Back from a welcome break in those volcanic islands, Cape Verde, I can confirm that they do have cheeses there.
There the cows like the goats are tied up - usually by one leg - and are fed by men who bring them sugar cane or banana leaves as fodder. So it's useless to imagine they give a lot of milk! So on the shelves of their stores (loja /merceria) or more westernised supermarkets, you'll usually find Belgian milk powder or bottles of sterilised milk.
One of my friends had me taste some yoghourt she had made herself using a certain brand of powdered milk, to which she had of course added water and a local yoghourt to provide it with starter cultures. All it needed was to be placed in a more or less ambient temperature for it to curdle. Hardly a sophisticated yoghourt maker! My friend simply kept it hidden from flying or crawling insects...in her switched off oven!
But let's come back to the subject of cheese.Traditionally it has been women who transformed the "excess" milk into cheese and sold it in the market (while not keeping it constantly in the cold, let it be said).
Thanks to the input of the European Union, some small cheese makers have seen the day in recent years. Using both goats' as well as cows' milk, they are mainly producing small cheeses (100-200g maximum), mostly sold fresh. With mixed curds, high rennet, fairly elastic. With papaya preserve, it's a real feast. And that's how the locals eat it.
From time to time on the island of Santo Antao, you may find a little goat tomme cheese that is firmer with a trace of creamy coloured rind... I loved it! And I took the chance of bringing some back to France when I was lucky enough to find some vacuum packed.
My friends from that part of the world use a strange technique to mature these little cheeses: they leave them for 2-3 months in sealed containers in the fridge. Professionals will shout with horror, as these cheeses are still "alive", releasing heat and humidity and this leads to condensation which in contact with the cheeses gives them a bitter taste.
...And if you take into account all the times the electricity shuts off on the island of Santiago, you can bet the bacterial activity gets intense! What's surprising is that the result is often very pleasant but varies considerably from initial producer to producer. I've my own preferences!! But you won't find them in France, of course...
So if you wish to try some, your only solution is ... to make a trip there yourself!
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