Talk:Cabrales cheese

Trivia
Wikipedia discourages the use of a trivia section. Wikipedia encourages the incorporation of trivia into the article itself. I can personally vouch for the numbing sensation that occurs when I eat Cabrales. However, I do not think that this information is important enough to warrant it's own section. Can someone please find a way to incoroporate this info appropriately into the article body? Asturnut (talk) 04:08, 2 July 2009 (UTC)

Oak leaves
I dispute the statement in the final paragraph "Note: Contrary to popular belief, authentic Cabrales is usually unwrapped, not wrapped in leaves." In the 1990's when I was in Asturias, Spain, the Cabrales was frequently wrapped in leaves. However, the factory premeasured, prepacked Cabrales cheese WAS wrapped in foil. But when purchased "to order" from an artisenal shop or deli, it was wrapped in leaves. When I purchase it in the United States, my experience has been mixed. I believe this may be due to import regulations. The last time I was able to purchase it wrapped in leaves in the United States was almost two years ago. I think this phrase should be removed. Thoughts? Asturnut (talk) 07:46, 17 October 2008 (UTC)*
 * I think you should provide evidence of Cabrales cheese, provence proven, being wrapped in that way. I haven't seen that in Cabrales in the past 32 years (but a no-sight is no proof that it does not exist -- I may just have been in the wrong place -- hence the request for a positive sighting).  mfc (talk) 19:20, 21 October 2008 (UTC)

All I can say is that 1996 I had an extended stay in Asturias and ate Cabrales wrapped in leaves (I do not know where my hosts purchased it; I didn't forsee this arguement and therefore didn't ask.) Again in 2006, I purchased Cabrales cheese, imported from Asturias, wrapped in leaves from a vendor at the Reading Terminal Market in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. What more proof do you want? I'm going to have to email my friends in Asturias and have them take some pictures if you require more proof. Here is a link that may explain why there is so much confusion about the leaves: Asturian immigration forum discussion. One of the things that you need to understand is that cheese, wine and other speciality foods in Spain are given a "D.O." or Denomination of origen label if it submits to certain regulations. If a product earns the D.O. label, it gets certified as "authentic." But regardless of whether a product possesses the D.O. status or not this does not mean that the product is in a practical sense inauthentic. You can buy Cabrales cheese, from Asturias both with and without the D.O. status. D.O. status Cabrales cheese is not currently wrapped in leaves because under EU regulations this is considered unsanitary. But there are Asturian manufacturers who persist in the tradition of wrapping the non-D.O. Cabrales in maple (Acer) leaves. Given that the leaf-wrapped Cabrales is not up to EU standards, I am sure that you can not purchase the "unsanitary" version of Cabrales in the grocery store. I would imagine you would only be able to purchase it from local artisans. (Much in the same way that I was able to purchase unregulated illegal raw milk products from mom and pop type places when I was there. this is a very common thing in the rural Asturias.) There are many Spanish sources which discuss all of this in Spanish, if you have the inclination to research further, you can use an online translator. As I lived in Spain AND am familiar with the product, I can vouch for the truth of the information you will find on various Asturian sites online discussing the history of the Cabrales cheese. Asturnut (talk) 05:56, 30 October 2008 (UTC)

I went through my collection of Spanish cookbooks and found printed references to the use of maple leaves. "It used to be packed in moist maple leaves, but now is mainly sold in printed foil... Cabrales was  traditionally sold wrapped in moist maple leaves.  However, modern European Union hygiene regulations increasingly require this packaging to be replaced by foil with a leaf motif stamped on it." Klöcker, Harald. Culinaria Spain. Cologne: Könemann Verlagsgesellschaft mbH, 1998. page 214. Asturnut (talk) 13:51, 6 November 2008 (UTC)

This may specifically refer to export to the EU. In the USA, Valdeon cheese wrapped in leaves is definitely available &mdash; I bought some today at Whole Foods! -- BRG (talk) 23:12, 28 November 2010 (UTC)

Vegetarian?
Is it suitable for vegetarians??? --83.100.132.130 10:03, 24 September 2006 (UTC)
 * It's made with rennet, which AFAIK comes from a dead cow's stomach. Not quite laced with raw ham, but not exactly veggie, either :)) mikaultalk 06:55, 29 December 2008 (UTC)

Worms?
An Asturian told me that this cheese has small worms naturally occuring in it. Is this correct? Badagnani 19:11, 8 September 2007 (UTC)

The worms thing is an urban legend.Asturnut (talk) 06:31, 30 October 2008 (UTC)

"although it is only ever produced in small batches and not approved for export"
This is not true. In the European Union it is sold wrapped in leaves in which the cheese has matured. Maarten van Thiel.