A fresh-cheese culture
In much of Venezuela, cheese is not a special-occasion item. It is what goes in the arepa in the morning and on the cachapa at lunch. That everyday role is why the tradition favours fresh cheeses made quickly and eaten young.
The main families
- Queso llanero — firm, dry and salty, from the plains.
- Queso de mano — soft and pliable, formed by hand.
- Queso guayanés — soft, moist and mild.
- Queso blanco — the broad fresh white cheese category.
Why it matters to Bixa
Our family's experience comes from this market: decades of working with the cheesemakers who make these cheeses, in the conditions they actually work in. That is the background we bring to the questions cheesemakers ask us today.
Technical information to be supplied by Bixa.Family photography and archival material for this page.
About the author
Luis — Founder & Rennet Expert at Bixa Products
Luis is the founder of Bixa Products. He has spent his working life around cheesemaking ingredients, first in the Latin American market and now in the United States, helping cheesemakers understand how coagulants behave in real production conditions. He answers questions about rennet, chymosin, coagulation and dosage in the Ask the Rennet Expert series.
- Founder, Bixa Products
- Rennet, chymosin and coagulation specialist
- Family business with 30+ years in the Latin American cheesemaking market