About Gubbeen Cheese
Gubbeen cheese is produced in Schull, County Cork in Ireland at the family run farm run by Giana and Tom Ferguson. The name ‘Gubbeen’ is an English interpretation of the Irish word ‘Gobin’, meaning a small mouthful. Gubbeen Irish cheese has been produced here since 1979, and is made solely with the milk of the farm’s own mixed herd of Jersey, Friesian, Simmenthal and Kerry cows.
Due to the location of the farm, benefiting from the climate produced by the Gulf Stream, the herd feed differently to many Irish herds, grazing throughout the night in Summer and being milked at 6am. In winter the herd is kept in the main shed feeding on GM free silage complimented with nuts. This helps to develop the nutty taste characteristic of Gubbeen cheeses.
Gubbeen is a low fat, semi-soft cheese. The outer white bloom gives the cheese a pinkish tint, and is triple layered with three different organisms. Initially the crust develops a tan look and a nutty scent, and is then encouraged with salt, water and white wine washes – which balances the pH of the rind.
Gubbeen Irish cheese has achieved a Silver Irish Cheese Award and a Gold at the British Cheese Awards in recent years.
Tasting Notes
Gubbeen has a distinctly characteristic scent of mushrooms, nuts and earthiness, all of which comes through in the taste of the younger Gubbeen cheeses too. At four weeks maturation the cheese also has a clear bounce and creaminess to its texture.
How to Enjoy
Gubbeen cheese is advertised to be consumable within 60 days of being packaged, though if well cared for by professional cheese mongers this could be the stage at which it really comes into it’s own. The main thing to remember with Gubbeen is that freezing the cheese will ruin it almost instantaneously.
Gubbeen well compliments gingerbread, aromatic white wines and darker beers. It also works well with burnt onions and as a melted cheese.
Our cheeses are delivered by courier for overnight/next day delivery, for customers in England and Wales only, so they arrive in the best condition. For customers in Scotland or Ireland, please call us on 01780 489269. We charge £6.50 for P&P for orders up to 2.5kg. Orders above this weight are charged £6.50 per additional 2.5kg. Unfortunately we can only deliver within the UK at present.
