Cheese - Ossau Iraty

DESCRIPTION

One of the oldest cheeses ever made, this Basque mountain cheese is one of the few AOC sheep's milk cheeses in France.  The local shepherds still take their flock of sheep to the upper mountain pastures each summer to graze.  The rich grass and flowers result in the highest quality milk all of which goes into these wheels of cheese.  With a granular texture and nutty flavor, this cheese represents some of what's best in southwestern France!  To learn more about this cheese click here!

ORIGIN

France

MILK TYPE

Sheep

RAW MILK OR PASTEURIZED?

Raw milk

STORAGE TIPS

Refrigerate preferably in its own drawer close to where most of the produce is kept.  After each time that you slice the cheese, re-wrap it with fresh plastic wrap to extend the shelf life.  While some chefs will freeze a slice of blue and then grate it over a salad before serving, Chef's Mandala doesn't recommend freezing cheeses in general.

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SUBSTITUTES

P'tite Basque 

INGREDIENTS

Pasteurized sheep milk, salt, rennet, calcium chloride, lactic ferment