The family run Quesos Oliva operation is the last artisanal and organic cheese making operation in this village. They collect the milk every day by milking their own sheep by hand. They only add curd and salt, staying away from chemicals or industrial additives. Their cheese is maturated 60 days before sold, adhering to a recent law.
Many small artisan cheese makers from Villaluenga have suffered the consequences of new sanitary laws put into effect 13 years ago, making it too expensive to stay open. Thus, the number of small cheese makers have dwindled in number from dozens to just one. Only Quesos Oliva remains.
It´s difficult to understand why it has to be so difficult for artisanal food makers from Spain to get the sanitary permission needed to sell a product that´s 100% natural and healthy, while large, multinational fast food companies obtain the necessary government permissions to sell their products, full of chemicals and additives, that are of questionable health value.
To visit the audio-slide show click here: www.chicosanchez.com/cheesemakers
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| (Photo ©Chico Sanchez-All Rights Reserved) |
