Product Overview
About Ossau-Iraty
Ossau-Iraty, also known as Esquirrou, is a traditional sheep’s milk cheese produced in southwestern France, specifically in the Northern Basque Country and Béarn. Named after the Ossau Valley and the Irati Forest, it is made from the milk of Basco-Béarnaise, Red-face Manech, or Black-face Manech sheep that graze on mountain pastures. This uncooked, pressed cheese adheres to traditional "old world" methods and, when labeled as *fromage fermier*, must be made with raw, unpasteurized milk according to AOC regulations. Ossau-Iraty has a yellow-orange to gray crust, with a creamy, firm interior that can vary in color from white to cream depending on aging, sometimes featuring small openings known as "eyes."