What kind of cheese is Ossau Iraty?
A cherished ancient Pyrenees sheep’s milk cheese. Said to be one of the first cheeses ever made, Ossau-Iraty is a beloved gem with a rich history. Once upon a time, or so the story goes, the Greek God Apollo had a son named Aristee, a shepherd, who turned the milk from his herd of sheep into this delicious cheese.
Is Ossau Iraty a hard cheese?
Ossau Iraty is a semi hard sheep’s milk cheese made in the South-West of France in Basque Country. This incredible cheese was made an AOP in 1980 to protect the manufacturing process and ensuring that the cheese be made with only two breeds of ewes, Manech and Basco-Béarnaise.
How is Ossau-Iraty cheese made?
The unctuous sheep’s milk curds are warmed before being pressed into wheels–its resulting texture makes it a superb melter, and its pious origins (often made in by monks in the western Pyrenees) ensure the high quality of the entire cheesemaking process. Ossau stands as one of the most pairable cheeses around.
How do you eat Ossau-Iraty cheese?
When serving, Ossau-Iraty cheese goes well with fruits, such as apples or pears, with cured meats such as dry sausages and prosciutto, or with fresh vegetables and olives. Robust red wines such as a hearty Bordeaux or a red Rhône are good wines to serve with this type of cheese.
How do you eat Ossau Iraty cheese?
Is the wax coating on cheese edible?
FAQs: Cheese Rinds In a word: yes. Cheese rinds are food safe and edible. However, only some are meant to be eaten. You should feel free to enjoy flavored rinds, washed rinds, and bloomy rinds as part of your cheese eating experience.
Is Ossau-Iraty a cooked cheese?
A French cheese made from raw (unpasteurized) sheep’s milk, considered pure sheep’s milk from Manech or Basco-Béarnaise ewes that are raised along the Pyrénées mountain range in the Basque region of France.
What happens if I eat cheese wax?
Yes, the rind is generally safe to eat Unless there is wax, cheesecloth or paper on the rind, Bivins says you don’t need to worry about getting sick if you take a big bite out of the rind of your cheese, which Food & Wine has pointed out before. “Just taste a little bit, you’ll be fine.
What is Ossau fermier cheese?
Ossau Fermier. Ossau-Iraty is a traditional, unpasteurised from the picturesque mountains of Pyrenees that hold a fertile grazing land for the milk-giving ewes. This cheese unites two regions of France in the Western Pyrénées: Ossau in the valley of the Bearn and Iraty in the beech forests of the Pays Basque.
Where is Ossau-Iraty cheese made?
Ossau-Iraty is produced in two regions in the southwest of France along the Spanish border—in the Northern Basque Country’s Irati beech forest and in Bearn’s neighboring Ossau Valley. The two places lie in the green rolling foothills of the Western Pyrenees, and they’re the namesake for the cheese.
What does Ossau Iraty cheese taste like?
An uncooked and pressed cheese, Ossau-Iraty is semi-hard in texture with a thick, buff rind marked with rust and grey moulds. Beneath the brown and orange rind is an ivory white, supple and slightly grainy interior that has a creamy and buttery mouth feel.
Where does Ossau come from in France?
Origin. Ossau-Iraty is produced in south-western France, in the Northern Basque Country and in Béarn. Its name reflects its geographical location, the Ossau Valley in Béarn and the Irati Forest in the Basque Country.