While Spanish cheese may not be as well-known as varieties from European neighbors like France, Italy, Switzerland, and Britain, there are hundreds of delicious cheeses made in Spain. Manchego is the most famous and a perennial cheeseboard favorite. But Spain also produces lots of other rustic beauties – cheeses with bold and distinctive flavor profiles and with variety that reflects the wide diversity of the country's history, climate, and terroir.
Cheese is an essential ingredient in Spanish cuisine and a popular option in Spanish tapas. But until the 1990s, very few of Spain's great cheeses were exported to the U.S., so American cheese lovers have just begun to appreciate the long tradition of locally made, artisan Spanish cheeses.
In Wisconsin, Roth Cheese has won national awards year after year for its Spanish-style, limited production Canela cheese. Named after the Spanish word for “cinnamon,” this variety inspired by manchego cheese is made with fresh cow's milk from Wisconsin's fertile dairy land. It's then hand-rubbed with a cinnamon and paprika blend, producing a signature reddish-orange rind and one-of-a-kind flavor profile. Aged for 15 months or more, Canela features a dense, crystallized texture with intricate flavors of brown butter, candied pineapple, and salted caramel.
Spanish cheeses can be divided into three categories: Cheese made from cow's milk in the North and on the Balearic Islands, from sheep's milk in the middle, and goat milk in the South and the Canary Islands.
The most well-known Spanish cheese types include:
When pairing Spanish cheeses, keep these principles in mind.
Generally, Spanish cheeses pair well with meats like chorizo, Iberico serrano, or Iberico jamon. For vegetables, try olives, red peppers, marcona almonds, and slow-roasted tomatoes. A bit of raw honey complements the strong flavors of many Spanish cheeses, and Spanish torta crackers or crusty breads let these rustic beauties shine.
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Wisconsin cheesemakers have not yet produced many Spanish-style cheeses. Canela from Roth Cheese is one of the few true Spanish-style cheeses originating from Wisconsin. However, Wisconsin cheesemakers have been producing award-winning versions of Hispanic-style cheeses, including Mexican cheese types like cotija, oaxaca, queso quesadilla, and queso fresco.
Spanish manchego is a hard, ivory-white sheep's milk cheese with an iconic herringbone rind that must be ripened for several months to two years. Mexican manchego cheese is made from cow's milk and has no minimum maturation – it's often sold quite young and has excellent melting properties.
Most Spanish cheeses are not naturally spicy. Most types of spicy cheese tend to be varieties like cheddar, jack, or gouda, which have ingredients like peppers added to create more heat.
Craving award-winning aged cheddar, pining for parmesan, or searching for a new cheese to try? The world’s best cheese is just a click away! Explore our directory of Wisconsin cheesemakers and retailers who offer online cheese shopping and get cheese shipped right to your door. What are you waiting for?
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