La Casota

The beginnings of this tradition date back to the 13th century. The family business that was created around the figure of José Araque Carrascosa, the fifth generation of La Mancha shepherds, based in La Solana. And these shepherds made their own cheese, which served them not only for food but also for business.

At the beginning of the 20th century, La Solana experienced a significant start, and in the first third of this century, the population increased by 60 percent. Yet it retains its traditions, including the production of manchego cheese. This is documented in a city and province guide of 1905, which speaks of "accredited cheese produced from sheep milk". Cheese is next to monuments such as the Gothic Church of Santa Catalina, the Mudejar Church of San Sebastián or the Baroque Dominican Nuns. The population is constantly growing and has 15,250 inhabitants, livestock tradition is maintained thanks to the descendants of the first settlers, who follow the development of cheeses and pass on their experiences from generation to generation.