São Jorge cheese

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Queijo São Jorge is a hard to semi-hard cheese from the island of São Jorge in the Azores, Portugal. It has protected status as DOP (Denominação de Origem Protegida) under the Região Demarcada do Queijo de São Jorge. The cheese is made from raw milk from dairy cattle on the island and is formed into large circular wheels. Typical wheels measure 25–35 cm in diameter and 10–15 cm in height, weighing 8–12 kg. It must have at least 45% fat and is aged for a minimum of 3 months, with some varieties maturing for up to 36 months.

Historically, São Jorge cheese grew with the island’s pastures and cattle. Flemish settlers helped introduce new techniques, and by the late 18th to early 19th century the cheese took its current wheel shape and became widely exported across the Azores and beyond. Today it is produced mainly by cooperatives on the island, with about 1,800 tonnes made each year by around 800 producers. Each wheel is numbered for traceability and the cheese is cured in controlled rooms before sale.

Key facts:
- Country/Region: Portugal, São Jorge, Azores
- Milk: raw dairy milk
- Texture: semi-hard to hard
- Size/Weight: 25–35 cm diameter; 10–15 cm high; 8–12 kg
- Fat content: minimum 45%
- Aging: at least 3 months; some up to 36 months
- Certification: DOP (Denominação de Origem Protegida)