San Simon – All You Need To Know!
San Simon cheese is a Spanish cheese made from pasteurized cow milk. San Simon is one of the best traditional cheeses produced in Galicia, Spain.
Spain has an ancient cheese culture. They have been at the forefront of making cheese for generations.
Let’s learn more about san Simon.
Contents
San Simon Cheese – Is San Simon Cheese Healthy?
The san Simon cheese is produced from pasteurized cow’s milk. The origin of san Simon is from the northern regions of Spain.
It is made from the milk of cow breeds such as Gallega, and Pardo- Alpina and Frisona. It is a semi-soft cheese that is delicious and woody in taste.
The texture and the color of san Simon are attractive. It has a buttery and creamy texture. The color may vary depending on the time for ripening the cheese. But it usually appears in orange to reddish brown. When it is cut into pieces, the inside seems to be golden in color.
It’s a smoked cheese with a flavor somewhat similar to an artisan gouda. The cheese has a butter flavor with sweetness in the mouth. Normally san Simon takes two to four weeks for ripening.
Features Of San Simon Cheese
Like every other cheese, san Simon also maintains certain features. The main feature is that it is easy to recognize. The texture and the shape are different from others. The shape is similar to a woman’s breast or in the shape of a super-sized Hershey’s kiss. The whole cheese almost weighs 1 kilo.
During the making process, curds are molded, and remove moisture from the curd is with the help of a machine. The popular smoked Spanish cheese is exported to most countries.
The History Behind San Simon
San Simon is remarkable for its conical shape. The shape and San Simon are closely associated. Absolutely there is a history behind the popularity of san Simon cheese. This shape is known as ‘tetilla’ in Spanish which means small breast.
History says that there is a close relationship between san Simon and the cathedral that existed in the religious city called Santiago de Compostela. When the cathedral was rebuilt, The stone carvers who worked there found a well-endowed woman. This statue scandalized the saints and the church declared to reduce the bosom.
On the other hand, some people claim that there is no mistake in the work of artists. In order to show their outrage against the rebuilding of the statue, people started to make san Simon cheese in the shape of breasts. People still believe that the shape of san Simon cheese is connected with the incident of rebuilding the Santiago de Compostela.
Cheese making is deeply rooted in the Spanish people from a very early age. San Simon is the most renowned cheese since the period of the celts. The northern region of Spain is rich in cow graze. So lush green pastures helped to make the san Simon more delicious and creamy in texture.
What Does San Simon Cheese Taste Like?
San Simon has its own specialties in all aspects. Like other aspects, it also maintains a unique taste. After ripening the cheese, it develops a pale brownish-yellow color around the semi-firm paste. The opening surface appears with a small opening. It keeps its mild flavor and buttery taste. The delicate smoke of san Simon depends on the time it is taking for ripening.
How Do You Serve San Simon?
San Simon cheese can consume by itself or can be added to favorite foods. People mostly enjoy san Simon with fruit-based desserts. It is better to add green apple tart, celery, or fresh bread. Some people say that it’s delicious to eat hazelnuts. In addition, it can be served with wine or brut cava.
San Simon is also better to pair with tapas with chorizo and Marcona almonds. As you already know that it is a semi-soft cheese. So it melts easily with the food and adds mouth-watering elements to the cuisine.
Normal Cheese Vs San Simon
San Simon is considered the signature cheese of Galicia. But now, san Simon is available in almost grocery stores in other countries too. Because the artisanal cheesemakers are molding the san Simon using local milk and giving an artificial corn shape to the cheese. However, the original san Simon stands out differently from normal cheese.
There is a wide variety of cheeses are available in the world. The statistics say that a high amount of cheesehead is belonging to the USA. normal cheese is produced by using raw milk or cultured milk. Like other cheese, san Simon is also produced by pasteurized cow milk.
But it has specific cow breeds. San Simon cheese has many health benefits too. Unlike normal cheese, it doesn’t contain high calories, sodium, and saturated fat content. San Simon has fat content but it contains less saturated fat and is low in sodium compared to other cheese.
The high saturated fat may cause several health problems. But san Simon is a health-friendly cheese. One of the remarkable differences is its shape. We saw the story behind the origin and the historical elements associated with san Simon. The unique corn shape of san Simon gives the image of a woman’s breast.
The Spanish people believe that the cheese got its shape which is associated with the events that happened in the city of Santiago de Compostela. Another difference is that it is smoked cheese and becomes more delicious based on the time it is taken for ripening.
Final Take – Is It Safe To Eat?
We don’t have much knowledge about the special cheese. But, san Simon has to tell more stories about its origin, development, etc.
Because it is originated decades ago and still preserving this cheese tradition for the coming generations also.
The Spanish people believe that the handmade original san Simon is considered the best nutritious value-added cheese for a healthy life.
The special cheese gives an awesome taste with the pairing of freshly baked Galician bread and a chilled bottle of Albarino white wine from this region.
Don’t wait for the time. Go and grab this special cheese. You will definitely be addicted to it.
