Palmero is an unpasteurized goat milk cheese from the island of La Palma in the Canary Islands, Spain.

Palmero is sold smoked, or non-smoked. Non-smoked varieties have a white rind that yellows as the cheese ages. Smoked versions of the cheese have a thin light brown to medium brown rind, depending on the age of the cheese and the method used to smoke the cheese. Smoking is done using almond shells, prickly pears or Canary pine. The cheese is sometimes rubbed with olive oil, corn meal, or flour, changing the cheese's taste and appearance.

The cheeses are made into wheels up to 6 inches high and 24 inches across.

The inside of the cheese is usually white or ivory in color, getting slightly darker as the cheese ages. Palmero is a firm, elastic, medium soft cheese. There may be small, uneven eyes in the cheese.

Palmero is slightly sharp, a little salty, with a sweet aftertaste.

The cheese has PDO status in Europe, meaning that a cheese can only be labeled as "Palmero" if it meets certain conditions. For example, the cheese must be made in La Palma, from unpasteurized whole goats milk, from Palmera goats that graze in natural pastures, among other restrictions.

Palmero is sold as "tierno", aged 8-20 days; semi-ripe, aged 21-60 days; and ripe, aged over 60 days.

The cheese is also sold as "Artesano", or "De Manada". The Artesano cheeses are made on the the producers' own farms, made from only milk from their own flocks. It has a wine-colored label. De Manada cheeses are packaged in a green label, and are typically larger in size as well.

Where to buy

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