It will be held on Friday, July 11, at the Maspalomas Cultural Center
The 11rd Maspalomas Summer University has organized a Gran Canaria Cheese Tasting Workshop, which will be held on Friday, July XNUMX, at the Maspalomas Cultural Center.
There are 80 artisanal cheese factories operating in Gran Canaria, all with health registration, and 30 belong to the Association of Cheese Factories of Gran Canaria (ASOQUEGRAN). Most are small, family-run, located in rural areas, populating the mid-mountain ranges and peaks. The production and subsequent sale are primarily carried out by women, and almost 100% of the cheese is sold for domestic consumption. These small-scale productions are part of the gastronomy and popular culture of our region.
Participants in this activity will learn about the main characteristics, origins, and current status of cheese production in the Canary Islands, particularly in Gran Canaria, the production processes, and their organoleptic characteristics, and will enjoy a cheese tasting session.
Those interested in this workshop can access the complete information sheet and the registration link (15 euros) through the website: https://www.universidadveranomaspalomas.org/materias/164/.
Cheese is a fundamental agri-food product in the gastronomy of the Canary Islands, which is the Autonomous Community where the most cheese is consumed, with an estimated consumption of 11,08 kilograms per inhabitant per year, when the national average is 7,74 kilograms, according to data published in the annual report on food consumption in Spain (2028).
Furthermore, the Canary Islands are one of the regions in the country where the largest quantity of goat's milk cheeses are produced, with at least one type of cheese per island. Considering its size, Gran Canaria stands out for its wide variety of cheeses.
The island of Gran Canaria accounts for 42 percent of the archipelago's livestock population, with 83.000 heads, of which 56.000 are milk-producing females. Of these, 800 are cows, 20.000 are goats, and 5.000 are sheep, producing 10.000 tons of milk annually, which is processed in artisanal cheese factories. The remainder, approximately 60.000 tons, is used for packaging and the production of dairy products in the dairy industry.
The altitude, orientation, microclimates, the pastures of Gran Canaria, in addition to the native breeds, the good work of the people destined for the trades of shepherding, livestock and cheese makers, which, sometimes, they have inherited from their families, are some of the characteristics that allow the production of artisan cheeses, with incomparable characteristics, depending on their origin, differentiating those from the north, midlands, south, the coast or the summit.
The altitude, orientation, microclimates, the pastures of Gran Canaria, in addition to the native breeds, the good work of shepherds, cattle farmers and cheese makers, trades rich in traditions and inherited from parents to children
This activity is part of the 'Take the Land' Project, which has the collaboration of ASOQUEGRAN, and aims to connect the inhabitants of Gran Canaria and its visitors with the rural world, its people, traditions and landscapes, through knowledge and promotion of artisan cheese, in addition to encouraging the consumption of km 0 products, promoting a fairer economy, respecting producers and reducing the role of intermediaries, consuming seasonal products that are healthier and tastier, and that maintain their nutritional values intact, and supporting the local economy, agriculture, livestock and gastronomy.
The Maspalomas Summer University is organized by the Department of Culture of the San Bartolomé de Tirajana City Council, the University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, and the Gran Canaria Island Council.
