A Cabrales cheese was auctioned for 37,500 euros and is the most expensive cheese in the world
Produced in Tielve and matured in the Picos de Europa mountains, the Cabrales cheese reached 37,500 euros at an auction held in Arenas de Cabrales.
It is now officially the most valuable cheese in the world. It comes from Asturias and won the auction held in Arenas de Cabrales. Raising the price required an alliance of four restaurants: three from Madrid and one from Gijón.
It's a cheese weighing just over two kilos, made by Encarnación Bada at the Ángel Díaz Herrero Cheese Factory in Tielve. It's matured for nine months in the Los Mazos cave in the Picos de Europa mountains, at an altitude of 1,430 meters.
Its price has allowed it to break a world record. It can now be enjoyed at La Montera Picona de Ramón in Gijón, and at Carlos Tartiere/Couzapín, La Cuenca, and Lo de Viole, the three establishments in the Spanish capital that offer the most varied specialties of Asturian cuisine.
The directors of the four restaurants proclaimed the consolidation of this gastronomic union between Asturias and Madrid around one of the region's most emblematic products.
The presentation, held at the Couzapín cider house for journalists and influential foodies, showcased the qualities of the award-winning cheese and its uses in both traditional and contemporary cuisine. The twenty guests sampled Cabrales croquettes with apple compote, bite-sized Cabrales escalopes, mini Cabrales cachopes, and a small glass of black pudding with Cabrales foam, along with toasted apple with cinnamon, pine nuts, and piquillo pepper jam.
The event was presented and organized by Nacho Sandoval, general coordinator of the Cabrales Cheese Foundation, and a bagpiper provided musical accompaniment during the tasting. José Luis Álvarez Almeida, president of the Spanish Hospitality Association, highlighted Madrid's role as a showcase for Asturian cheese excellence and noted "the hospitality sector's ability to unite regions, create alliances, and take an exceptional product beyond its place of origin."
Beyond the final price reached at auction, the representatives of the participating establishments agreed on the initiative's purpose: to promote Cabrales cheese and recognize the efforts of those who make each piece possible. Behind the product are shepherds, livestock farmers, and producers who keep alive a knowledge passed down from generation to generation. Enhancing its value also means supporting those who remain in their land and keep the villages of the Picos de Europa alive.
The auction is linked to the old custom of auctioning the Campanu, the first salmon of the season, caught in an Asturian river at the start of the fishing season. The first person to pay several thousand euros for this specimen was Nicolás Parrondo, from Luarca, who helped make Asturian cuisine synonymous with quality and quantity for both Madrid residents and visitors.
