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Disclaimer: The map was created by Matthew O’Callaghan with the utmost attention to detail but we cannot guarantee that changes etc are/will be included.
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Irish Farmhouse Cheese – Shop Online
Can’t find your favourite cheese in the shop? Here is a list of places where you can buy Irish Farmhouse Cheese online and have it delivered to your home. Cheese is available from cheesemakers directly for your favourite cheese (first list). If you like to treat yourself with different cheeses, we recommend to check out online outlets (second list). Please note that the links will take you to the members/outlet websites as CAIS doesn’t operate an online shop. If we have missed a shop, online outlet etc, please let us know by leaving a comment or emailing us the details to caisfarmhousecheese@gmail.com
Members that have their own shop:
- Bo Rua Farmhouse Cheese, Co. Cork
- Carrigaline Cheese, Co. Cork
- Carlow Farmhouse Cheese, Co. Carlow
- Cashel Farmhouse Cheese, Co. Tipperary
- Coolattin Cheddar, Co. Carlow
- Corleggy Cheese, Co. Cavan
- Dozio Cheese, Co. Mayo
- Durrus Cheese, Co. Cork (send message via Facebook or Twitter)
- Galway Goat Farm, Co. Galway
- Hegarty’s Cheese, Co. Cork
- Knockdrinna, Co. Kilkenny
- Knockanore, Co. Waterford
- Milleens, Co. Cork
- Old MacDonell’s Farm (via Soul Bia), Nationwide
- St Tola Goats Cheese, Co. Clare
- Toons Bridge Dairy, Co. Cork
- Velvet Cloud, Co. Mayo
- Vincenzo’s Little Dairy, Co. Cork & Co. Carlow
Other Irish Online Outlets:
- Sheridans Cheesemongers,
- Pallas Foods
- Supervalu
- Tesco
- Ardkeen Stores
- Neighbour Food Outlets Nationwide
- Avoca
Cheesemongers still open (may not be online):
- The Courtyard Dairy (UK)
- Mike’s Fancy Cheese (Nothern Ireland)
- Pong (UK)
- Neal’s Yard Dairy (UK)
- The Fine Cheese Co. (UK)
- Androuet (FR)
- Smelly Cheese (AUS)
- Murray’s (USA)
- Fermier (JPN)
- Indie Fude (Northern Ireland)
Irish Cheese Awards 2019
The winners of the 2019 Irish Cheese Awards were announced at the Black Tie Gala Dinner in The Metropole Hotel. Helen Carroll acted as MC and had the event running smoothly with speeches by CAIS Chairman Louis Grubb and Dan MacSweeney, Chairman of Bord Bia, who have been supporters of CAIS since its early days. We also like to thank Pallas Foods, Horgans and Traditional Cheese for their continued support over the years. Ornua Ireland joined the esteemed list of supporters and sponsored the judging event that took place in Bord Bia HQ in Dublin on 9th October. A list of all winners can be found here. Congratulations to Marion Roeleveld of Killeen Farmhouse Cheese for taking Supreme Champion for her 5 Month Mature Goat Cheese for Simply Better by Dunnes Stores.
Smoked Haddock & Mature Coolea Pot with Dippy Soldier
Ali Honour of Ali’s Kitchen in Cork is a great champion of Irish produce and particular Irish Farmhouse Cheeses. When asked if she would like to write a recipe for CAIS using cheese, we had the choice between Mature Ballinrostig or Mature Coolea. As we had already featured a recipe with Ballinrostig, the choice using Coolea was an easy one. Here she pairs the cheese with smoked haddock, saying the cheese is bold enough to stand up to the smoked fish.
You will need:
- Butter 50g
- 200g Skinless smoked haddock, cut into little chunks
- 4 tsp dry white wine
- 75g Peas/spinach or both
- 100g diced cooked potato
- 80g Coolea Mature, grated
- 200ml double cream
- 2 tsp Dijon mustard
- Pepper & Salt to taste
- 4 medium eggs
- small bunch chives, chopped
- sourdough toast (2 slices per person)
Method:
Heat the oven to 180 fan 160 c or gas 5.
Butter 4 small ovenproof dishes and put them in a small roasting tin. Divide the haddock, potato, peas/spinach & chives between the dishes.
Beat the cream, wine & mustard, lots of pepper and a little salt. Break an egg into each dish and pour over the cream mixture until all the yolks are just covered. Add another small knob of butter & sprinkle the cheese over each pot.
Pour hot water from a kettle into the roasting tin so it comes 2cm up the sides of the ramekins. Carefully place in the oven and bake for around 20-25 minutes or until the eggs are just set.
Have the toasted sourdough at the ready and dip away!
Rolled Sole with Ardsallagh Soft Goats Cheese & Pistachio wrapped in Prosciutto
We don’t cook fish often enough as a recent study showed as most people don’t trust themselves to transform the fish into a delicious meal. Andy Plaster, aka The Grumpy Cork Chef, is here to help with these tasty Sole rolls stuffed with superb Ardsallagh Goats Cheese and pistachios and then wrapped snugly in Prosciutto.
Rolled Sole with Ardsallagh soft goats cheese and pistachio wrapped in Prosciutto
Ingredients:
- 100g Pistachio nuts
- 165g tub of Ardsallagh Soft goats cheese
- 6 fresh sole fillets
- 6 slices of Prosciutto or Parma ham
- Asparagus
- 1 Lemon
Method:
Shell the pistachio nuts and soak in a small amount of boiling water for 30 minutes. This will soften the nuts and remove any remaining husk.
Allow the nuts to cool and then crush lightly.
Once cooled, mix the nuts into the soft goats cheese
At this stage preheat oven to 200 degrees C and lightly oil a baking dish.
Remove the skin from the sole and put the fillets skin removed side up onto a board. Season with salt and spread the goats cheese and pistachio mix onto the fillets. Roll the fillets and wrap each one in the Prosciutto, this should hold the Sole together. Place the fillets into the baking dish.
Place into the over for 15 to 20 minutes until the fish is cooked and the cheese heated through. You may need to quickly finish under a grill depending on the oven.
Quickly make a light white sauce (or shop bought) and grate a small amount of lemon zest into it.
Plate the dish and serve with fresh steamed asparagus, simply boiled potatoes and a drizzle of the lemon white sauce.
BALLINROSTIG ORGANIC CHEESE & ROASTED CAULIFLOWER CROQUETTES
Cheese can be so much more than just part of a cheese board as Kevin Aherne of Sage Restaurant in Midleton proves. Kevin is working closely with local producers, creating his 12-Mile menu exclusively with produce sourced within 12 miles of his restaurant. Ballinrostig Organic cheese happens to be one of these producers. Over the last number of years, Stephen Bender and his wife Michele Cashman have grown the business to great acclaim. In this recipe, Kevin is using their Ballinrostig Organic Cheddar to create these delicious Cauliflower Croquettes. They are best served with Kevin’s Tomato Sauce. We like to thank Kevin for this recipe. Sage Restaurant is located at The Courtyard (main street) in Midleton. For reservations, please call 021-4639682, email info@sagerestaurant.ie.
BALLINROSTIG ORGANIC CHEESE & Roasted CAULIFLOWER CROQUETTES
You will need
- 200g dry mash potato -Preferably baked & removed from the skin
- 100g roasted cauliflower (Brush with butter, roast whole for 45 minutes gas 7, 210C)
- 100 g Ballinrostig grated cheddar
- 5 g tarragon, chopped
- 5 g parsley, chopped
- Sage leaves (Fried in oil for 30 seconds)
- 2 tbsp strong mustard
- Salt & black pepper
Once the cauliflower has been roasted leave to cool. Break up with a potato masher until fine. Add all remaining ingredients together. Mixing thoroughly. Season with salt and pepper to taste at the end. Shape the mixture into round balls 30g per croquette. Flour, egg & breadcrumb b the croquettes. Deep fry for 1 minute & serve with some crisp Sage . I love serving these with a classic Provencal sauce see recipe below if you fancy giving it a go
(Kevs tomato sauce )
- 1 white onion (small dice)
- 900g tinned tomatoes
- 300 ml white wine
- 6 cloves garlic
- 150 g black olives (small dice)
- 1 red chilli ( small dice, deseeded)
- 50 g capers
- 150g parsley, thyme, basil
- 50g caster sugar
- 1 tbsp salt
Sweat the onions & the garlic (do not colour). Add the wine, olives & capers. Reduce by ¼. Add the tomatoes, salt & sugar & chilli and simmer for 20 minutes. Add herbs simmer for 10 minutes.
Irish Cheese Awards 2017
Our biennial awards ceremony took place in Ballymaloe Grainstore on Thursday, 2nd November 2017. The gala dinner was was a sold out affair and the atmosphere in the room was relaxed and amused as our MC, Ross Golden-Bannon, announced the winners (with a few hiccups)of this year’s Irish Cheese Awards. 160 cheeses were entered with 17 new cheeses – proof that the Irish artisan cheese industry is thriving. This year’s Lifetime Achievement Award went to Jane & Louis Grubb of Cashel Blue Farmhouse Cheese – a worthy winner of a family business that has grown naturally and includes now the second generation (and hopefully soon, the third generation. Louis Grubb is also acting chairman of CAIS and has contributed not only his expertise but also his passion and love for the industry. When Jane & Louis received their award on stage, they were greeted by standing ovations – a true sign of the love and respect they both have in the industry.
We extend a warm thank you and gratitude to our sponsors – we would not have been able to celebrate the awards if not for the support of Bord Bia, Pallas Foods, Horgan’s Delicatessen, Traditional Cheese, Sheridan’s Cheesemongers and Gleneely Foods. Over the years, these companies have supported and promoted Irish cheesemakers here at home and abroad.
Congratulations to all winners of the 2017 Irish Cheese Awards:
Supreme Champion
‘Mount Leinster Clothbound’ Coolattin Cheddar made by Tom Burgess
Reserve Champions
Best Cow’s Milk Cheese
‘Mount Leinster Clothbound’ Coolattin Cheddar made by Tom Burgess
Best Goat’s Milk Cheese
St. Tola Ash Log made by Inagh Farmhouse Cheese
Best Other Milk Cheese
Cashel Crozier Blue made by Cashel Farmhouse Cheesemakers
Best in Retailer Class
Aldi Specially Selected Tipperary Blue entered by Aldi Stores Ireland Ltd
Class Winners
No winners in Class 1 & Class 2
Class 3 – Soft, Fresh Cheese, All Milks
No Gold & Silver
Bronze & Best in Class – Bluebell Falls Original
Class 4 – Soft, Fresh Cheese, Flavour Added, All Milks
Best in Class – Ardsallagh Cranberry Roulade
Class 5 – White Rind Cheese, All Milks
Gold & Best in Class – St Tola Ash Log
Silver – St Tola Aged Log
Class 6 – Wahsed Rind Cheese, All Milks
Gold & Best in Class – Gubbeen
Gold – Durrus
Bronze – Milleens Dote
Class 7 – Blue Cheese, All Milks
Gold & Best in Class – Crozier Blue
Silver – Cashel Blue
Silver – Boyne Valley Blue
Class 8 – Pressed Cheese, Up to 3 Months, All Milks
Gold & Best in Class – Boyne Valley Bán
Silver – Killeen Goat
Bronze – Cáis na Tíre Gouda Young
Class 9 – Pressed Cheese, Aged 3 Months +, All Milks
Gold & Best in Class – Coolatting Mount Leinster Clothbound
Silver – Derg Cheddar
Silver – Sheridans Cheesemongers 15 Fields
Bronze – Mature Coolattin
Bronze – Coolea Matured
Class 10 – Pressed Cheese, Flavour Added, All Milks
Silver & Best in Class – Burren Gold Piri Piri
Bronze – Coolea Cumin
Class 11 – Smoked Cheese, All Milks
Silver & Best in Class – Smoked Durrus
Silver – Burren Gold Smoked
Silver – Milleens Smoked Céad
Bronze – Extra Mature Smoked Gubbeen
Class 12 – Best New Cheese in last 24 months, All Milks
Gold & Best in Class – Ardsallagh Corabbey-Romano
Gold – Organic Cashel Blue
Silver – Boyne Valley Bán
Bronze – Bó Rua Farm Cheddar
Class 13 – Retailer’s Class Creamery
Bronze & Best in Class – Horgan’s 1921 Vintage Cheddar
Class 14 – Retailer’s Class Fresh Washed Rind, White Rind & Blue Cheeses
Gold & Best in Class – Dunnes Stores Basil Pesto Irish Cream Cheese
Gold – Aldi Specially Selected Tipperary Blue
Silver – Dunnes Stores Milleens
Silver – Tesco St Tola Original
Silver – SuperValu Cashel Blue
Bronze – Dunnes Stores Wicklow Blue
Bronze – SuperValu Colleeney
Bronze – SuperValu Gubbeen
Class 15 – Retailer’s Class Pressed & Smoked Cheeses
Bronze & Best in Class – Tesco Cheddar with Walnut
Irish Organic Awards 2016
The closing date for the National Organic Awards 2016 is this Friday, 9th September 2016.
The awards are free to enter and include seven categories:
1. Best Fresh Product
2. Best Prepared Product
3. Best New Product
4. Export Award
5. Innovation Award
6. Direct Selling Award
7. Chefs’ Choice Award – New for 2016!
Entries will be accepted until 5pm on Friday 9th September 2016 For more information and to access the application form, please go to www.bordbia.ie/organicawards2016
WHY YOU SHOULD ENTER!
- Tailored branding project worth €30,000 for award winners (in late 2016/early 2017)
- All shortlisted companies in each category will be promoted by Bord Bia in print, broadcast and online media
- Awards helpful in securing new trade listings and ongoing media attention
- On-pack promotion opportunity for award-winners
Download the National Organic Awards application form.
FACEnetwork’s VIDEO CONTEST 2016
Have you recently started farmhouse cheesemaking? Are you a passionate dairy start-up? Would you like to win a 3-day professional cheesemaking course at the School of Artisan Food near Nottingham? Well then this is for you!
This competition, run by FACE Network, aims to highlight the current reality and diversity of the traditional dairy sector of Europe, through the eyes of people who are recent entrants to the sector. It is open to any cheese and dairy producer/worker in the first 5 years of activity aged 18 years or older.
Full details are available on http://www.face-network.eu/news/details/5968
The competition began on May 15th and will end on September 15th, 2016.
Videos must be submitted by September 15th at the latest and only one video may be accepted per person. Best of luck to all!!
New Postgraduate Certificate in Dairy Technology & Innovation
University College Cork (UCC), in association with Teagasc, has developed a part-time, blended-learning Postgraduate Certificate in Dairy Technology and Innovation. This level 9 qualification is part-time and is tailored to dairy industry needs and delivered online and by block-release to suit the seasonal nature of the dairy industry. The programme runs from September – December and January-March.
CAIS 