We’re psyched to share that we’ve gotten our hands on a small supply of this great new aged goat cheese from Catalunya. El Gran Pep comes to us from the same great artisan dairy that makes the much loved Garrotxa (that’s Gar-row-tcha) cheese. It’s named for Josep “Pep” Martí, the maker. In this case, the dairy uses the milk of only nine of their favorite farms in the countryside of the region of Tarragona. Production is super small and demand is high. Gran Pep just won a pair of awards at the annual Lactium cheese competition in the “hard goat cheese” category! Because Josep Martí’s work is always built upon appreciation, he recently shared this:
Many thanks for all the congratulatory messages. We are very grateful for your trust as prescribers and consumers. To the farmers as suppliers and above all to our team, for their involvement and dedication, without them it would not be possible to produce these cheeses. Thank you very much to all! Matured for over nine months, this cheese has lovely floral notes and a creamy mouthfeel. It’s uniquely soft and firm at the same time, with a nutty richness and a finish that hints at herbs. I’ve made a salad for years with Garrotxa that I think would be just as wonderful with Gran Pep: arugula topped with ripe avocado, those amazing Piquillo peppers from Navarre in the neighboring Basque Country, small cubes of the cheese, and toasted hazelnuts. I usually dress it with good olive oil and a splash of Spanish vinegar—something like the Cava Vinegar we carry at the Deli. That said, I’m imagining it would also be fantastic with the Extra Virgin Avocado Oil from west~bourne—so tasty! El Gran Pep also shines on a snack board with olives, almonds, fresh veggies, dried fruit, and Bakehouse bread. Score some soon—before we sell out!
