Portugal is a country of good pastures and pasturing as always been present, either as means of subsistence, or as an important traditional activity. Clearly, in land of herd, cheese and milk are kings. The dairy sector in Portugal and in the Azores distinguishes itself by the high quality of produced milk which makes our country more than self-sufficient. Therefore, a large part is exported.
Speaking of the dairy sector, is associated with speaking about cheese and Portugal is proud to produce high quality cheese for the national and international market of several varieties and flavors, produced in regions with good pastures, by cattle created mostly outdoors.
Of the various types of cheese available, made from milk from sheep, cow, goat or mixture, the consistency of paste, the taste and degree of fat, vary from region to region.

Making cheese is an art, which comes to the table as an important element of food of the region and demonstrates the skill of the hands that give it shape.
It is in the ongoing to preserve the Portuguese cheeses that have been created “Geographical Areas of Production.” Currently there are eleven “protected designations of origin” (PDO) and a “geographical indication” (GI), where: cheese of Azeitão, cheese of Beira Baixa, Transmontano Goat cheese, cheese of Serra da Estrela, cheese of Évora, cheese of Nisa, cheese of Pico, cheese of Rabaçal, cheese of Serpa, cheese of S. Jorge and cheese of Terrincho.