And I've got to try the cheese (I love strong blue cheese, is it similar)...
CathyM, I had this information bookmarked on my computer from my last visit. Hope this helps...
Cabrales This Spanish blue cheese is made from a blend of cow's, sheep's, and goat's milk. That milk comes from animals that graze in high, remote pastures in the Asturian region of Cabrales, located in the Picos de Europa Mountains of northern Spain. The cheese is made by artisans in this area and aged for three to six months in natural limestone caves. Cabrales has a very intense blue flavor, and its veining is very dark and prominent. It is slightly more crumbly in texture than Roquefort. The wheels of cheese are often wrapped in maple, oak, or sycamore leaves before being wrapped in foil and sent to market. For blue cheese lovers, this is definitely one to try.
ManchegoManchego is Spain's most famous cheese. Produced in La Mancha in Central Spain, true Manchego is made from 100% sheep's milk. Cheeses from Spain are commonly made from sheep's milk because most of the territory is rocky and dry, unfriendly to cows but suitable to raising goats and sheep. The abundance of wild herbs on Central Spain's grazing lands gives Manchego a special taste and aroma. Its flavor is zesty and exuberant while its texture is firm and somewhat dry. Manchego can be recognized by the zigzag pattern etched into its rind. This is created by the rippled surface of the press used in the manufacture of the cheese. Underneath the inedible rind, the interior is ivory colored with few small holes. Taste Manchego for the first time and you will be surprised at how long the wonderful flavor lingers on your palate. It is an experience you will be drawn back to again and again.
GarrotxaThis goat's milk cheese was once produced solely in the Garrotxa area of Catalonia. This is the area of Pyrenees region of Spain that is furthest to the East, lying right on the shores of the Mediterranean Sea. Garrotxa has a white interior with a very creamy texture that is surrounded by a natural mold rind. It has an unusual but mild flavor with a light acidity and a hint of hazelnuts. It melts very smoothly, but we like to eat it out of hand. It is sure to become a new Spanish favorite.
IbericoThis is a Manchego-style cheese made from blended cow, goat and sheep's milk. It is made in the same type of mold and, therefore, has the same, hatched pattern imprinted into its rind. One of the most popular in Spain, this hard, oily cheese is mild, yet tasty and aromatic. The blend of milks allows it to have the grassier, herbier flavors of the goat and sheep's milk toned down by the smoothness of cow's milk. It is typically used as a table cheese but is also good for cooking and pairs well with Spanish red wines and Spanish meats, such as Chorizo and Jamon Serrano.
Idiazabal This handmade, unpasteurized sheep's milk cheese comes from the Spanish Pyrenees. Idiazabal is naturally smoked with a hard but edible orange-brown rind. In the old days, Basque shepherds lived in small mountain huts and had no space to store and age their cheeses other than inside their stone chimneys. As it turned out, people enjoyed the smoky flavor that the cheese acquired from aging inside the chimneys, and Idiazabal spread throughout Spain. Today, Idiazabal is produced in more modern facilities, but the process is still all-natural. The cheese is as delicious as ever, and the quality is more consistent. We love its perfumy bouquet and rich, buttery flavor and enthusiastically recommend Idiazabal as one of Spain's greatest cheeses.
Los TornosThis Spanish cheese, like many other Spanish cheeses, is made from a mixture of sheep and goat's milk. These flavorful milks give the cheeses a tangy, nutty flavor that is reflective of the herbs and grasses that the animals eat while grazing the dry Spanish countryside. The cheese is aged to develop a dry, crumbly texture with a slight graininess like Parmigiano Reggiano or Grana Padano. This cheese is perfect for grating but is also nice as a table cheese.
MahonMahon is produced on the Mediterranean island of Menorca in the Balearics. Although it is a small island, Menorca produces enough cheese to make Mahon Spain's second most popular cheese next to Manchego. A 100% cow's milk cheese, Mahon comes in large squares of about 6 pounds. Ripened in underground caves for at least 4 months, Mahon has a bold, magnificent flavor that could never be called mild. The yellowish-orange rind conceals a soft, slightly salty and decidedly spicy interior. This unique cheese is a must try for any cheese lover and an absolute necessity for the true connoisseur.
Queso de CabraCabra, a Spanish goat's milk cheese, was created in the fabled La Mancha region of Spain where Cervantes' Don Quixote rode out upon his quest; and where centuries earlier, Roman armies made an extensive encampment. La Mancha's rich variety of grasses, shrubs and abundant wild herbs give this cheese a taste and aroma that could only come from the Spanish heartland. In the Middle Ages the Arab invaders, dismayed by the dryness of the region, dubbed it "Al Mansha", meaning arid. They never imagined the harsh climate could produce much at all, let alone such an extraordinary cheese. Today, its distinctive lemony-peppery flavor and supple satiny body have earned Cabra a place among Spain's elite cheeses.
Queso de Cabra al VinoLike its cousin Queso de Cabra, this cheese is made from pasteurized goat's milk in La Mancha region of Spain. This region has a rich variety of grasses, shrubs, and wild herbs on which the goat's graze to give the cheese a distinctive taste and aroma. The unique feature of this cheese is that it is washed in red wine during ripening. The wine deeply tints the cheese, giving the rind its characteristic burgundy color and imparting a strong floral bouquet. This cheese is a real gem. It not only has a bold, delicious flavor, it has the intoxicating aroma of a good bottle of wine.
TetillaTradition lies at the heart of such delights as Tetilla Cheese, which is made in the farming and dairy producing land of Galicia. The pride of the land where it was created, the secret of this cow's milk cheese has been passed down from generation to generation. This soft cheese is hand formed into the shape of a woman's nippled breast! In Spain, people revere this cheese and assert that it "tastes like kisses." It has an elastic, creamy texture and a mild, tangy flavor. The public image and presence of Tetilla Cheese makes it one of the most original products of the Galician dairy industry. Tetilla is a D.O. cheese, meaning that its production is controlled by the Spanish Government, a status reserved for only select "Quesos Tradicionales."
TronchonTronchon is a very small village in the southeastern part of Spain's wild and mountainous Teruel province. The town and its surrounding area has an age-old tradition of raising sheep and goats in mixed herds. This tradition led to the creation of Tronchon cheese, which is made from a blend of goat, sheep and cow milk. This uniquely volcano-shaped cheese is beautiful and delicious. With its smooth, buttery, fresh flavor and springy texture, Tronchon is a longtime family favorite in Spain. It goes great with green Spanish olives and a fruity red Rioja.
I'm thinking of staying in one of these towns for 3 or 4 nights (any accomodation recommendations would also be greatly appreciated) and then staying a few nights in Santillana del Mar. Does this sound like a reasonable plan? Are there local buses to get around on from these small towns? Or will I have to get some ass? 
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