Andy Montoya
El Trigal is a brand of Manchego cheese, which is a popular Spanish cheese made from sheep's milk. The cheese is named after the La Mancha region of Spain, where it is produced. El Trigal Manchego is available in many varieties depending on its age and the type of milk used. For example, the cheese can be made with pasteurized or unpasteurized milk, with the farmhouse version being produced from unpasteurized milk and the industrial version made from pasteurized milk. The cheese has a compact and firm texture, with a buttery texture and flavour, and notes of toasted almonds.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Country of origin | Spain |
| Region | La Mancha |
| Milk | Pasteurized sheep's milk |
| Texture | Compact, firm, hard |
| Rind | Yellow to brownish-beige |
| Rind pattern | Zigzag |
| Rind pattern cause | Pressing curd into baskets of native Esparto grass |
| Flavor | Full-flavored, nutty, sweet, buttery, mild, mellow saltiness, subtle sheep flavor |
| Age | 6 months, 8 months, 1 year, 14 months, more than 1 year |
| Rind edibility | Inedible |
| Colour | White to ivory-yellow |
| Accompaniments | Medium reds, off-dry whites, quince paste or Membrillo, pickled vegetables, tinned seafood |
| Wine pairing | Riojas, Tempranillo |
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What You'll Learn
- El Trigal Manchego is made from pasteurised or unpasteurised sheep's milk
- It is produced in the La Mancha region of Spain
- It has a compact and firm texture with a buttery taste
- It is available in many varieties depending on its age and milk used
- It is best served with membrillo, with pickled vegetables or tinned seafood
El Trigal Manchego is made from pasteurised or unpasteurised sheep's milk
El Trigal Manchego is a traditional Spanish cheese made from pasteurised or unpasteurised sheep's milk. The cheese is named after the La Mancha region of Spain where it is produced. It is one of the most popular cheeses from Spain and is protected by PDO (DOP) guidelines.
The Corcuera Family was the first in all of Castilla La Mancha to make and commercialise Manchego Cheese. They produce the cheese in the province of Toledo. El Trigal Manchego is made from 100% Manchega sheep milk. The cheese is firm and compact, with a buttery texture and a distinctive zigzag pattern on the rind. The colour varies from white to ivory-yellow, and the rind from yellow to brownish-beige.
The traditional use of grass moulds leaves a characteristic flavour and aftertaste due to the sheep's milk. Authentic Manchego is only made from the milk of Manchega sheep. The farmhouse version of Manchego is produced from unpasteurised milk, while the industrial version is made from pasteurised milk. El Trigal Manchego is available in several varieties depending on its age and the type of milk used.
For example, Manchego El Trigal DOP 6 months is extremely buttery and aged to perfection. Manchego El Trigal DOP 8 months is produced with raw milk and aged for 8 months. Manchego El Trigal DOP 1 year is a full-flavoured cheese aged for 1 year, while Manchego El Trigal DOP Reserva is a full-flavoured cheese aged for more than 1 year and packaged in elegant wooden crates.
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It is produced in the La Mancha region of Spain
El Trigal is a type of Manchego cheese, which is produced in the La Mancha region of Spain. This is the same region where the story of Don Quixote is set. The cheese is made from the milk of the Manchega sheep, an ancient breed that has been used to make Manchego since the Bronze Age.
The Corcuera family was the first in Castilla La Mancha to make and commercialise Manchego cheese. They produce the cheese in the province of Toledo. El Trigal Manchego is made from pasteurised sheep's milk, although Manchego is also sometimes made from unpasteurised milk. The farmhouse version is produced from unpasteurised milk, while the industrial version is made from pasteurised milk.
The cheese is firm and compact, with a buttery texture and a distinctive zigzag pattern on the rind. It has a nutty flavour with notes of toasted almonds, and a subtle sheep taste. It is often described as "buttery" and "perfectly aged". The colour varies from white to ivory-yellow, and the rind is yellow to brownish-beige.
El Trigal Manchego is available in different varieties depending on its age and the type of milk used. The cheese is aged for at least six months, with some varieties aged for eight months, one year, or even more than a year. The longer the cheese is aged, the fuller the flavour and the grittier the texture.
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It has a compact and firm texture with a buttery taste
El Trigal Manchego is a traditional Spanish cheese with a compact and firm texture and a buttery taste. It is made from pasteurised or unpasteurised sheep's milk, specifically that of the Manchega breed, and is produced in the La Mancha region of Spain. The Corcuera Family was the first in Castilla La Mancha to make and commercialise Manchego Cheese, and they continue to produce the cheese in the Toledo province.
The traditional use of grass moulds leaves a distinctive, characteristic zigzag pattern on the cheese. The colour varies from white to ivory-yellow, and the inedible rind is yellow to brownish-beige. The cheese has a firm and compact consistency with unevenly distributed air pockets.
The taste of El Trigal Manchego is nutty, with notes of toasted almonds and a buttery aroma. It is best served with membrillo, or with pickled vegetables or tinned seafood. It pairs well with riojas or tempranillo wine.
El Trigal Manchego is available in different varieties depending on its age and the type of milk used. The 6-month variety is toothsome and nutty, with a buttery, mellow, salty taste and a subtle sheep flavour. The 8-month variety is made with raw milk. The 1-year variety is full-flavoured, and the Reserva is also full-flavoured and aged for more than 1 year, packaged in elegant wooden crates.
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It is available in many varieties depending on its age and milk used
El Trigal Manchego is a traditional Spanish cheese made from sheep's milk. The El Trigal® brand offers a variety of Manchego cheeses that differ in age and the type of milk used, resulting in distinct flavours and characteristics.
The first variety is the Manchego El Trigal® DOP 6-month cheese. This cheese is known for its extremely buttery flavour and perfect ageing. It has a toothsome texture and a nutty taste, with subtle sheep flavour notes. It pairs well with riojas or tempranillo wine and is often served with membrillo, pickled vegetables, or tinned seafood.
The second variety is the Manchego El Trigal® DOP 8-month cheese, which is produced with raw milk. This cheese also has a buttery flavour and is aged for eight months.
The third variety is the Manchego El Trigal® DOP 1-year cheese. This cheese is aged for a full year, resulting in a full-flavoured cheese with a grittier texture and a lingering aftertaste. It is packaged in elegant wooden crates.
The fourth variety is the Manchego El Trigal® DOP Reserva. This cheese is aged for more than a year, resulting in a full-flavoured cheese with a mature flavour profile. It is also packaged in elegant wooden crates.
The age of the cheese plays a crucial role in determining its texture and flavour. For example, the 6-month variety is described as toothsome, while the 14-month variety is said to have a grittier texture. Similarly, the type of milk used, whether it is pasteurised or unpasteurised, can also influence the cheese's characteristics.
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It is best served with membrillo, with pickled vegetables or tinned seafood
El Trigal is a Manchego cheese, a popular Spanish cheese made from pasteurised or unpasteurised sheep's milk. It is best served with membrillo, pickled vegetables or tinned seafood. Membrillo is a quince paste that is traditionally paired with Manchego cheese. The cheese is also well-suited as a sandwich topping or cubed up for snacking.
The El Trigal brand of Manchego cheese comes in several varieties depending on its age and the type of milk used. The 6-month-old Manchego has a buttery, mellow salty taste with a subtle sheep flavour. It is toothsome and nutty and pairs well with riojas or tempranillo wine. The 8-month-old Manchego is made with raw milk and has a full flavour. The 1-year-old Manchego is also full-flavoured and is packaged in elegant wooden crates. The Manchego DOP Reserva is aged for more than 1 year and has a full flavour.
The unique shape of Manchego cheese is a result of the fact that nomadic families would make these cheeses on their annual trek through the Spanish countryside. They would separate the whey from the curds by weaving baskets from Esparto grass, with small wooden boards at the top and bottom to put pressure on the curds. This process gives the cheese its distinctive zigzag pattern.
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Frequently asked questions
El Trigal cheese is made from pasteurized or unpasteurized sheep's milk.
El Trigal cheese comes from the La Mancha region of Spain.
El Trigal cheese has a compact, firm, and buttery texture.
El Trigal cheese has a nutty, buttery, and subtly sheepish flavor.
El Trigal cheese is classically served with membrillo, pickled vegetables, or tinned seafood.
