Galicia · Spain
San Simón da Costa.
A golden-brown teardrop that smells of smoldering birch and tastes of creamy butter with a whisper of smoke and mild pepper. The semi-hard paste yields gently on the tongue, releasing subtle lactic sweetness before the smoke catches at the finish—warm, gentle, and never harsh.
Rate this cheese
Origin
42.6°N · 7.9°W
The story
How it's made.
Why it tastes that way.
San Simón da Costa is a smoked Galician cow's milk cheese with a distinctive teardrop or spinning-top shape. It has been produced in the Terra Chá plateau of Lugo province since at least the 19th century.
The smoking over birch wood gives its golden-brown rind. EU PDO status was granted in 2008.
Production · spec
- Milk
- Cow · pasteurised
- Family
- Semi-hard
- Rind
- smoked
- Age
- 1–2 mo
- Protected
- PDO · since 2008
- Intensity
- 3 / 5
- Texture
- semi-hard
Tasting profile
What it tastes like.
These bars are a visual read of San Simón da Costa's flavour and aroma notes, scaled by the cheese's overall intensity — a quick guide, not a lab measurement.
Aroma
Nutrition · per 100 g serving
What's in a wedge.
A 100 g serving — about a finger-thick wedge. Daily values use the FDA 2020 reference of 2,000 kcal. Expect ±5% variation between wheels.
Serve, cut & store
Out of the fridge,
into its prime.
Guidance for semi-hard cheeses — general practice, not a per-wheel measurement.
Rest
Take it out about ≈1 h before serving — cold stiffens the fat and locks up the aromas; cool room temperature is when the flavour shows up.
Cut
Cut thin half-moons or batons from the wedge; trim waxed or inedible rinds as you go.
Store
Wrap leftovers in cheese paper or wax paper — never cling film, which suffocates the rind — and keep them in the warmest part of the fridge.
Rule of thumb: the softer and riper, the longer it needs. Thick pieces need longer than thin — and don't leave cheese out much past two hours.
Pairings · Caseo curated
What goes with San.
47 pairings across 7 categories.
Wine
Where to find it
Cheese counters.
Counter listings for San Simón da Costa are being verified. Check back soon.
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Substitutes
No San Simón da Costa at the counter?.
These will play a similar role on the board and in the pan.
Take it with you
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