Ossau Iraty Arriou AOP
Ossau Iraty is a ewe's milk cheese that can be made of raw or pasteurised milk. It hails from the Basque region, which is bordering the south-west of France. Th…
SKU:
$19.80 - $99.00
Ossau Iraty Arriou AOP
$19.80 - $99.00
Description
Ossau Iraty is a ewe's milk cheese that can be made of raw or pasteurised milk. It hails from the Basque region, which is bordering the south-west of France. This semi hard cheese received AOC status in 1980 and PDO status in 1996, which governs the production and where it can be made. Ossau Iraty is exclsively produced in only Béarn and Basque Country (Pyrénées-Atlantiques). If you have not visited this area, it is very beautiful, green and mountainesque and characterised by high humidity, which makes it the perfect climate for lush and varied grass to grow.
To make this semi hard cheese, the producers must exclusively use whole milk from only three local breeds of ewes, Manech black-faced, Manech red-faced and the Basco-Béarnaise, and at most 40-48 hours after the last milking. By using these local breeds, it allows farmers to exploit and maintain the steep, grassy slopes of the region during the summer transhumance. Ossau Iraty must be matured for a minimum of 80 to 120 days depending on the size of the cheese wheels. Something that is quite interesting about this is cheese, that you may not have noticed, is that under each wheel of cheese is a stamp of a ewe's head - Ask to look at it next time you see a full wheel!
Country of origin: France
Region, town: Basque Country
Source of milk: Sheep's Milk
Texture: Semi Hard cheese
Flavour: fruity, herbaceous and nutty
Aging time: minimum 80 days
Serving Suggestion: Why not enjoy this cheese like the locals in Basque Country and pair it with some black cherry jam and baguette.
Wine Pairing: Ossau Iraty is complimented by a full-bodied, fruity red like, Zinfandel, Tempranillo or Syrah or a rich, buttery chardonnay.
*All our cheeses are cut by hand so the weight may vary slightly :)
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