Every March we seem to highlight our Irish cheeses, and strictly speaking I’m doing that again. But in addition to some great cheeses from the Emerald Isle, I want to talk about a returning favorite from Cowgirl Creamery, and some new and very delicious Canadian crackers.

St. Pat. From our local Cowgirl Creamery in Pt. Reyes Station and Petaluma, St. Pat is a seasonal cheese made only in the spring and summer months. (This year’s release will be the week of the 17th - maybe trying to confuse people into thinking it’s an Irish cheese!) This small round with a bloomy rind is wrapped with stinging nettle. That might sound dangerous, but the Cowgirls have taken the sting out by washing and freezing the leaves. (Nettles by the way are full of vitamins). Mild and creamy, with the leaves imparting a slight herby-smoky flavor, the off white rind looks striking with its swirl of green (maybe it is Irish!). Made with organic milk, vegetarian rennet and aged for 4 weeks, this young cheese pairs well with a sauvignon blanc or vigonier.

Lesley Stowe’s Raincoast Crisps are new to us from Canada. I now love Canada. These truly additive crackers (they actually looked more like toasted bread sliced ultra thin) will make your cheese tray exceptional. We are carrying four flavors here at Woodlands.

• Rosemary Raisin Pecan - My favorite. Full of pecans, rosemary and Thompson raisins, the chewy texture of the raisin contrasts with its very own crispy cracker to make it wonderful just by itself, or even better with a brie, cambozola, or Cowgirl’s Mt. Tam. I recommend buying two boxes; one to serve to your guests, and one to eat by yourself in the kitchen while putting the cheese on the tray.
• Cranberry Hazelnut - My second favorite. Plump cranberries and toasted hazelnuts add just the right balance of sweet and savory, with the same exceptional texture sensations as the Rosemary Raisin Pecan. Contrast with a sharp cheddar, and don’t make me fight you for it.
• Fig and Olive - Pungent kalamata olives paired with Adriatic figs. Delightful. Add a goat or blue cheese and let the flavors of the Mediterranean remind you of warmer days.
• Original - very crisply nutty and spicy. Try them with smoked salmon, pate, or, really, any cheese. Sensational.

And now, as promised, the Irish cheeses:

Have your cake and drink it too! Celebrate March with an aged cheddar mixed with a real touch of Ireland called, simply enough, Cheddar with Whiskey. With the sweetest smell of whiskey, this Irish cheddar has a wonderful malt tang that lingers.

Coolea - Handmade on the mountain farm in County Cork by Dick and Helene Willems, Dutch immigrants (who knew people immigrated to Ireland?), this award winning farmhouse Gouda is a real tribute to their heritage. Aged over two years, it has nice caramel notes in a fresh firm texture.

Irish Swiss - from Kerrygold comes this sweet and nutty cheese. Aged over 90 days and wrapped in parchment paper, this Swiss is made from the milk of cows who graze on the grasslands below the rock at Cashel in County Tipperary.

Blarney Castle Cheese - also from Kerrygold is this smooth and mild white cheese that may remind you of a young gouda or fontina. Try it on hamburgers, or by itself with a glass of sauvignon blanc. The real Blarney Castle was built some 600 years ago to protect valuable herds of cows, which were good as gold. Kerrygold cheeses prove the builders of Blarney Castle knew what they were talking about!

Thanks for reading.
Octavio Saez de Ibarra, The Cheese Department.