Sometimes, the best cheese is one you can just snack on. One that requires only a baguette and a knife for you to enjoy. Feeling the need for a quick snack myself, I walked over to Murray’s to find something that would keep me going until dinnertime.
After sampling a few cheeses from the case that were either tangier or milkier than I wanted, I finally found the Roncal—a sheep’s milk from Spain that had the perfect blend of nutty flavor and creaminess. The Roncal also has a bit of mustiness and smoke that I always love in a good cheese.
Roncal, made in one of seven villages in the Valle de Roncal, has buttery and slightly spicy flavors with a solid, but still chewy texture. Similar to Pecorino Toscano and Manchego, Roncal has its own unique character that pairs well with wines made in the province of Navarre, along the Spain-France border. Of course, any Tempranillo-based wine would also be delicious to sip with this complex cheese.
Simply sliced over my baguette, this was exactly what I needed to get me through the day. Roncal may even be a future workhorse cheese for us, as it would make a great sub for grated Pecorino on our next pasta night!
- Ryan
Seems delicious! I love creamy cheese to the core, but sometimes a break with one like Roncal is always welcome!
Always a fan of the “Tuesdays with Murray” series!
This cheese makes me hungry – I love a good nutty, smokey cheese.
xoxo,
mon amy
Your Tuesdays with Murray Series always make me have serious cheese envy! One day I will make it to the hallowed land of Murray’s.
There are some great Italian cheeses that are serious “session” cheeses. They seem to be a bit less well-known that a lot of French cheeses, for some reason. I’m looking forward to heading to Italy in a few weeks and sampling all the glorious cheeses (and delicious foods).
Always enjoy your blog, even if it causes me major cheese envy issues.