A true Spanish Manchego is made from 100% whole milk from sheep raised in the La Mancha region of Spain and it has a distinct flavor and appearance. The wild herbs of this harsh, dry environment lend unique characteristics to the sheeps milk, helping to create the cheese's full, lingering, unforgettable flavor. Local cheesemakers use grass molds which impart a unique zigzag pattern in Manchego's inedible rind, contributing to its distinct appearance. The cheese is usually sold in a hard form after several months of aging. Manchego is described as Spain's most famous cheese, and it is widely available in the United States. In Latin America the term Manchego is used to describe a simpler, usually younger melting cheese made from cows milk.
Aside from being a gastronomical delight, Manchego is a wonderful example of why there is no simple issue in the food business, particularly in those areas where it as much a craft as an industry.