Torta del Casar

Torta del Casar is Extremadura's spoon cheese, from the country around Casar de Caceres, and its character comes from cardo, the wild thistle that sets the sheep's milk. That thistle leaves a clean bitterness under the cream and makes the paste soften until you don't cut wedges. You open the top like a lid and eat from the centre. This is Extremaduran, not Spain plain and simple.

The method that decides it is temperature. Cold, the cheese is tight and sulky. Too hot, it breaks into oil and you have punished something that only asked to be warmed. Let it lose the chill first, cut the lid neatly, then warm it gently until a spoon goes in with no fight.

No hace falta haber pisado Espana. If you can't find Torta del Casar, look first for Torta de la Serena, its Extremaduran cousin, also set with thistle and eaten by spoon. It is a little cleaner and more bitter, but it belongs to the same family. A very ripe Serra da Estrela will help in a far-away kitchen, though it speaks Portuguese, not Extremaduran. Brie is another thing entirely.

Serve it with good bread and leave it alone. My Margin beside this one says only, not too hot. That is enough warning. Pésalo, no lo adivines, and warm it gently. The rest is bread, a spoon, and people leaning in.