To celebrate St. Patrick's Day on Friday 17th March 2017, Charlie Lavender, manager of Paxton's Bath shop, has selected the Irish cheese Gubbeen to enjoy (Pasteurised cows' milk, traditional rennet).
Gubbeen is a semi-hard, washed rind cheese made from a mixture of pasteurised Friesian and Jersey cows' milk to produce a supple cheese with a lingering flavour of herbs and burnt caramel.
The cheese is made by the Ferguson family at Gubbeen House on the cost of Schull, West Cork, Ireland. They have been making the cheese since 1979 and use a traditional cheesemaking process. Over a three week period the cheese is cured by daily washing and turning which encourages the growth of surface bacteria, giving the cheese its characteristic pale, pinky-brown crust.
It has a slightly sweet and soft lingering flavour that grows after the initial taste. It's not too strong and tastes of fresh milk with a springy texture in its body. With its mellow flavour and slight edge it could almost be described as an Irish Reblochon.
According to the cheesemakers, the cheese is best in the spring when the herds first go out to grass again and the cheese takes on a creamier, softer texture.
Gubbeen was awarded a Gold Medal at the 2016 British Cheese Awards.
Charlie says "This is such a delicious cheese and I love to enjoy it with some of our Caramelised Onion Chutney and some Original Oaties. Alternatively, if you want to really push the boat out to celebrate St. Patrick's Day you could order our Taste of Ireland cut cheese collection that includes Gubbeen, Cashel Blue, Gortnamona, Mossfield and Cooleeney."