USA: Spanish Cheese Alert!!

Hi All-

I just went to the brand new Trader Joe's http://www.traderjoes.com grocery store near me, and found IBERICO cheese and MANCHEGO cheese!! If anyone has a Trader Joe's near them, it's worth it to check it out! (I couldn't find any jamon serrano, but I'll look further next time!)

Suerte en su busqueda!!

-GranadaGirl

Just to add to GG´s post --

For those of you in the Philadelphia area... I have found that the Acme Markets carry Manchego cheese in its gourmet/imported cheese section. For those diehards that really want to make the trip DiBruno´s House of Cheese in the Italian Market in South Philadelphia carries Manchego cheese (more expensive than the Acme) Chorizo and Serrano Ham. They also do national deliveries...and do great e-commerce.

(MM they could be a potential sponsor for you).

check them out!

I have mentioned elsewhere (but where?) that the Whole Foods Market chain carries manchego and membrillo...as do many upscale markets here in the Twin Cities. I think manchego is getting a foothold in American stores...finally!!

Being an afficiando of Trader Joe's - I can vouch for GG's recommendation - both the Manchego and the Iberico are good and very reasonably priced. Know I have already posted about Trader Joe's white asperagus (in glass jars) - but if you go for either the Manchego or the Iberico - give the white asperagus a try as well.

While doing the grocery shopping this weekend I saw MANCHEGO in the cheese section of my local Metro supermarket. You could have knocked me over with a feather -- I've been going to Trader Joe's or the expensive wine & cheese shop. For those who don't have a local Metro, think Superfresh, Acme, Kohl's, WinnDixie or Publix. Not a very "super"market at all. As a matter of fact, the selection of regular lunch meats and food in general is not that broad, so the appearance of manchego is amazing!

jmc

So, maybe i'm just a novice on cheese, but I have a question.

What is the cheese that you get in most places on a sandwich in Spain?
When I order a sandwich mixto plato in Spain, the cheese is the best part.

Is this manchego? Is it something else? Where can I get it?

Hi Granadagirl, I guess you meant Iberico ham instead of cheese as I never heard before about any iberico cheese.
About the sandwich cheese it's often sold in square bars in supermarkets as cheese for sandwiches and there are different brands, normally multinationals like Kraft, Parmalat...

Yes, there is definitely a cheese named "Iberico", you can buy it in wheels just like the Manchego, and it is very good, perhaps not as sharp as some of the Manchegos can be, We brought along a 12# wheel home with us and wish we'd brought more. For many many more Spanish cheeses, I can recommend "igourmet" company online---an extensive selection, and all the orders I placed with them were delivered promptly, and the cheese was wonderful.
Kitt

I'm off to Trader Joe's...They'd better have plenty!!!

Also, don't be fooled by taravb's post. There are no upscale supermarkets in the Twin Cities... :p :p :p

Actually, I'll bet Byerly's or even a Kowalski's would have something...but not Cub or Rainbow!

Cali, Kowalski's just bought a whole slew of SuperValu stores--they converted the one near our house last week. The cheeses (and everything else) are fabulous!!!!!!

So don't pick on my grocery stores!!

Calibasco, fyi- Ralphs (the bigger ones with a deli section) also carries Manchego but it's more expensive than Trader Joe's. I'm sure you already know but Traders also has some good wines at reasonable prices (compared to other places). One more thing, if anyone out there is looking for a "Casera" fix, there's an Italian deli on Lincoln in Santa Monica (across from Vons) that carries an Italian version of Casera. It's in the glass bottles with the wire stopper.

Hey, I used to bag groceries for Kowalski's in high school...I would never "bag" on them!!! (of course that was when they resembled a warehouse...now they look like a destination, complete with reading room and fireplace at the White Bear Lake location!)

So I bought the Iberico and used it for cheese and crackers at Easter, and now my family is hooked on it!!

I'm able to find a very Fanta Limon-like soda at an Italian deli here in my own town. It's San Pellegrino lemon soda in little green glass bottles. That's a fairly popular brand, so I'm sure others can find it where you are too!!

Mmm...que hambre tengo!!

Trader Joe's also has the tetilla cheese (popular in Galicia). It's yummy!

OH, MAN!! We don't have a Trader Joe\'s here in Columbus, Ohio, USA!!

UPDATE: HEY!! WE DO HAVE A TRADER JOE'S HERE IN COLUMBUS!!! (suburb) Woo Hoo! I'm THERE!!!

Just found no fewer than FOUR Spanish cheeses at Costco here in Tucson. Manchego plus 3 others. Needless to say I bought the other 3 (Manchego from T. Joe's was already in my fridge.) Can't tell you the names. I was so excited, I opened them all and rewrapped them so they would keep. Who was I kidding. They are gone!!

Jana, I was going to post about this today!!! My Costco, in San Diego, also has the 4 cheeses. They are queso manchego, queso ibérico, idiázabal, and mahon.
I am in heaven right now!!!1

Thank God for Trader Joe's and Costco!

This isn't about cheese directly...but guess what I am eating this very second? FABULOUS butter from Asturias! (Not all by itself...though it's good enough for that!)

I found it at our Whole Foods market (in the fancy cheese section)--it's Imperial Mantequilla Asturiana, made by Mantequera de Tineo SA. It's unsalted and so yummy on good bread!

Oh Tara I'm so jealous!!! I bet it's good, too!! I guess that's the next thing I'll have to look for at Trader Joes'...they seem to be our only hope here!! I'll have to check Cosco for those other cheeses too...how did I miss all those postings since May?! I may have missed a whole month of Spanish cheese enjoyment!!!

I was at Cafe Iberico last night, one of the tapas places in Chicago, and discovered that they actually sell Manchego and Iberico....

Wyndy