Jun 11 2025
Ossau Iraty cheese is one of the oldest in the world, and while fans of French cheese are no strangers love its ancient traditions, Ossau Iraty stands alone for its dedication to the traditional methods that combine to make it a robustly consistent cheese. This ewe’s milk cheese is generated by a process that has quality in place at every stage, even down to the rich minerals in the soil of the Pyrenean mountains it hails from. But the end result is a creamy cheese with a varied taste, and which offers a wide range of possible uses.
Here we have one of the few French cheeses that comes from two different areas, both within the southwestern region of France along the Spanish border. The Irati beech forest in the northern Basque country and the neighbouring Ossau valley are the source of this semi-hard cheeseboard favourite, which is said to have originated over 2000 years ago, discovered by the shepherd son of the Greek God Apollo.
The Pyrenees climate and geographic location is a prime region for agriculture. The rich minerals of the soil produce grass well-suited to the sheep which graze on it, giving Ossau Iraty its unique flavour profile. It gives the cheese a buttery and sweet aroma, with melt in the mouth qualities.
At Sodiaal we love to use Ossau Iraty in a summer salad where its natural flavour is left to stand alone, or in a super indulgent egg parfait with cream and shortbread soldiers. This sweet and savoury contrast speaks for itself and also comes to the fore when you consider the traditional method of using Ossau Iraty. This is consumed with a black cherry compote, or a chutney made of peppers and tomatoes with a touch of Espelette pepper. As such, Ossau Iraty is perfect for a French cheeseboard, where it should be thinly sliced and paired with figs or cured meats, or served with a local cherry paste and crunchy bread. However you choose to eat it, pair it with a sweet white wine or even a glass of fruity Port.
Ossau Iraty melts perfectly, and so is ideal for spreading on toast or melting over a soup, stew or in a gratin. But its creamy and earthy texture does change over time. It can go from creamy and smooth to slightly crunchy as it ages, mainly due to the calcium crystals which are naturally produced. Ossau Iraty also has a complex flavour range, in which people have noted floral and fruity notes, along with nuts and even grass and wildflowers.
Ultimately, Ossau Iraty is one of the most distinctive French cheeses available, and that’s not just due to the outline of a ewe’s head, which you should find embossed on the thick rind as a sign of authenticity. Its flavour tells the rest of the story, and what a story it is. But don’t just listen to us, find out for yourself by ordering Ossau Iraty for your café or restaurant in the UK from Sodiaal today
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