THE SOUL OF THE THISTLE FLOWER IN THE SERRA DA ESTRELA PDO CHEESE

Paulo Barracosa, Director of the Department of Ecology and Sustainable Agriculture and Assistant Professor at the Escola Superior Agrária de Viseu of Biodiversity, Biotechnology and Enhancement of Genetic Resources, wrote an article for Vale da Estrela on the characteristics of the thistle flower and its potential use in the process of manufacture of Serra da Estrela cheese.

The Thistle flower (Cynara cardunculus L.) has been referenced in the manufacture of cheeses since Columella (1st century AD) which described in a very careful and detailed way all the precautions to be taken in the manufacturing of cheese, and whose texts are extremely updated.

Within the scope of the project CARDOP, we have been characterizing the thistle’s biodiversity, with emphasis on the production of Serra da Estrela DOP Cheese.

We seek to encourage its cultivation to promote the region’s autonomy in relation to one of the crucial ingredients for promoting the quality of the Serra da Estrela Cheese, in addition to the raw milk from the “Serra da Estrela” and/or “Churra Mondegueira” sheep and salt preferably from the Center.

The biochemical quality of thistle flower in terms of its concentration and composition in cardosines, the way in which the flower is harvested and the extraction procedure are three fundamental elements to guarantee a superior quality and a standardization of the extract to be used in the coagulation of milk.

The thistle flower, in addition to the coagulant action in the production of cheese, also introduces phenolic compounds with antioxidant function that, in addition to promoting health, can serve as a way of authenticating its use in the manufacture of PDO cheeses that require the use of this coagulant.

Thistle flower

Depending on all these factors, the amount of flower to be used can vary from 0.1 to 0.5 g per liter of milk for the production of this icon, nicknamed `Serra da Estrela Cheese´, whose certification record dates back to 1985 but which has been in our company us since we met.

Paulo Barracosa