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ibglowin

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I first tried Manchego cheese at a Tapas bar and restaurant in Santa fe many years ago. Then Costco began selling large hunks of Manchego for about the same price per pound as Tillamook cheddar in the grocery stores.

Tonight I prepared a nice midweek dinner with spicy italian sausage, artichokes, kalamata olives, basil and tomato pasta sauce and served over Bow Tie Pasta with Manchego run through the hand cheese grater like in the restaurants....

If there is a better cheese please let me know. This is a cheese worth dying for.

Its just that good! :hug

manchego_el_trigal_aged.jpg
 
It looks to me like a Pecorino Romano (which is also made out of sheeps milk) or even a Parmesan, but what I saw was that the Manchego is actually classified as a semi-soft cheese. Sure looks pretty rigid to me!

Could you substitute it into a garlic/pasta dish that you'd use a romano in? Now I think I've gotta go search out that one.
 
This is a Spanish cheese made from sheeps milk. It is NOTHING like Parmesan in taste or texture. Definitely semisoft. Just to die for buttery goodness. I would not die for Parmesan but I might die for a block of this cheese! :)
 
Thanks for the info Mike! We have a cheese shopping opening up in our town in a couple of weeks. He will be supplying a lot of imported cheeses and a large variety of cheeses. I will probably be seeing him tonight so I am going to ask if he would be supplying manchego cheese.
 
OK, you guys got me laughing so hard coffee is coming out of everywhere and its only 7:00AM! :)

@JohnT - I think I have posted that dish at one time or another. I was thinking about posting a pic as I was eating it but before I knew it the dish was half gone and I was sorta embarrassed by the amount of Manchego I grated on my dish!

@Julie - You are in for a real treat!
 
Speaking of new cheeses worthy of mention, I had Bellavitano merlot at a family gathering recently. Both my SIL and I loved it so much we bought a big hunk to keep in the house. It is a cheddar parm blend and then marinated in diff flavors, the one I had was merlot. I found it at Sam's at an excellent price. I love this web page about it, including some fun to read comments.

http://cheeseunderground.blogspot.com/2008/12/bellavitano.html

Pam in cinti
 
I tried that one a few months ago and really liked it! They opened up a Murray's Cheese Shop in our new Smith's Marketplace last year. They are carrying it as well as all of the Murray's cheeses and condiments. Best pickles ever but $10 a jar in the store. $13 a jar online!
 
Mike,
I too love Manchego! While we were in Cape May a couple of weeks ago picked up Point Reyes Blue, creamy and really smooth with the right amount of that blue pungency.

Thanks,
Steve
 
Speaking of new cheeses worthy of mention, I had Bellavitano merlot at a family gathering recently. Both my SIL and I loved it so much we bought a big hunk to keep in the house. It is a cheddar parm blend and then marinated in diff flavors, the one I had was merlot. I found it at Sam's at an excellent price. I love this web page about it, including some fun to read comments.

http://cheeseunderground.blogspot.com/2008/12/bellavitano.html

Pam in cinti

I just bought some of the Merlot last weekend. It is really good!
 
I am also a big fan of Manchego. Today, I happened to pick up some Iberico (which is a cow/goat/sheep blend), which is also very nice.

I agree with Pam on the Bellavitano by Sartori (although I prefer the unflavored variety). Also, their Montamore is very similar. They taste like Parmesan and Gruyere had a love child. They are awesome.
 
Thanks for the info Mike! We have a cheese shopping opening up in our town in a couple of weeks. He will be supplying a lot of imported cheeses and a large variety of cheeses. I will probably be seeing him tonight so I am going to ask if he would be supplying manchego cheese.

Yippie!! Where Julie?
 
Yippie!! Where Julie?

Main Street where Curves use to be. It will be called Curds and he is planning on opening during the arts festival.

You guys should come up to the hotel some night for supper. I believe we will probably be there Thursday
 
Main Street where Curves use to be. It will be called Curds and he is planning on opening during the arts festival.

You guys should come up to the hotel some night for supper. I believe we will probably be there Thursday

Wait, what used to be Curves is now Curds? I love it!
 

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