On the 6th March, with a huge sense of joy, on the part of all of us here at Cashel Farmhouse Cheesemakers, the 1st sheep’s milk of 2024, flowed into vat.
Every week since then, George and Hannah Finlay’s flock of Friesland ewe’s have been providing us incredible, Farmhouse Cheesemakers milk, of an unsurpassed consistency.
In preparation for the season, our Cheesemakers Przemek, Pawel and Arek, together with Louis and Sarah, visited George on his Wicklow farm to gain a full understanding and respect for his connection to his flock and farmland. Planning for the year was around the kitchen table with farmer and cheesemaker brainstorming together.
We are making around 80 wheels of Crozier Blue a week, which are slowly passing through the fermentation process of maturation. The lactic acid is breaking down, the rich proteins, unique to sheeps milk, are doing their magical dance in tandem with the precious fats which are gradually yielding there irresistible richness.
The first batches have been tasted and little pieces enjoyed at the dairy. Crozier Blue is not quite ready to leave the Cashel Cheeserooms yet but she’s well on the way…The 2024 season of Crozier Blue will be available exclusively on cheese counters from late June 2024.
Cashel Farmhouse Cheesemakers have been working with sheep’s milk since 1993.
