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{{#seo:
|title=Mantequilla de l'Alt Urgell y la Cerdanya:
|titlemode=replace
|keywords=#cream #butter #mantequilladelalturgellylacerdanya #wheat #maize #dairyproducts #almond #dop #buttermilk #rye #cereals
|hashtagrev=12032020
|description= Mantequilla de l'Alt Urgell y la Cerdanya aka Mantega de l'Alt Urgell i la Cerdanya is a Spanish DOP butter made from pasteurised cream
}}


[[Image:Mantequilla de l'Alt Urgell y la Cerdanya.jpg|300px|thumb|right|Mantequilla de l'Alt Urgell y la Cerdanya]]
'''Description'''

'''Mantequilla de l'Alt Urgell y la Cerdanya''' ''aka'' '''Mantega de l'Alt Urgell i la Cerdanya''' is a Spanish [[DOP]] [[butter]] made from pasteurised [[cream]] from cows' [[milk]]. Its features are: solid and uniform in consistency, very easy to spread, liquefies easily with little tendency to adhere to the palate, uniform bright yellow in colour with the intensity depending on the season because it is
naturally rich in carotenoids (pro-vitamin A) with a taste and smell which are generally intense at
the start, delicate, smooth but slightly acid and reminiscent of [[hazelnuts]] because of the fatty acids
naturally contained in the fresh cream and the diacetyl formed by the long ripening (48 hours) of
the [[cream]] with specific lactic ferments.

'''Geographical area'''

The area of production of the milk and of manufacture of '''Mantequilla de l'Alt Urgell y la Cerdanya''' coincide and cover the municipalities
which form the Pyrenean areas of l'Alt Urgell and La Cerdanya, in the north-east of the
Iberian peninsula.

'''Method of production'''

The production process involves skimming the [[milk]] (0 % fat), followed by
sterilisation (120 °C for 20 minutes) and finally chilling at a temperature of 22 °C and pasteurisation
and degasification of the [[cream]] obtained. The pasteurised [[cream]] is then chilled prior to
ripening using specific mesophilic lactic ferments which operate for 20 minutes at a temperature
of 22 °C to give an acidity of between 80 ° and 100 ° Dornic, which demonstrates adequate
growth. The [[cream]] is sown using these ferments incubated with [[milk]] from the area at a rate
of 2 % to 3 % of ferments per 100 litres of [[cream]]. The process is carried out at a temperature of
16 °C to 18 °C for a period of 48 hours, at which point the [[cream]] has ripened sufficiently and has
an acidity of 40 ° to 50 ° points Dornic. The [[cream]] is whipped until the size of regular, uniform
butter particles desired (that of a grain of [[rice]]) is reached. Following separation of the [[buttermilk]],
the [[butter]] is washed and then compacted to produce a slab. The process finishes with the
packaging of the [[butter]].

The addition of colourants, any other additives and the presence of traces of antibiotics or fermentation
inhibitors is totally prohibited.

'''Geographical link'''

Until the early years of the 20th century, wine-growing was one of the main agricultural activities
in this area so the phylloxera catastrophe meant that alternative ways of stimulating the economy
for farmers had to be found. It was decided to direct the economy towards livestock production,
replacing the vineyards and [[almond]] groves by natural and artificial meadows, which were needed
for herds to increase.

While at first livestock were raised mainly for [[meat]], later [[milk]] became the main product of these
holdings. [[Butter]] was made on the farm using traditional craft techniques and consumed there.

Then in 1915 the Cadi co-operative was set up for livestock farmers in areas which were difficult
to access. It collects the [[milk]] they produce to turn it into [[butter]].

The regions of Alt Urgell and La Cerdanya on the southern slopes of the Central Pyrenees in
Catalonia contain a large number of high mountain valleys watered by streams and brooks. They
have a comparatively cold and dry sub-Mediterranean climate with clear cloud-free skies and
substantial sunlight, natural conditions which give the flora of the meadows and grazing land
special characteristics which make them highly suitable for cattle feed.

The feed of the cows whose [[milk]] and [[cream]] are used to make [[butter]] from Alt Urgell and La
Cerdanya consists mainly of forage, which makes up about 70 % of their daily diet. The forage
comes from the production area and is fed to the cows as green fodder, hay and silage. The forage
is taken mainly from natural meadows, which are first cut at the end of April when the quality is
at its peak since cocksfoot, fescue, bromegrass, ray-grass (called ‘margall’ here) and other meadow
grasses are beginning to flower. This first cut is placed in silage to preserve the grass's peak
nutritional qualities. The second cut is called ‘redall’ and comprises mainly ‘margall’. It is usually made into hay since
the climate in June allows rapid drying and very high quality hay is obtained.

During the summer part of the natural meadow is used as green pasture with the aim of using the
most tender part to keep the quality high.

Maize forage predominates in the Alt Urgell area and is kept in silage as fodder grain with about
30 % dry matter. There is also lucerne in the area which is gathered before flowering, when the
quality is highest, and made into hay. This crop is well suited to the southern, mainly limestone
area. Fodder is made up as follows: one third hay and green fodder from natural meadows, one third
silage from natural meadows, one third maize silage.

The remaining 30 % of food comprises [[cereals]] ([[barley]], [[wheat]], [[maize]], etc.) produced mainly in the
Alt Urgell area and the sunnier parts of La Cerdanya where [[rye]] is predominant because it is well
suited to mountain areas and frost-resistant.

The quality and specific characteristics of this [[butter]] are due mainly to the flora and vegetation
which are peculiar to the region and form the basis of animal feed and the care taken in manufacturing;
the pasteurised [[cream]] undergoes a long process of ripening (two days) using mesophilic
lactic cultures which are hetero-fermenting (acidifying and aromatising) comprising strains of
''Streptoccus lactis'', ''Streptococcus diacetilactis'' and ''leunostoc citrovorum''. The process of incubation and
growth of these ferments begins with preparation of the culture medium where they will develop
which will be cows' [[milk]] from Alt Urgell and La Cerdanya. This method accentuates the unique
and characteristic odour which is the specific feature of this [[butter]].

Reference: '''[http://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/LexUriServ.do?uri=OJ:C:2003:056:0002:0004:EN:PDF The European Commission]'''

{{CategoryLineIngredients}}
[[Category:Ingredients]]
[[Category:Dairy products]]
[[Category:PDO-PGI-TSG ingredients]]

<code 'hashtagrev:12032020'>[[Special:Search/cream|#cream]] [[Special:Search/butter|#butter]] [[Special:Search/mantequilladelalturgellylacerdanya|#mantequilladelalturgellylacerdanya]] [[Special:Search/wheat|#wheat]] [[Special:Search/maize|#maize]] [[Special:Search/dairyproducts|#dairyproducts]] [[Special:Search/almond|#almond]] [[Special:Search/dop|#dop]] [[Special:Search/buttermilk|#buttermilk]] [[Special:Search/rye|#rye]] [[Special:Search/cereals|#cereals]]
</code>

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