Making World Class Cheese in Macroom…

The rural West Cork region of Macroom is home to a very special gang of girls. These raven haired beauties are the Toonsbridge Dairy herd of buffalo,  which graze the pastures near the hamlet of Toonsbridge near Macroom Town.  They provide full rich buffalo milk for a range of cheeses, including traditional Italian Buffalo Mozzarella. Buffalo Mozzarella originates in Naples. Fitting then, that Toonsbridge now has a Neopolitan cheese maker, Franco, who comes from a long line of Buffalo Mozzarella makers in Naples.  Franco has lately been perfecting Toonsbridge Ricotta, which according to those in the know, is 'out of this world.'! He's also smoking his mozzarella using time honoured Neopolitan methods, over hay smoke. What a sensational taste that is! No wonder then, Toonsbridge  Dairy was honoured very recently with a Belling West Cork Artisan Food Award. Those Toonsbridge Buffalo girls are really causing a stir since they arrived in Macroom!