Ossau-Iraty & Ossau-Iraty & cherry syrup

The cheese: Ossau-Iraty…

A thick rind, orange-yellow in colour, protects a firm, smooth and even centre of deep ivory. The rind has a minimal odour. In the mouth, the grain is fine, full-bodied, quite firm, and rapidly becomes smooth. Its flavour is pleasant, with a tender attack and milky aromas, with quite mineral notes to finish. The fruitiness of this cheese lasts throughout the tasting, and continues to linger persistently, becoming more dense in the finish.

The beverage: cherry syrup…

This beverage has appealing qualities that set it apart from other fruit-based syrups. This fruit gives off quite complex and delicate aromatic notes and bursts of flavour – acid, bitter and smooth – diversifying into fruitiness and a slight hint of fruit stones, bestowing an interesting character on this cheese.

This drink should be served between chilled and medium temperature. To avoid “drowning” the aromas of the syrup, do not serve it too concentrated – add four volumes of water to one volume of syrup, which seems to be just the right level of concentration. But you can adjust the levels depending on your taste. Tip: do not go lower than three volumes of water or above five.

Pairing of textures and flavours

The centre of the cheese has a strong cherry flavour, and the beverage and cheese work together in perfect harmony, with tactile sensations that complement each other beautifully. Smoothly. With a delicate touch. The soft, firm texture of the Ossau-Iraty blends with the smoothness of the syrup thanks to its slight sweetness and fruity, slightly acrid notes of cherry confit, which bring out the animal aromas of the cheese. In sum, it is an unusual but perfect match. Why not offer it to children to educate them on sensory pairings?