Ossau-Iraty 
Loved by 3 people from the United States.
Ossau-Iraty is a sheep's milk cheese from the Northern Basque Country and Béarn in south-western France. Uncooked and pressed, it is smooth, creamy and firm, and has held appellation d'origine contrôlée status since 1980.
Pierre-Yves Beaudouin, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Key Facts
| Country of Origin | France |
| Specific Origin | Béarn and Basque Country (Pyrénées-Atlantiques), and three communes in Hautes Pyrénées |
| Protection | AOC (1980), PDO (1996) |
| Milk Type | Sheep's milk |
| Milk Treatment | Raw |
| Fat Content | Minimum 50% FDM |
| Moisture Content | 58% minimum |
| Rind | Natural, smooth, orange to gray |
| Texture | Homogeneous, uncooked, pressed |
| Flavor | Fruity, herbaceous, nutty |
| Aroma | Rich |
| Colors | Cream-colored |
| Forms | Cylindrical, small (4–7 lbs), large (8–11 lbs) |
| Age | Minimum 80-120 days |
| Also Known As | Ossau-Iraty AOP, Ossau Iraty Fermier |
What is Ossau-Iraty Cheese?
Ossau-Iraty is a Basque cheese made from sheep's milk, produced in south-western France in the Northern Basque Country and in Béarn. The name comes from two places: the Ossau Valley in Béarn and the Irati Forest in the Basque Country. It is also known as Esquirrou.
The cheese is of ancient origin and was traditionally made by shepherds in the region. It has been recognized as an appellation d'origine contrôlée product since 1980, one of only three sheep's milk cheeses in France with that status. The other two are Roquefort and Brocciu.
Production follows old methods. The sheep still graze mountain pastures, and the milk must come from the Basco-Béarnaise, Red-face Manech or Black-face Manech breeds. The curd is not cooked; the cheese is made by pressing. When it is sold as a farm cheese, called fromage fermier, fromage de ferme or produit fermier, AOC rules require raw, unpasteurized milk.
The official description gives a crust that runs yellow-orange to gray. The body ranges from white to cream depending on how the cheese was matured, and it is smooth, creamy and firm, sometimes with small eyes.
Output has stayed modest. In 2003 the appellation produced 3,067 tonnes across 60 producers, and 1998 figures list 8 manufacturers, counting private industries and cooperatives, supplied by 2,045 milk producers.
How Does Ossau-Iraty Cheese Compare?
The most relevant cheeses to compare Ossau-Iraty against.
