For the March edition of Cheese of the Month Club, we enjoyed a four-pack of various Irish cheeses from Penn Mac. Let’s have a look at what they sent us!
As per usual, “A Taste of Ireland” was comprised of a quartet of half-pound cheese blocks, with a variety of flavor profiles.
First on the docket was Tipperary Cheddar; dry and a little bit crumbly, it was sharp like a New York-style cheddar.
Next came the soft, creamy, Baby Swiss-like Carrigaline.
After that followed one of our personal favorites: Whiskey Cheddar, which, true to its name, is subtly smoky and a little nutty — but with a surprisingly smooth, creamy texture.
Finally, the selection was rounded out with a classic: the mild, Gouda-like Erin Gold.
We couldn’t wait to dig in, so we didn’t — wait, that is. We promptly put together a festive and succulent combination of meats and side pairings to enjoy with our cheeses. (Pro-tip: if all your cheeses have the same sort of coloring, and you want to remember which is which, cut each cheese into different-shaped slices. Our squares were the Tipperary; our large triangles, the Carrigaline; our strips, the Whiskey; our small triangles, the Erin Gold.)
These cheeses went well in a variety of pairings. Here are some favorites: the Tipperary Cheddar was terrific with fruit flavors, so we suggest trying it with a crust of bread and some berry preserves. The creaminess of the Carrigaline went well with tangy flavors, so try it with some balsamic or even a curry mustard. The Whiskey Cheddar — come now, you know that stuff is amazing with bacon. And lastly, the Erin Gold was excellent when paired with any of the mustards we had, be they honey mustard, stone ground, or even with a hint of horseradish. The Erin Gold was also a perfect compliment to spicy meats.
This was yet another versatile set of cheeses, and while we really liked the above combinations, there are tons more through which deliciousness can be achieved. If you’re looking to have a get-together for the NHL playoffs, we suggest grabbing cheeses like these, because it’s hard to go wrong with them, and they’ll please a lot of palates.