Ardrahan Farmhouse Cheese
{{Short description|Two varieties of cheese made in Ireland}}
{{Infobox Cheese
| name = Ardrahan Farmhouse Cheese
| image = 200px
| othernames =
| country = Ireland
| regiontown =
| region = County Cork
| town = Kanturk
| source = Cows
| pasteurised = Yes
| texture =
| fat = 25%
| protein =
| dimensions =
| weight = 400g and {{convert|1.5|kg|abbr=on}} wheel
| aging = Four to eight weeks
| certification =
}}
Ardrahan Farmhouse Cheese creates two varieties of cheese. They originate from Ardrahan Farmhouse, Kanturk, County Cork in Ireland. The two varieties are Ardrahan and Duhallow. Eugene and Mary Burns first made Ardrahan cheese on their farm in County Cork in 1983 using traditional techniques.[http://www.bordbia.ie/marketplace-buyers/fresh/dairy/pages/ardrahancheese.aspx Bord Bia Description] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100829083751/http://www.bordbia.ie/marketplace-buyers/fresh/dairy/pages/ardrahancheese.aspx |date=August 29, 2010 }} Both varieties are made entirely from the milk of the Burnses' cow herd, which is composed of Friesian cows.{{cite book|author1=Glynn Anderson|author2=John McLaughlin|title=Farmhouse Cheeses of Ireland: A Celebration|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=7o6JZwEACAAJ|accessdate=13 November 2011|date=August 2011|publisher=The Collins Press|isbn=978-1-84889-121-0|page=57}}
Description
Ardrahan is a semi-soft vegetarian cheese made from pasteurised cow's milk and vegetarian rennet. It has a 25% fat content. It is made into wheels of 400g and 1.5 kg with a ridged brine-washed rind encrusted with moulds. A smoked version is also available.
Ardrahan cheese has an earthy, farmhouse taste and aroma, and also a zesty tang that enhances the rich buttery and meaty flavour. It has a smooth texture, a deep yellow interior and an edible, full-bodied rind. Ardrahan's interior is firm and slightly chalky. It matures in four to eight weeks.[http://www.irishcheese.ie/members/ardrahan.html CAIS - The Irish Farmhouse Cheesemakers Association] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100620214339/http://www.irishcheese.ie/members/ardrahan.html |date=June 20, 2010 }}
History
Awards
In 1994, Ardrahan won the Irish Food Writers Guild annual Good Food award.[http://www.irishfoodwritersguild.ie/awards/previous_winners.php Irish Food Writers Guild previous winners] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110721124729/http://www.irishfoodwritersguild.ie/awards/previous_winners.php |date=July 21, 2011 }} Since then, Ardrahan has won many more awards, including multiple medals from the British Cheese Awards and the World Cheese Awards.