Murray's Young Manchego

$22.00 / Lbprice is $22.00 by Lb

Pasteurized
Animal Rennet
Age: 4 Months
Sheep Milk
by Murray's Cheese
Spain

Approachable
Adventurous
Soft
Hard

Arguably Spain’s most famous cheese, Murray’s Young Manchego packs thousands of years of cheesemaking history into its nutty, granular paste. Since the Bronze Age, milk collected from Manchega ewes scattered across Southern Spain’s La Mancha region has been used to create this cheese. Setting itself apart from more aged versions, this Manchego is mild, with a pronounced buttered toast flavor and a chewy paste distinguished by a lacy network of openings. Take part in a cheese tradition and pair with Murray's Membrillo and some Raincoast Crisps.

“Manchego is a great starter cheese. It’s mild, crunchy, and perfectly salty. In short, it’s an ideal representation of a sheep's milk cheese in its purest form. A classic Spanish pairing combines Manchego, Marcona Almonds, and Membrillo (otherwise known as quince paste). Instantly, you’ll feel like you transported to the coast of Spain—just add a glass of crisp white wine to perfect that vacation state of mind.”

Murray’s Education Team - New York, NY

Pasteurized Sheep's Milk, Salt, Rennet, Cheese Cultures

Allergens: Milk

Manchego cheese has been made in Spain since the Bronze Age, and was even referenced Miguel de Cervantes’ literary classic, Don Quixote.
The cheese is made using milk from Manchega sheep, a breed that’s native to the Iberian Peninsula.
It’s a seasonal milk, gathered only during April, May, and June, when ewes graze across the pastures of Spain’s La Mancha Region.
Sheep are notorious for providing small quantities of milk. In the case of Manchego, each ewe averages just 26 gallons of milk per year.
The nutty, granular paste is encased in a rind that’s distinct in its cross-hatch pattern.
Traditionally, the curds were pressed into braided esparto grass baskets, leaving the distinct cross-hatch design on the rind.
Today, the cheese is shaped in a mold that imparts this pattern as a nod to its historical production methods.
In 1984, Manchego earned Denominación de Origen (or "DO," meaning designation of origin) status to protect its integrity and tradition.
For a cheese to be classified as Manchego, it must be made exclusively from the whole milk of Manchega ewes, it must come from La Mancha, and it must be aged in natural caves for at least two months.
Murray’s Young Manchego distinguishes itself from more aged versions with its mild, supple paste punctuated by a lacy network of openings.
The cheese is nutty and rich, with just a touch of acidity, making it endlessly snackable.

When you receive your cheese, unpack the order and refrigerate the items. We recommend using the cheese paper we send most of our products in to store the cheese. The cheese paper helps cover the items and stop them from drying out, while also allowing the cheese to breathe. Since cheese is mold, it's a living thing! If you cut off air circulation to the cheese, you can actually cause it to suffocate and spoil at a faster rate.

At Murray’s, we are cheese experts and enthusiasts who make, source, sell, and serve exceptional cheese and specialty foods nationwide.
The Murray’s Cheese branded product line comprises deliciously distinct, time-honored products made with the finest ingredients by passionate producers across the globe.
These products have been hand-selected by our trusted cheesemongers, who travel the world to taste countless items in search of flavors that are exceptional enough to be included in our branded product line.
We build strong relationships with our talented production partners. They trust our team to handle the extraordinary goods they’ve worked hard to perfect, as we bring them to households across the country.
Whether you’re looking for Gruyère from Switzerland, Brie from France, or Prosciutto di Parma from Italy, with a Murray’s branded product, you’ll receive our favorite version of a traditional product at an incredible value.