CASHEL BLUE AND CROZIER BLUE CHEESES

“Handmade and matured with passion, by two generations of family and community.”

Cashel Blue was created by Jane and Louis Grubb between 1980 and 1984 on the kitchen stove using a copper brewer’s vat. It took four years of experimentation! We continue to make Cashel Blue on the family farm in Tipperary and the 120 strong Cashel Blue Pedigree Friesan herd graze pastures around the cheese dairy.

Cashel Blue was originally intended for local sale, however its subtle modern approachable style drew attention from abroad, and today more cheese is exported than sold at home. Cashel Blue can be bought throughout Ireland and the UK, and in Europe, Australia, Hawaii, Japan and the USA.

Crozier Blue was developed in 1993 by our head cheesemaker, Geurt van den Dikkenberg. It was Ireland’s first sheep’s milk blue cheese. The Crozier Flock now numbers almost 400 British Friesland Sheep which graze on the limestone pastures of Ballinamona Farm, 1.5 km from Cashel, Co. Tipperary.

Cashel Blue and Crozier Blue are both made from whole pasteurised milk. The creaminess, which is a characteristic of both cheeses is the result of the milk, our soft curd technique, and carefully selected maturation. The Grubb family have chosen specialise in making blue cheese.





MATURATION
Cashel Blue and Crozier Blue are both exclusively hand-made and matured on Beechmount Farm in Co. Tipperary. Initially cheeses are graded at 3 weeks of age. We assess the level of blue, texture and acidity. Further maturation can then vary from a minimum of 9 weeks up to 35 weeks, depending on individual cheese characteristics and type.

We recommend that our cheeses are stored in their original packaging at 2-5°C and brought to room temperature before serving. Cashel and Crozier Blue cheeses are not suitable for freezing.

RECOGNITION AND AWARDS
Since establishment of Cashel Blue in 1984 the family and team have consistently won national and international acclaim.
Cashel Blue won Best Irish Cheese at the 2009 World Cheese Awards.
Other 2009 awards include:
Great Taste Awards - 3-star Gold
Nantwich International Cheese Show - Gold
Great British Cheese Awards – Silver
World Cheese Award Gold.

Major awards include The Eurotoques Merit Award (European Chef’s organisation); Premio Roma 2007 (Best International Sheep’s milk award) Rome, Italy; and Irish Food Award 2005 (Food Writers Guild Award).

As a company we have received the Small Firms Award 2005, and Farm Development Award 2000; and been finalist in the Irish Exporters Award 2006 and Small Business Innovation and Excellence Awards 2006.

THE CHEESEBOARD
Cashel Blue and Crozier Blue are both ideal cheese-board cheeses however their appeal also extends to the culinary field with endorsement in the dishes of well known chef’s such as Richard Corrigan, Gordon Ramsay, Gary Rhodes and Paul Flynn.

SOME SIMPLE IDEAS WITH CASHEL AND CROZIER BLUE CHEESE

• Melt over potatoes with bacon and fig or apricot chutney.
• Enjoy with black pudding and caramelised onions.
• Use as a pudding on toasted apricot bread with a drizzle of local honey.
• Simply serve with a perfectly ripe pear.

CHEESE AND WINE
Never an exact science, partnering our cheeses with wine is a great excuse to challenge your sensory faculties! The blue cheese character may give the taster a salty impression, and this works well with sweeter styles of wine.

We recommend: Semillon based desert wines with Cashel Blue or a merlot based red (which is not overtly oaked) i.e a Saint Emilion. Mature Crozier Blue can stand up well to Late Bottle Vintage Port, or Tokaji.

Traceability: We actively embrace traceability as a mechanism to drive the relationship between the consumer and makers. The traceability code for our cheeses is located on the back label and reads as follows:

460102: the week number (46), day’s production (01), vat from that day (02).

If you are interested in receiving the individual tasting notes of your cheese please do get in contact. As we are a small family company you can feel free to speak to any of our family members - Sarah, Sergio, Louis and Louis.

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