And here I am in sublime monumental territory of my beloved Spain, Castilla La Mancha region and especially the province of Cuenca, and more precisely the quant town of Huete. Again, I have written before on the area and town but feel not enough on the most famous food from there, the manchego cheeses!!!
First a bit on what Manchego cheeses are all about! And we love them at home!
The Manchego cheese is one of the most famous in Spain and in all of Europe. These cheeses are known worldwide and historically have won numerous gastronomic awards for their quality and inimitable flavor. Manchego cheese is made from the milk of La Mancha sheep and has a minimum cure of 30 days and a maximum maturity of 2 years. These cheeses, if you have not yet tried them, are usually characterized by having a hard crust and free of plastics, a firm and compact paste and with a color that varies from white to ivory yellow.
The Manchego cheeses have a very pleasant, slightly acidic, tasty and strong flavor that evolves to spicy in the most mature cheeses. Its characteristic and intense smell varies according to the cure, as does its flavor. However, it should be noted that they do not only stand out for their flavor. They also have important benefits for our health.
The Regulatory Council of this Protected Designation of Origin. The requirements that all Manchego cheeses must have to be recognized as such are:
The cheese making, maturing and production process must be carried out in the area protected by the Denomination of Origin and which includes the provinces of Albacete, Ciudad Real, Toledo and Cuenca. The milk must come exclusively from La Mancha sheep and be free of drugs and impurities. Minimum maturity of 30 days for cheeses of 1.5 Kg or less and 60 days for heavier weights. Cylindrical shape, with flat faces and marked with a line drawing that divides it into four parts. The side is also marked with a zigzag pattern reminiscent of traditional esparto molds or ties. Hard crust, firm and compact paste, intense odor and slightly acidic flavor, strong and tasty.
For their corresponding badges endorsed by the regulatory council: A Manchego Cheese Denomination of Origin label must appear. The term Denomination of Origin Manchego Cheese must appear on the commercial label of the cheese. If it has been made with raw milk, the word “artisan” will also appear. Numbered and serialized case in plaque: On the opposite side to that of the commercial label, it will appear embedded in the bark with the terms “D.O.P. Queso Manchego and a series of five digits and two or three letters. Against numbered label: we will find it attached to the commercial label, with the Denomination of Origin logo. In the case of small-sized cheeses or wedges, this back label will be marked in its upper right corner by a blue or green band, respectively. European logo. Badge with which the European Union distinguishes quality figures. This is the one corresponding to the Denominations of Origin. They are raw milk note that if the cheese has been created from raw milk on the label, the term “artisan” will appear. If done with pasteurised milk the qualification of “artisan” will not appear on the label, since it will be considered to be an industrial cheese.
Depending on their curing time, Manchego cheeses can be semi-cured, cured, old or aged. The maturation of the cheese is the time that the elaborated product is resting at the appropriate temperature and condition for the necessary physical changes to be made so that we can consume it. To be La Mancha, as said above it indicate you must have at least a 30-day rest time. Fresh or tender cheeses usually spend a maximum of 15 days drying. From here we can already talk about Manchego cheeses that have a maturing process and, as we indicated before, depending on the time we will classify them as semi-cured, cured or old cheese.
Semi cured Manchego Cheeses are the least mature, they only need a maturation of three and five months, depending on their size. Cured Manchego cheeses are those that have matured for half a year. Old or Old Cheeses when the curing is over this period, it is already considered an old cheese. The old ones mature between 7 months and a year. If a cheese matures for a period of more than a year, it is already considered an aged cheese, also known as reserve cheeses, and which stand out for its firm and dry texture and its more intense and spicy flavor.
Now let me tell you a bit about our incursion into the motherland of Manchego Cheeses, the La Mancha and especially in the Alcarria area of Huete! While visiting the area by car , which is a must we had visited a couple of Manchego cheese outfits recommended by local friends. So now you the best !
The Lacto Ganadera OPTA produces very good manchego cheese from the sheep young goat, we had the El Ermita brand from the supermarket before and we went to Opta on site, very good black label=etiqueta negra.These are the Manchego cheeses of world fame .They make them all, and sell them at the store in the factory.
Lacto Ganadera Río Mayor is a company that specializes in cheese making. It was created in 1965 and is located in Huete, located in the province of Cuenca. They are manufacturers and suppliers of high quality cheeses. A wide range of products, such as Manchego cheese, black label, red label and blue label. They have sheep cheeses cured in butter, rosemary, oil, etc. As well as mix cheeses and goat cheeses.
We went out outside city center into the Rio Mayor, these are the Manchego cheeses of Oveja or sheep!! They make them all, and sell them at the store in the factory. Here they also gave us a tour of fabrication halls, awesome!. Just magical. They are at Ctra Carrascosa Km 101 Huete. They have another factory at Carretera Caracenilla, between Huete and Cuenca, closer to Huete.
We shop always for the etiqueta negra or black label, queso mezcla tierno or young mix cheese with goat and milk as well as sheep blend, and the Romero or Rosemary. Just great still enjoying it!!
Now you know the basic information to come down and get the best of the Spanish cheeses for me of course. They are absolutely awesome and I get them even from Paris! When not in Spain. Hope you have enjoy the tour.
The webpages are for Rio Mayor Caracenilla : Quesos la Ermita Caracenilla Rio Mayor
And OPTA at closer to Huete: Quesos de Huete
And this OPTA have a Facebook page here as sometimes their main webpage does not work: Facebook page of OPTA manchego cheeses
And remember, happy travels, good health, and many cheers to all!!!
Paris1972-Versailles2003 