Killeen Farmhouse Cheese facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Killeen Farmhouse Cheese |
|
|---|---|
| Country of origin | Ireland |
| Region | County Galway |
| Town | Portumna |
| Source of milk | Goat, Cow |
| Pasteurised | Yes |
| Texture | Semi-hard, hard |
| Weight | 500kg |
Killeen Farmhouse Cheese is a special type of cheese made on a farm in Ireland. This farm is located right by the river Shannon, close to the town of Portumna in County Galway. It's a small, family-run business that makes delicious cheeses.
Contents
The Story of Killeen Cheese
How It Started
Killeen Farmhouse Cheese began in 2004. A woman named Marion Roeleveld started it on a farm near Lough Derg. Even though Marion learned about cheesemaking in her home country, the Netherlands, she didn't have much hands-on experience at first.
Making the First Cheeses
Marion started by making single cheese wheels for people who ordered them. She decided to make a type of cheese similar to Gouda cheese. She used milk from her own small group of about 40 goats. She also used cow's milk from a nearby farm.
Growing the Goat Herd
Marion uses milk from Saanen goats. This goat breed is very popular in Switzerland. Over time, her farm grew, and now she has a large herd of around 200 goats.
Killeen Cheese Products
Killeen Farmhouse Cheese makes two main types of Gouda cheese. Both are made in large 5kg wheels. They are aged for different amounts of time, usually between 2 and 12 months.
- Killeen Goat Gouda: This cheese is made using pasteurised goat's milk.
- Killeen Cow Gouda: This cheese is made using pasteurised cow's milk.
Awards and Achievements
Killeen Farmhouse Cheese is known as one of Ireland's most successful cheese makers. They have won many important awards over the years.
Top Awards Won
They have won the "Supreme Champion" title at the Irish Cheese Awards many times. They also earned gold medals at the British Cheese Awards and the World Cheese Awards.
- 2011 British Cheese Awards - Best Goat Cheese
- 2011 Irish Cheese Awards - Supreme Champion
- 2011 World Cheese Awards - Best Irish and "Super Gold"
- 2012 British Cheese Awards - Best Irish Cheese, Best Modern British
- 2014 Irish Cheese Awards - Supreme Champion
- 2014 British Cheese Awards - Best Goat Cheese
- 2016 British Cheese Awards - Gold medal and Bronze medal
- 2018 British Cheese Awards - Best Modern British Cheese
- 2019 Irish Cheese Awards - Supreme Champion
- 2019 World Cheese Awards - Gold medal
See also
