Manchego cheese is the most important and well-known sheep’s milk cheese in Spain. The shape of this cheese is very characteristic and defined, due to the traditional use of esparto grass molds which imprints a zigzag pattern along the side of the cheese. The small wooden boards used for pressing the cheese also imprints the typical wheat ear pattern on the top and bottom.

This rustic molds are used outside of La Mancha as well. Thus, there are other Spanish sheep's milk cheese with similar shape and markings, known commonly as "Manchego style" cheese.

The true Manchego cheese, however, is made only from whole milk of the Manchega sheep raised in the "La Mancha" region. This region is a vast high plateau, more than 600 meters above sea level, which extends from east to west and north to south, adjoining the provinces of Toledo, Cuenca, Ciudad Real and Albacete, all in the Castile-La Mancha Autonomous Region southeast of Madrid.

Manchego cheese has a long historic and literary tradition, as it was mentioned by Cervantes in the legendary "Don Quixote of La Mancha". Today, there are two types of Manchego cheese: the farmhouse type, made with unpasteurized sheep's milk and the industrial type, made with pasteurized milk.

In both cases, however, milk from Manchega sheep is the only type used and the cheese is produced in clearly defined homogenous surroundings of wheat fields, fallow land and brush fields. The climate is extreme continental with cold winters and hot summers.

Labeled "Denominación de Origen Protegida" (D.O.P.)

Origin :

• Region of La Mancha (Castilla- La Mancha). Article #4 of the Denomination of Origin Ruling defines the area where Manchego cheese can be produced, within the provinces of Toledo, Ciudad Real, Cuenca y Albacete.

Characteristics.

• La Mancha is a region with a long live-stock breeding tradition. Wool and animal bones have been found in some archeological sites, as well as different utensils used to produce cheese as early as II century BC.

• Early Roman historians wrote about the live-stock farming in the peninsula, especially in "Acampo Espartario", the name given by Romans to the region of La Mancha. Muslims habited the area from VIII to XI centuries. They called it "Manyá", meaning "land without water". With time the name would transform into "Mangla" or "Mancla", and finally "Mancha" around the XIII century.

• La Mancha is high plateau, of about 650 to 800 m. in height (2000 feet) and an area of more than 35000 Sq Km. (13500 sq miles). It is made of flat lands and hills with an extreme continental climate, with cold winters and long dry summers, scarce rainfall, and large daily temperature changes.

• For a long time this area was in dispute between Southern Muslims and Northern Christians, who fought for the control of the pastures. These fights were the origin of the "mestas", itinerant stock-farmers that organized the displacements of the Christian herds protected by the Christian soldiers against the Muslim attacks.

• In the XII century King Alfonso VI conquered Toledo and forced the Muslims to retreat back to Andalucía . The lack of stablity forced the legalization of the "Honrado Concejo de la Mesta" in 1273 by King Alfonso X 'the Wise' in order to organize the cooperation of the stock-farmers.

• In the XVII century farming advanced. The efficient use of the pastures forced the declining of the stock-farming and ended in the disappearance of the mesta in 1836. Advancement in farmings forced the convertion of stock-farmes into both stock and land farmers, forcing the herds to become sedentary. As a result, the production of wool declined, and the live-stocking industry specialized in the production of meat and cheese. Cheese production was no longer marginal, and the manchega breed of sheep became instrumental in establishing cheese production techniques.

• In the late XIX and begining of XX centuries the first studies on Manchego Cheese were published. During this century the increased specialization of the farms has made La Mancha the base of a powerful cheese industry. Manchego Cheese producers have artisanal techniques while still managing to have intense production.

• Manchego Cheese has been protected by the Denomination of Origin since 1984. The D.O. that stipulates the exclusive use of milk from manchega sheep breed, as well as an aging period of a minimum of 60 days.

Uses.

• The intense taste and crumbly texture make it perfect to eat it as is, with a slice of bread.

• Ploughman’s Lunch?

• As the focal point of Antipasto, Manchego can be served with olives, sun-dried tomatos, crusty bread and a robust red wine (Rioja) or a dry sherry (Fino).

• It is equally enjoyable as a snack or dessert with fruit or fruit tarts.

• The aromatic intensity of a Manzanilla wine makes it an excellent foil for this cheese. The result is a magnificent combination of aromas giving a new sensation of complexity and elegance. Each brings out the flavor of the other and the fresh aromas are reminiscent of flowers, nuts and lavender.