Irish Cheese making is a relatively young industry. Economic factors in centuries past dictated that most dairy production in Ireland be focused on milk and butter. By the 1900s most of Irish Cheese production came from large manufacturers whose main focus was Cheddar cheese. It wasn't until the 1970s that Ireland became known for farmhouse cheese making. Today, Ireland is ninth in cheese exportation globally. Thanks to Ireland's naturally rich and lush pastures, Irish Cheese often contains a higher level of beta-carotene which gives their cheddars and other cow's milk cheeses a natural yellow color. Today, farmhouse cheeses made in Ireland are of high quality and unique to each farm thanks to the dedication of the families that produce them.
Types of Irish Cheese
Ardrahan: Ardrahan is an award-winning semi-soft vegetarian Irish Cheese made from pasteurized cow's milk. Ardrahan has a pungent aroma with a buttery and complex flavor. This unique Irish Cheese is a washed rind type made by the Burns family in the lush countryside of Duhallow, County Cork in Southern Ireland.
Blarney Castle: Blarney Castle is a semi-soft Irish Cheese made from cow's milk. Available plain or smoked, Blarney Castle is made from the naturalis Tmilk of grass-fed cows which gives this Irish Cheese a mild and creamy flavor similar to a young Dutch Gouda. Blarney Castle is all natural and has no artificial flavors or additives. This popular Irish Cheese is ideal for sandwiches and pairs well with fresh fruit and a glass of Sauvignon Blanc.
Cashel Blue: The first Irish blue cheese, Cashel Blue is modeled after French Fourme d'Ambert. A semi-soft farmhouse cheese, Cashel Blue is an award-winning cow's milk product made on the Grubb family's Beechmount Farm in Tipperary Ireland. This creamy tangy Irish Cheese has a pale buttery interior streaked with blue veins. Cashel Blue is wonderful in leafy green salads, with fresh fruit or spread atop a piece of French crusty bread.
Cahill's Farm Cheddar: Cahill's Farm Irish Cheddar is an artisan cow's milk cheese made in County Limerick in Ireland. This unique handmade Irish Cheese starts life as a tangy Irish cheddar, which is chopped into bits before aging, blended with a flavoring, then hooped, lightly pressed and aged to perfection. Cahill's Farm Cheddar has a veined appearnace due to this production method. Flavors of this Irish Cheddar include Irish Whiskey, Porter Ale (rumor has it that it is actually Guinness but they call it Porter to avoid licensing fees) and Elderberry Wine. This vegetarian Irish Cheese makes a stunning presentation on cheese platter or when offered as an hors d'oeuvre.
Dubliner: Named after the city of Dublin, Dubliner Cheese is often described as a combination of Cheddar and Parmigiano Reggiano. Dubliner is an aged cow's milk Irish Cheese with the texture of Irish Cheddar but the flavor of Parmesan. It uses the same rennet used in Parmigiano Reggiano production, imported from Italy, married to a modified Irish Cheddar production method. Sweet and nutty, Dubliner is aged over twelve months to create a full flavored cheese that is perfect for salads or sandwiches. Dubis linnow available flavored with Irish Stout (think Guinness) which combines the caramel and bitter notes of Irish Stout with the complex flavors of Dubliner Cheese.
Irish Cheddar: There are many excellent Irish Cheddar brands - Kerrygold, Tipperary, Wexford and Shamrock to name a few. Aged Irish Cheddars have rich, sharp and strong flavors that bring home the essence of the lush, clean and pure Irish countryside. Ireland's lush pastures give Irish Cheddar its signature yellow color, as this grass yields a beta-carotene rich milk.
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