Idiazabal

The Basque is confusing to many Americans. Is the region Spanish? French? Neither, or perhaps both?

How you answer depends on your politics, I suppose. But one thing everybody can agree upon is that Idiazabal, a signature Basque food, is one terrific cheese.

It is a classic sheep's milk cheese, aromatic with a buttery, nutty flavor. It has a slightly oily texture, which becomes less pronounced over time. As it ages, it gets more intensely dry and sharp, though it's never crumbly. (Except, sadly, when you've left it out uncovered too long.)

When the cheese was made by shepherds, the story goes, they often would dry it by the smoke of their evening campfires. Today, Idiazabal retains that flavor through a more modern process of light smoking over beechwood.

PAIRINGS: Robust red wines from northern Spain, such as Priorato and Navarra, go perfectly with Idiazabal. Aged varieties also make good grating cheeses, over gratin or pasta.