When you think of cheese from Spain, manchego is likely the first to come to mind. While this sheep's milk variety is amazing and the star of many grazing boards, there are so many more wonderful Spanish cheese types to choose from. From fresh cheese to aged and blue-veined varieties, there are more than 150 Spanish cheese types to explore.
Wisconsin cheesemakers have been perfecting and improving European cheese recipes for over 180 years, so it's no surprise to find a Spanish-style cheese in Wisconsin. Inspired by manchego, Canela from Roth Cheese is a cow's milk variety that's hand-rubbed with a blend of cinnamon and paprika and textured with a beautiful basket-weave rind. Wisconsin's Canela cheese boasts complex and slightly tangy flavors with a long finish and notes of honey, brown butter, and candied pineapple. No wonder it's been an American Cheese Society winner seven years in a row!
Spanish cheese types can be roughly divided into three categories: cheese made from cow's milk in the north and the Balearic Islands, from sheep's milk in the central region, and from goat's milk in the South and the Canary Islands.
Cow's milk cheese
Sheep's milk cheese
Goat's milk cheese
Mixed milk cheeses
Just as when pairing wine and cheese from other countries, there are a few key considerations when matching up Spanish cheese types with the best food and beverages.
Here are some suggested wine pairings for five of the most common Spanish cheese types.
When pairing Spanish cheese types with other ingredients on a cheese board, consider a selection of cured meats like chorizo or jamon Iberico, with vegetables like roasted tomatoes and red peppers, and with marcona almonds, raw honey, quince jam, and Spanish torta crackers. Slices of a classic Italian herb and cheese bread will also complement Spanish cheeses nicely.
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Artisan production of Spanish cheese in the 20th century was discouraged until the 1980s as part of an effort to enforce industrialization and modernization. Fortunately, many cheesemakers went underground and continued producing artisan cheese for a thriving black market. Since the 1980s, global awareness of Spanish cheeses has been steadily growing.
While Mexican manchego cheese was likely initially similar to Spanish manchego, over the years the Mexican variety has evolved to be quite different. Mexican manchego is made from cow's milk rather than sheep's milk, and it is often not aged long at all. Spanish manchego has a distinctive rind with a herringbone pattern, and many versions of Mexican manchego are rindless.
Canela from Roth Cheese is one of the biggest selling Spanish-style cheeses made in America's Dairyland. Wisconsin cheesemakers also produce many Mexican cheese types, including cotija, oaxaca, queso quesadilla, and queso fresco.
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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