Named for a village in the Pa¡s Vasco region, Idiazabal is one of the most traditional Basque cheeses. The D.O. dictates that it be made with the ultra rich raw milk of the Latxa sheep, which produce no more than 1 liter of milk per day. We prefer to bring ours aged 6-8 months, depending on its availability (it is only made 6 months out of the year). The practice of smoking the cheese with Hawthorne and Cherry Woods, which reflects the history of shepherds hanging the cheese near a fireplace to dry, is optional. But we find that the smoke adds additional character to this nutty, sharp cheese. 2/7#