Ossau-Iraty is a traditional, unpasteurized, semi-soft cheese from the picturesque mountains of Pyrenees that hold a fertile grazing land for the milk-giving ewes. This cheese unites two regions of France in the Western Pyrénées: Ossau in the valley of the Bearn and Iraty in the beech forests of the Pays Basque. It received an AOC protection in 1980, which requires that the cheese be produced with the milk of only two breeds of ewes - Manech and Basco-Béarnaise.

An uncooked and pressed cheese, Ossau-Iraty is semi-hard in texture with a thick, buff rind marked with rust and gray molds. Beneath the brown and orange rind is an ivory white, supple and slightly grainy interior that has a creamy and buttery mouth feel. Flavors are herbaceous, nutty and fruity if the produce is from winter while the summer cheeses tend to reveal aromas of grass and flowers.

Matured for at least 6 months, Ossau-Iraty often comes in a flat cylindrical shape. There are three main sizes available, small (Petit-Ossau-Iraty-Brebis Pyrenes), intermediate (non-fermier) and large (fermier). It is sometimes dusted with paprika leaves to add a kick of flavor. It tastes delicious with fruity red, full-bodied red or white wines such as Zinfandel, Tempranillo or Syrah.

• Made from sheep's milk
• Country of origin: France
• Region: Bearn & Iraty
• Alternative spellings: Ossau-Iraty, Ossau au Piment d'Espelette
• Type: semi-soft, artisan
• Texture: creamy, firm, grainy and supple
• Rind: natural
• Color: ivory

Tweet

Other French cheeses:

• hard cheeses: Ardi Gasna, Cantal, Crayeux de Roncq, Crottin de Chavignol, Etorki, Fourme de Montbrison, Fromage a Raclette, Laguiole, Lou Palou, Salers, Sancerre, Tomme Brulee
• semi-hard cheeses: Abbaye de Belloc, Abondance, Babybel, Brebis du Lavort, Cantal, Esbareich, Filetta, Fresh Truffles, Matocq, Mimolette (Boule de Lille), Pas de l'Escalette, Petit Pardou, Tomme de Romans, Tourmalet, Trappe (Veritable), Trou du Cru
• semi-soft cheeses: Abbaye de Citeaux, Abbaye du Mont des Cats, Aisy Cendre, Ambert, Ami du Chambertin, Aromes au Gene de Marc, Bleu Des Causses, Brie de Melun, Brillat-Savarin, Brin, ... show all ... , Brin d'Amour, Calenzana, Chabichou du Poitou, Charolais, Dauphin, Fleur du Maquis, Fresh Truffles, Fromage de Montagne de Savoie, Langres, La Vache Qui Rit, Le Brin, Le Fium Orbo, Livarot, Mamirolle, Maroilles, Mont D'or Lyonnais, Morbier, Morbier Cru de Montagne, Murol, Neufchatel, Pave d'Auge, Port-Salut, Reblochon, Rocamadour, Rollot, Roquefort, Sainte Maure, Saint-Nectaire, Saint-Paulin, Sourire Lozerien, Tamie, Tomme de Chevre, Tommes
• soft cheeses: Affidelice au Chablis, Anneau du Vic-Bilh, Baguette Laonnaise, Banon, Bleu de Laqueuille, Bougon, Boule Du Roves, Boursault, Boursin, Bouyssou, ... show all ... , Brebis du Puyfaucon, Bresse Bleu, Brie, Brie au poivre (Brie with pepper), Brie de Meaux, Briquette de Brebis, Briquette du Forez, Brousse du Rove, Buchette d'Anjou, Butte, Cabecou, Cachaille, Camembert, Camembert de Normandie, Caprice des Dieux, Carre de l'Est, Cathelain, Cendre d'Olivet, Chabichou du Poitou, Chabis de Gatine, Chaource, Chevrotin des Aravis, Civray, Coeur de Camembert au Calvados, Coeur de Chevre, Coulommiers, Crottin du Chavignol, Cure Nantais, Delice des Fiouves, Dreux a la Feuille, Epoisses de Bourgogne, Explorateur, Figue, Fin-de-Siecle, Fondant de Brebis, Fontainebleau, Fougerus, Fourme de Haute Loire, Fresh Truffles, Frinault, Fromage Corse, Galette du Paludier, Galette Lyonnaise, Gastanberra, Grand Vatel, Grataron d' Areches, Gratte-Paille, Greuilh, Gris de Lille, Guerbigny, Laruns, La Taupiniere, L'Aveyronnais, L'Ecir de l'Aubrac, Le Lacandou, Lingot Saint Bousquet d'Orb, Lou Pevre, Lyonnais, Macconais, Margotin, Mothais a la Feuille, Munster, Nantais, Niolo, Olivet au Foin, Olivet Bleu, Olivet Cendre, Palet de Babligny, Pate de Fromage, Patefine Fort, Pave de Chirac, Pelardon des Cevennes, Pelardon des Corbieres, Perail de Brebis, Picodon de Chevre, Pithtiviers au Foin, Poivre d'Ane, Pont l'Eveque, Pouligny-Saint-Pierre, Pourly, P'tit Berrichon, Pyramide, Quatre-Vents, Quercy Petit, Regal de la Dombes, Rigotte, Romans Part Dieu, Rouleau De Beaulieu, Rustinu, Saint Agur, Saint-Marcellin, Selles sur Cher, Soumaintrain, Taupiniere, Tomme des Chouans, Tommes, Touree de L'Aubier, Valencay, Venaco, Vendomois, Vieux Corse, Vignotte
• fresh soft cheeses: Autun, Boulette d'Avesnes, Brocciu, Fromage Frais, Le Roule, Mascares, Pave d'Affinois, Petit-Suisse, Roule