Mahón-Menorca Cheese vs Manchego Cheese
In this article, we’ll explore the answers to the most common questions about Mahón-Menorca Cheese and Manchego Cheese, including:
- "What is the difference between Mahón-Menorca Cheese and Manchego Cheese?"
- "Is Mahón-Menorca Cheese and Manchego Cheese the same?"
- "How does Mahón-Menorca Cheese compare to Manchego Cheese cheese?"
- "How does the taste of Mahón-Menorca Cheese compare to Manchego Cheese?"
- "Is Mahón-Menorca Cheese or Manchego Cheese better?"
Mahón-Menorca Cheese Overview
Mahón-Menorca is a cow's milk cheese from the island of Menorca in the Balearic Islands. It has a square shape with rounded edges and is known for its orange rind and soft to hard texture depending on age. The flavor is slightly salty and tangy, with buttery notes in younger cheeses and a sharper taste in older ones.
Manchego Cheese Overview
Manchego is a PDO-protected cheese made in the La Mancha region of Spain, exclusively from the milk of Manchega sheep. It has a firm and compact consistency and a buttery texture, with a distinctive flavor that is well-developed and tangy, often with a slight piquancy in older cheeses. Manchego is aged for a minimum of two months and up to two years, developing a deeper flavor and harder texture with time.
Comparing the Two Cheeses
Ranking
Mahón-Menorca is ranked #210 out of 376 types.
Manchego is ranked #44 out of 376 types.
Country of Origin
Mahón-Menorca Cheese comes from Spain. Manchego Cheese originated from Spain.
Certification
Many cheeses have some kind of protected status that makes it so they can only be produced in a certain manner and location. Mahón-Menorca Cheese has a PDO (1985). Manchego Cheese has a PDO (1984).
Milk Type and Treatment
Mahón-Menorca Cheese is made with cow or sheep milk that is typically raw. Manchego Cheese is made with sheep milk that is typically raw or pasteurized.
Composition and Texture
Mahón-Menorca's texture can be described as "firm". Manchego's texture can be described as "compact".
Flavor and Aroma
Mahón-Menorca Cheese has a salty and spicy flavor. Mahón-Menorca's aroma can be described as "lactic, buttery". Manchego Cheese has a slightly acidic flavor.
Appearance and Aging
Mahón-Menorca Cheese's appearance is colored ivory-yellow to orangey or brownish gray , is available in parallelepiped shape and is aged tender: 21-60 days, semi-cured: 2-5 months, vintage: >5 months . Manchego Cheese has a color of white to yellowish ivory , comes in cylindrical with flat faces and has an aging period of fresco (2 weeks), semi-curado (3 weeks to 4 months), curado (3-6 months), viejo or anejo (1 year) .
Rind and Rennet Type
Mahón-Menorca Cheese's rind is described as characteristic orangish and uses vegetable (cynara cardunculus) rennet. Manchego Cheese's rind is described as pleita and flor imprints , with animal rennet.
Side-by-Side Comparison Table
Mahón-Menorca Cheese | Manchego Cheese | |
---|---|---|
Country of Origin | Spain | Spain |
Specific Origin | Menorca, Balearic Islands | La Mancha region |
Certification | PDO (1985) | PDO (1984) |
Milk Type | Friesian, Menorcan, Brown Alpine cow’s milk, some ewe’s milk (max 5%) | Manchega ewe's milk |
Milk Treatment | Raw or any authorized preservation technology | Raw or pasteurized |
Rind | Characteristic orangish | Pleita and flor imprints |
Texture | Firm | Compact |
Flavor | Salty and spicy | Slightly acidic |
Aroma | Lactic, buttery | |
Colors | Ivory-yellow to orangey or brownish gray | White to yellowish ivory |
Forms | Parallelepiped shape | Cylindrical with flat faces |
Age | Tender: 21-60 days, Semi-cured: 2-5 months, Vintage: >5 months | Fresco (2 weeks), Semi-curado (3 weeks to 4 months), Curado (3-6 months), Viejo or Anejo (1 year) |
Rennet Type | Vegetable (Cynara cardunculus) | Animal rennet |