Asturian Journal: Incredible Spring Afternoon on March 19, Dia de San José, in Las Asturias with Jésus Gutierrez & Josepha Schiano-Lomoriello of La Chivita, a Top Producer of Goats' Milk Cheese (Excerpt from my article in the summer issue of culture: the word on cheese.)

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La Chivita, Buelles, Peñamellera Baja (raw goats’ milk)

One of the most fascinating and rewarding visits of my five-day trip to Asturias, was to La Chivita, yet another single-producer cheese, this one made by the husband-and-wife team of Jesús Gútierrez and Josepha Schiano-Lomoriello, a Renaissance pair of subsistence farmers who battle to stay in touch with nature, their herd of 200 goats (soon to be supplemented by a hundred or so captivating new-born kids that I saw while I was there) and the vagaries of the new world economy. They deserve to succeed, because they are great people and so is their compelling farmhouse goat cheese, which Jesús says “was inspired by and is similar to Muenster.” The cheese, as they eat it at home, often has a naturally runny exterior (which they wipe off before sending to market), a somewhat crumbly white interior and a creamy, haunting, mushroomy flavor.

Jésus Gútierrez and Josepha Schiano-Lomoriello of La Chivita.

Check out the Summer issue of culture: the word on cheese, where I had an eight-page article with photographs on the Asturias, Beyond Cabrales, with profiles of Cabrales and six other wonderful Asturian cheeses, plus hotel and restaurant recommendations.   Only the title page and a few photos are excerpted here, but you can find out how to get a copy on the culture - the word on cheese website and read the rest of the article, plus articles by Max McCalman, Susan Herman Loomis, Janet Fletcher and an interview with Steve Jenkins.

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About Gerry Dawes

Gerry Dawes's Spain: An Insider's Guide to Spanish Food, Wine, Culture and Travel


Gerry Dawes was awarded Spain's prestigious Premio Nacional de Gastronomía (National Gastronomy Award) in 2003. He writes and speaks frequently on Spanish wine and gastronomy and leads gastronomy, wine and cultural tours to Spain. He was a finalist for the 2001 James Beard Foundation's Journalism Award for Best Magazine Writing on Wine, won The Cava Institute's First Prize for Journalism for his article on cava in 2004, was awarded the CineGourLand “Cinéfilos y Gourmets” (Cinephiles & Gourmets) prize in 2009 in Getxo (Vizcaya) and received the 2009 Association of Food Journalists Second Prize for Best Food Feature in a Magazine for his Food Arts article, a retrospective piece about Catalan star chef, Ferran Adrià.

In December, 2009, Dawes was awarded the Food Arts Silver Spoon Award in a profile written by José Andrés.

". . .That we were the first to introduce American readers to Ferran Adrià in 1997 and have ever since continued to bring you a blow-by-blow narrative of Spain's riveting ferment is chiefly due to our Spanish correspondent, Gerry "Mr. Spain" Dawes, the messianic wine and food journalist raised in Southern Illinois and possessor of a self-accumulated doctorate in the Spanish table. Gerry once again brings us up to the very minute. . ." - - Michael & Ariane Batterberry, Editor-in-Chief/Publisher and Founding Editor/Publisher, Food Arts, October 2009. 

Mr. Dawes is currently working on a reality television series
on wine, gastronomy, culture and travel in Spain.

Experience Spain With Gerry Dawes: Customized Culinary, Wine & Cultural Trips to Spain & Travel Consulting on Spain

Gerry Dawes can be reached at gerrydawes@aol.com; Alternate e-mail (use only if your e-mail to AOL is rejected): gerrydawes@gmail.com