Indulge yourself with a buttery Serpa cheese, the direct descendant of the famous Queijo da Serra, whose manufacturing technique it borrowed. This has a strong individual aroma and peppery flavour, and can almost be eaten off the spoon. Made from sheep milk, it can be enjoyed as a dessert, for a snack, as part of a meal, or as an appetiser. But it should always be accompanied by good Alentejo bread and red wine.

Small and salty, the cheeses of Évora may not win you over with their appearance. But the unique flavour, slightly peppery, will make your mouth water.

Hard or semi-hard, and yellow in colour, when cut open they reveal a smooth, balanced consistency, which makes them suitable as an appetiser.

Further north, almost on the border with the Lower Beira, Niza offers home-cured cheeses, whitish-yellow in colour and with a smooth consistency, a strong aroma and a sharp taste. Made from sheep and goat milk, they are the ideal snack to accompany a wine from the Portalegre region.