I am eating out of order it seems. Having forgotten that I numbered my cheeses from the farmer's market, I went ahead and ate No. 13 (the X-tra old Cheddar) before No. 12. My apologies to anyone following my progress with a checklist for whom this misstep causes a problem. But on with the Manchego!
As I've already mentioned, this cheese was a recommendation.* All I knew before buying it was that it was a Spanish cheese. Turns out Manchego is from the La Mancha region of Spain (you know, like The Man from La Mancha, aka Don Quixote?). It's a sheep's milk cheese and one that's supposed to be aged for at least 3 months, according to its "Denominación de Origen" (yes, it's another one of those cheeses, not surprising since it's "Spain's most famous chese"),
but J.G. suggested trying some that's been aged 1-2 years. I think the block I picked up at the market must have been of the "curado" variety (aged 3-6 months) because I really couldn't pick out any notes of either sheepiness or tanginess, nor did I find it to be "Delicious-slightly piquant and nutty". However, Manchego does have a nice texture and there's a cool-looking herringbone design pressed into the rind, visible in the photo at right (and which Wikipedia has just advised me is inedible, only after I ate all of it...).Anyway, when I think of European cheeses, Spain isn't a country that typically comes to mind. Though, via the Cheese from Spain website, I've since learned that Spanish cheesemakers produce nearly 100 different kinds and each region has its own specialty:
In general cow's milk cheeses are found in the north, along the Cantabric coast, from Galicia to the Basque Country, and along the northern Cantabric Mountain Range and the Pyrenees. Sheep's milk cheeses are found inland, from the north, in Cantabria and the Basque Country, down to the flats of Castilla-León, Castilla La Mancha, Aragón and Extremadura. And finally goat's milk cheeses are found mostly along the regions of the Mediterranean coast, from Cataluña to Andalusia, as well as in Extremadura. [Click here for a map]If you're curious and want to read more about "The Cheese of Don Quixote," click here.
*You, too, can recommend that I try something! I'm compiling a list and, eventually, I promise, I will get around to trying everything. Just leave a note in the comments section. (You can even remain anonymous if you like)
