Printable page 
Azeitao cheese
Azeitão cheese
Azeitão is a DOP soft, artisan unpasteurised ewes’ milk cheese from the town of the same name in the Arrabida Mountains, about 40 km east of Lisbon.
Produced with thistle flowers, rather than animal rennet, the cheese has a strong, earthy aroma. The interior is thick, soft, smooth and shiny, with tiny holes and the rind is pale yellow and smooth. When consumed ripe, it has a rich, creamy flavour with a sour-milk finish and a hint of flowers or sweet herbs. However, as it matures, it becomes harder and drier and the flavour will become stronger. A ripe cheese will start to melt at room temperature.
In Alcacer do Sal (south of Azeitão) and in Vila Franca-de-Xira (in the northwest), cheeses of the same type are produced, generally named after their place of origin.
Errors and omissions
If you are a cheese producer and your cheese does not appear to be listed on Cookipedia or the information on your cheese is incorrect or out of date, please do talk to us via the Contact the Editor link at the top of this page and we will update the information on your cheese.
