Dick & Helene Willems began making cheese here in the Cork Gaeltacht in 1979, and their famous gouda style cheese is now made by their son Dicky.
Made with the pasteurised milk of a neighbouring herd, it is a typically smooth, dense-textured cheese which deepens in colour and flavour as it matures. Easily recognised by its shiny yellow rind and distinctive labelling, it is available from three months old, when the young cheese is mild and creamy, up to 18 months when it has developed a drier, slightly crystalline texture and intense flavour with hints of toffee.
Although best known for their Coolea Mature, Coolea is available plain and in several flavours (Herbs and Garlic; Cumin Seed); it is widely distributed and can be purchased from the farm.
