"Granja dos Moinhos" is perhaps the most recognized Portuguese Chèvre (goat) cheese among serious cheese connoisseurs.
In 1977 Adolfo Henriques decided to produce chèvre cheese in Maçussa, Azambuja, about an hour north from Lisbon.
Even his own family, with a long agricultural heritage was surprised by his decision. Actually, Adolfo's parents had sent him to study in Lisbon and to hopefully find work on anything except agriculture! But Adolfo had other ideas and returned to his hometown, pushing forward, even without his family's support.
He had learned that the former LNETI - Laboratório Nacional de Engenharia e Tecnologia Industrial (National Laboratory of Engineering and Industrial Technology) was going to organize a cheese course, and he wanted to make chèvre.
He tested and tested some more, even importing animals from abroad, including a small herd of Swiss Saanen goats to supply him with the milk he needed.
Over time he perfected his methods and was for quite some time the only artisanal chèvre producer in Portugal. His secret is simple; "We have very good milk. The goats are free to graze, they are milked in the morning and the cheese is made immediately after. The process is fairly simple but the main difference is in the quality of the goats' food."
Once cheese lovers heard about Adolfo and tasted his cheeses, he became recognized. Today the "Queijo de Maçussa" can be found at the most prestigious stores and restaurants.
The production is tiny. The dairy produces about 100 Chèvres per day, and production takes a month and a half. In addition to variations of Chèvre, it produces goat cheese with various types of maturation. Everything is done with calm and outmost care.
But Adolfo's "crazy" projects don't stop with the cheese. He recently launched a recipes book "Puro Chèvre - recipes with goat cheese "Granja dos Moinhos", in which sixty chefs contributed with recipes that include the Maçussa cheese.
It goes without saying that Chèvre has an innate connection to the table, and pairs very well with wine.
Where to Buy
Contact
Instagram @granjadosmoinhos
Rua do Moinho 3
2065-631 Maçussa
+351 919 474 476
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