Manchego

Queso Manchego is a pressed cheese made from raw or pasteurized ewe's milk of the Manchega breed that grazes freely on the pastures in the provinces of Albacete, Ciudad Real, Cuenca, and Toledo. When produced from raw milk, Manchego cheese is labeled as Artesano.

Its color ranges from pale yellow to greenish-black, and the flavor is slightly acidic, but depending on the aging period, it can also be spicy and peppery. The texture is firm and compact and it may contain tiny, irregular, unevenly distributed eyes.

The rind is usually washed and coated in paraffin or immersed in olive to preserve its natural appearance and protect the chese from the mold. This full-fat cheese is rich in calcium and packed with essential vitamins such as A, D and E. The wheels weighing up to 1,5 kg are aged for at least 30 days, and larger cheeses are aged from 2 months to a maximum of 2 years.