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Here is my first attempt at Garrotxa. (It will be my first time to taste one, too, so I have NO IDEA if it will be close to the real thing. haha)

I cut into the Garrotxa today. I'm sure it's not like the real thing because I didn't develop the very moldy grey natural rind that is quintessential.
But it is a very nice cheese.  Not sure it is different enough from many others to deserve a frequent make, HOWEVER, I think this would be a fantastic recipe to use to make Drunken Goat...my previous attempts at Drunken Goat were ok but I wasn't as happy with them as I'd like.  Therefore they only got 4 stars on my rating scale....but I'll bet this cheese base, soaked in wine, would do the trick. 

AC4U Mike. It's nice when something works out different than you planned but still good.

I am munching on some Spanish garrotxa right now  , and yes does have more of a grayish rind. The information from the place I purchased it indicated that P. roqueforti is traditionally part of the rind flora. I was somewhat surprised, but would definitely give the rind its grayish appearance. Also, I do detect a slight "blue" flavor near the rind.



Susan

So glad you're enjoying the Garrotxa.  And it's cool that they actually had some, too.


However, the folks steered you wrong if they said that P roquefort has traditionally been part of the flora....yes I suppose some could sneak in, but that's not traditionally what makes up the bulk of the rind flora nor the reason it is a velvet grey color. It comes from P. glaucum which is next to impossible to recreate outside the Catalan region that it comes from as we do not have access to that species of Penicillium.

What causes the striations in the cheese looks interesting

Quote from: GortKlaatu on June 21, 2018, 04:24:13 AM
However, the folks steered you wrong if they said that P roquefort has traditionally been part of the flora....yes I suppose some could sneak in, but that's not traditionally what makes up the bulk of the rind flora nor the reason it is a velvet grey color. It comes from P. glaucum which is next to impossible to recreate outside the Catalan region that it comes from as we do not have access to that species of Penicillium.

Interesting and makes more sense. I was surprised that P. roquefori was mentioned because I had never really heard before that it was associated with Spanish cheeses. I'm sure that someone thinks that all Penicillium species are the same, so provided that incorrect information.

Susan

It looks delicious! 

Gracias, Alice