Irish Cheese

If happy cows make happy cheese, the cows in Ireland must be delirious with bliss.

Dense, hearty Irish cheese turns everything to gold—from grilled cheese to muffins.

During a recent trip to Ireland, I unlocked the secrets to Irish cheese:

• Ireland has the longest grass-growing season in the world—and presumably that means the happiest cows in the world, too.

• The cows, free from antibiotics and growth hormones, absorb more beta-carotene in their longer grazing season, giving Irish cheeses their distinctive golden color and rich flavor.

• The majority of Irish cheeses are the hard styles like Cheddar and have been made for hundreds of years.

Of course you can use other types of Cheddars in these recipes, but why risk the luck of the Irish?

— Story and recipes by David Bonom