milk type
Cow
coagulant
Animal Rennet
milk treatment
Pasteurised
location
Schull, West Cork, Ireland
milk source
Own herd
breed
Holstein-Friesian; Various in minority
season
All year
average age
2-3 Months
cheesemakers
Giana Ferguson
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A pinkish-white organism native to Gubbeen Farm, which flourishes on the rind of Gubbeen cheese, was identified by microbiologists in 2001 and named Microbacterium gubbeenense after the farm and dairy.
background
our work with this cheese
Accompaniments
Biscuit Selection
£7.50
Rosebud Red Onion Port Marmalade
£4.10
FAQs
How much cheese to buy?
How should I store my cheese?
Gubbeen
A semi-soft washed rind cheese boasting a medley of savoury, nutty and fungal flavours and a bouncy, pliant texture with a pleasing bite at its pink rind
A pinkish-white organism native to Gubbeen Farm, which flourishes on the rind of Gubbeen cheese, was identified by microbiologists in 2001 and named Microbacterium gubbeenense after the farm and dairy.
milk type
Cow
coagulant
Animal Rennet
milk treatment
Pasteurised
location
Schull, West Cork, Ireland
milk source
Own herd
breed
Holstein-Friesian; Various in minority
season
All year
average age
2-3 Months
cheesemakers
Giana Ferguson
background
Gubbeen is made by Giana Ferguson and her team in County Cork in Ireland, at a spot where the Gulf Stream regularly comes into land from the Atlantic. The warmer, brighter weather means that grass arrives early in the year, and the herd can be put out to pasture sooner, so the majority of their diet is grass based, which is a real benefit to the cheese. Gina hails from a cheesemaking background, having helped her father make cheese in Spain before gaining experience in France. Her husband Tom is the sixth generation of Fergusons to have farmed at Gubbeen. This marriage of farming heritage, cheesemaking experience and distinct microclimate has made for a cheese which, in its reflection of people and place, is truly unique. Microbacterium Gubbeenense, a white velvet bloom organism native to the pastures of Gubbeen Farm, is one of a garden of different microorganisms which influence Gubbeen's structure and flavour, the growth of which is encouraged by regularly washing the cheeses in salt, water and a splash of white wine.
our work with this cheese
Gubbeen is delivered to us from Ireland every two weeks. When it reaches us, the cheeses are unwrapped, put on racks and kept in a relatively warm environment. After experimenting with the temperatures, our maturation team found that keeping them for two to three weeks in our warmest maturation room resulted in cheeses which were meatier and more intense in flavour. The cheeses are turned once a week while they are maturing, during which time the rind cultures move further through the paste: deepening the flavour and softening the paste to create a texture that is bouncy, unctuous and smooth.
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