2 weeks Ago By Rosa Rodon
It seems to us that not a shred of the life our grandparents lived remains. But this isn't true, at least not at La Gloria, an artisan cheese factory in Gran Canaria. It doesn't matter that they've won international awards like the Super Gold at the World Cheese Awards and that their cheeses sell out as soon as they're finished.
Here, there's a system that goes way back and is still in operation: they're sharecroppers. Every year, they must give the family that owns the land a set amount of money: 100 kilos of cheese and 10 (the name they call goats here). The land belongs to the De la Vega Grande family, who, according to sources, also have people on a sharecropping basis and own "half the island.
" This is explained by cheesemaker Paqui Pérez Navarro, whom we visited as part of the Terrae rural cuisine conference. She has nothing but good things to say about the family owners, as she maintains that they offer fair conditions to sharecroppers. She runs the business through her husband, Pepe Ortega Suárez.
His grandparents were already grandparents, and they were the ones who developed the genetics for the impressive herd of goats they have. A breed endemic to the Canary Islands, the , and the largest specimens in existence. Pepe's grandparents shared space with farmers who lived in caves very close to where we are.
They grew tomatoes, an activity that ended with the arrival of tourism in the late 1970s. Today, visitors double the population and are the primary source of income. Ukraine in Gran Canaria But back to the cheeses.
Paqui and Pepe have a herd of 1,800 goats; they used to have more, but now they can't afford it. The island hasn't had consistent rain for ten years, and the well water is now too salty, so they have to rely on the feed they can afford: 24,000 euros a year. The war in Ukraine affected them, and the herd has shrunk.
They keep the kids born in November. Paqui explains that they are born fatter and get sick less often. The rest are sold to a meat wholesaler.
During the visit, we see some beautiful lambs. People are taking photos. Paqui explains that today they are being taken to be skinned.
There's no room for sentimentality or Instagram here. The herd of goats grazes on the rugged mountains of La Glòria. Glòria gives its name to this cheese factory, but also to the entire area where we are located.
There used to be a cemetery nearby, so they named it that way because in this corner of the island the climatic conditions are favorable, both in temperature and wind. Paqui explains that there are many cheese factories nearby, but the climate changes very quickly on this island, so the tastes of the cheeses also change, since they depend on humidity, for example, in their production. The Canary Islands are known for their cheeses; they always receive recognition in industry championships.
But the fact that these cheeses leave the island is another matter. Paqui and Pepe weigh 300 kilos a day, using 1,200 liters of freshly milked goat's milk. "Only once a day," Paqui explains, so as not to harm the animal.
Three shepherds are in charge of milking them. The goats are impressive. They have a drive you wouldn't believe.
Their cheeses can be found in their cafeteria, where the couple's two daughters work. They can also be found in a few places in Tenerife and Madrid, but due to the difficulty of transporting them, the vast majority of the eleven types of cheese they make never leave the island. There's more demand than production, but they don't dare raise prices.
"People wouldn't understand it here. There are many cheese factories. We eat cheese with every meal, and they're used to certain prices," says Paqui.
Several people at the Terrae conference advise her that if there's more demand than supply, perhaps she could take the risk. The answer is resounding: "It can't be done." Here, change has its own rhythm.
Their cheese is tall because they like it to have a slightly creamy center even after aging. They're also now making blue cheese, but Paqui explains that it can be produced only occasionally, when there's enough moisture. They make many types: semi-cured, with paprika, smoked, with polenta, or with curry.
They explain that they've made it with young people in mind who want new things. Pepe's mother, who's still alive, doesn't like them at all. She prefers the traditional ones.
They also have an aged version that they say is like their Grana Padano and that the Italian public loves. It's currently José's favorite. The cheeses are made by hand and hand-salted.
They only pass through the hands of the couple, who turn them with great care. They have taken craftsmanship to excellence, but in their case, the medals haven't shaken a system that comes from far away and goes even further..
