Semi-cured 'Marantona' Cheese... (1,2 Kg.)

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Semi-cured 'Marantona' Cheese... (1,2 Kg.)

This spectacular cheese, made with sheeps milk from purebred Manchega sheep, is presented with oiled rinds. Firm and compact interior varies in colour from white to ivory or pale yellow, creamy texture with small air pockets unevenly spread throughout. Ripening time between 60 and 90 days.

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Why in GourmetVip - Quesos La Casota

La Casota is a family business set-up by a fifth-generation farmer of Manchego sheep based in La Solana. These sheep farmers would traditionally use their excess milk to make their own cheese, which they used not only as a source of food for themselves. The flocks live and feed in pastures which are typical of the region of Castilla La Mancha: La Solana, Manzanares, Membrilla y Alhambra, traditionally known for the quality of their Artisan Cheese.

La Casota has received several prestigious awards in different International and National Cheese contests:

- Great Selection of food 2011: Gold Selection Cured Artisan Manchego Cheese.
- Great Selection of food 2008: Gold Selection Cured Artisan Manchego Cheese.
- Expovicam-Albacete 2008 Regional Fair: 1st Prize Semicured Artisan Manchego Cheese.
- Fercam-Manzanares 2008 Regional Fair: Silver Medal Semi-cured Artisan Manchego Cheese.
- International Exhibition of Gourmet Club – Madrid 2006: Finalist Best Semi-cured Sheep's Cheese.
- Regional Contest "Cofradía" of Manchego Cheese 2008: 1st Prize Cured Artisan Manchego Cheese.
- World Cheese Awards 2006 – 2007: 2006: Gold Medal Cured Artisan Cheese & 2007: Silver Medal Cured Artisan Cheese.

Furthermore, La Casota cheeses are consideredby "Ronda Iberia" Magazine one of the best 50 Spanish gourmet products.

LA MANCHA & THE MANCHEGO CHEESE

La Mancha: It is the biggest natural region in Spain, which goes from the hills of Toledo up to the montains of Cuenca on the west, and from la Alcarria up to 'Sierra Morena'. It is a plain region, with very little trees but with a lot of 'saline' vegetation, appropiate for sheeps. It is without a doubt, one of the most important cheese producers regions in Spain, where the famous Macnchego Cheese is elaborated since ancient times. This can be considered the most representative cheese in Spain, and the most popular, internationally speaking.

Official Video - DO Manchego Cheese

Pastureland: La Mancha pasturelands are of great diversity: crop residues lands , rosemary lands, etc . Thus , plants like cinoblanco , sage , lavender, the thyme, and teucrios are the typical aromaticbushes of the pasturelands whereManchega sheep flocks feed, hence some scents pass into the milk, giving special organoleptic characteristics to theManchego cheese.

The Manchega sheep: The flocks live and feed in pastures which are typical of the region of Castilla La Mancha, at an average altitude of 700 metres and with an extreme climate, which can range from temperatures below zero in winter to around 45ºC in summer. These characteristics affect the grazing land where the sheep feed and this, combined with natural feeds which also come from the same area, makes Manchega sheep’s milk distinctive from other milks.

The sheep manchega milk: Without a doubt, the quality and richness of the Sheep Manchega milk depends on the pasturelands where the sheeps flocks feed, and the livestock farmers are well aware of this, trying always to use the best ones. In the cheese elaboration, milk with the highest quality has to be used, this coming from animals that have a healthy and adequate diet.

The Manchego Cheese: The Manchego Cheese is a product of the Autonomic region of Castilla La Mancha, an important economic sector; the Denomination of Origin of 'Manchego Cheese' represents a guarantee of the quality of the product. Manchego cheese is the one that has been elaborated in Castilla La Mancha, with milk from sheep flocks registered under this Denomination of Origin, which feed in these pasturelands with a minimum maturation of 60 days.

'La Solana': cheese tradition for 8 centuries: the origins of 'La Solana' are from the XII century. In the XII century, the re-population came from livestock farmers using pasturelands of 'La Moheda' & 'La Veguilla', where there was water available for the livestock. Beside 'La Moheda', there was a water fountain called 'de La Solana', which gave name to the region. In the XVIII century, 'La Solana' population and activity increased, and livestock was the main source of income; the number of livestock farmers increased up to 150. At the beginning of the XX century, 'La Solana' started growing significantly, keeping the traditions, with the Manchego cheese elaboration amongst them, passed through generations from the Middle Age.

¿How to cut cheese?

It is important the type of slice to be done to the cheese, from a conservation and aesthetic point of view. This must be clean, so that the cut surface does not present irregularities. Each piece of cheese should have part of the cheese rind and also the center part, so the tasting is optimum. It is for this reason that in cilindric cheeses like the Manchego cheese, cut should be made from the center to the exterior, in wedges. If the cheese is too big, then it is recomended to cut it in half, so then it can be cut in wedges more easily. The wedges are trimmed in thin slices of about 3 to 5 mm in thickness.

It is recomended that the cheese is cut using a wood cutting board. After its use, the board should cleaned with hot water and detergent. Let the board dry in vertical position, so as to avoid deformations. Before being used for the first time, it is recomended to lubricate the wood cutting board with olive oil.

Tips on preservation

Cheese can be cleaned with water (in case is cured, it must be). It can be submerged in a pot with water and then has to be rubbed.
Cheese, which has been cut up in pieces, can be submerged in olive oil (only cured cheeses can be submerged in one piece), taking care of leave the pot open and in a fresh place (clean the cheese previously).
Chees can be frozen - in pieces - (not recomended in case of cured cheese).
Cheese never should be wrapped using aluminium film (Albal, etc), it is recomended to do it with plastic film, and always conserved at a temperature of 5 to 15º C.
Fresh cheese: cut it in pieces and freeze.
Semi-cured cheese: clean the cheese with water. Cut in 4 pieces and freeze them or submerged them in olive oil.
Cured Cheese: Clean the cheese with water, half of the cheese can be put in the fridge, and the rest in a plate with some olive oil (anywhere).

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Semi-cured 'Marantona' Cheese... (1,2 Kg.)

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