Lance]

I assumed goat cheese.  You will let me know if I have misread the article.

[Nova]

Really useful information would be the type of rennet used 

I've never tried lizard's cheese - is it good? 

[Perikles]

I've never tried lizard's cheese - is it good? 

The lizards love it, they prefer the dark red. 

[Janet]

Adeje dairy Montesdeoca goes from strength to strength, as in addition to being named Tenerife's best cheese 2014, it has picked up two more prizes at this year's World Cheese Awards held recently in London, the only dairy from the island to win. Adeje Ayuntamiento says that the local producers won two bronze medals for their smoked goats cheese and cheese aged in wine. Altogether over 2,600 cheeses from 33 countries took part in the competition.

Alberto Montesdeoca said that winning was "extremely satisfying. This year we decided to enter our wine cheese and we are delighted with the result". He added that the priority of the company is always the production of "a quality product which people will recognize for its taste and texture".

Montesdeoca makes various kinds of cheeses including white fresh, smoked, semi cured white, pepper and gofio, cured and the wine aged. Anyone interested in buying these cheeses can visit the dairy in Tijoco Bajo, just by the road to Llano de las Flores, 50 metres from the petrol station. You can also buy from the stand in the Adeje farmers market open every Saturday and Sunday, from 8am to 2pm. JA