Knockanore Farmhouse Cheese is made near Villierstown and it’s very much a family operation, headed up since 1987 by passionate cheesemaker Eamonn Lonergan and his wife Patricia, who produce the Knockanore Cheese range using the raw cows’ milk of the Lonergan family’s pedigree Friesian herd and vegetarian rennet.
Produced in wheels of 2.5/3kg, the cheddar style cheese is available as Knockanore Plain (white and red, mild semi-firm, matured under vacuum and sold at 6 months-2 years); Knockanore Flavoured (garlic & chive, garlic & herb, black pepper & herb; matured under vacuum, sold at 4 months+) and Knockanore Smoked (cold smoked 10 days over oak chips; dark rind and intensely smoky flavour; aged 4+ months).
The smoked cheese is the most unusual, having been smoked in a traditional kiln over locally-sourced Lismore oak, the flavour from the rind permeates the cheese and gives it a powerfully smoky flavour.
