TASTE

DOES IT

From pungently ripe washed rind to crumbling cheddar, Gruyère to Gouda, Australian cheese providores offer a huge range of imported and local cheese, the latter underscored by a booming artisanal cheese scene. PHOTOGRAPHY: URIZAR/BAUERSYNDICATION.COM.AU JOHN PAUL

WORDS UTE JUNKER

SEPTEMBER 2014 QANTAS 173 Cheese board, clockwise from top left: ricotta, cheddar, mascarpone, Gruyère, parmesan, blue cheese, mozzarella cream cheese, emmental

CROTTIN DE CHAVIGNOL is not an attractive cheese. a huge public interest, just as there was when boutique beer first The famed goat’s fromage from ’s Valley has a crusty, came on the market. Thanks to shows like MasterChef and the crinkled rind that is produced by geotrichum, a naturally occurring growth of farmers’ markets, people are much more interested in fungi. Twenty years ago, most Australians would have refused to try learning more about this sort of niche product.” something so uninviting. These days, geotrichum are flying Although Australia still has some of the strictest import laws off the shelves, along with washed rind and other artisanal cheeses. in the world – which only allow the import of raw-milk cheeses that “The Australian palate has developed,” says Sogna Ocello of meet specific requirements regarding heating and moisture content Sydney’s Formaggi Ocello. “People have travelled a lot more, they – the range of cheese now available is staggering. There is drunken taste new things, they feel more confident about trying something cheese (matured in wine), cheese made from sheep and buffalo milk, they don’t recognise.” and cheese washed with coffee or honey. Ocello is one of a new breed of fromageries (cheese shops) that Increasingly, Australia is also developing its own artisanal specialises in rare and high-end cheeses from around the world. “My cheese scene. Small producers can be found around the country, husband is always on the hunt for the smallest producers, the rarest often specialising in one particular type of cheese. Their wares cheeses. We’re passionate about small producers, full stop,” says are available at farmers’ markets and specialist fromageries. Ocello. Like its Melbourne counterparts, Milk the Cow and Spring While some cheesemakers follow European traditions, others Street Grocer, Ocello has its own maturing rooms and stocks are experimenting with new approaches. hundreds of cheeses, many handmade by small producers. “It’s a reflection of how much we’ve matured as a country,” says “The cheese industry is where the wine and beer industries were Femia. “We’re no longer mimicking cheese from abroad, but devel-

PHOTOGRAPHY: ROB SHAW/BAUERSYNDICATION.COM.AU 20 years ago,” says Anthony Femia of Spring Street Grocer. “There’s oping our own culture, making things reflective of our terroir.” ❯

SEPTEMBER 2014 QANTAS 175 CHEESE TASTE Blue cheese

TASMANIA prefer to eat-in rather than take away. Choose a cheese flight or Pyengana ask for a cheese to match your Dairy Company glass of wine, whisky or beer. St Columba Falls Road, Pyengana. ✜ Signature cheese: Reypenaer (03) 6373 6157. VSOP, a Dutch Gouda aged for pyenganadairy.com.au two years, with toffee-coloured Fourth-generation farmers marbling and butterscotch flavours. Lyndall and Jon Healy specialise in award-winning cheddar, from Spring Street Grocer a mild version aged for four to six 157 Spring Street, Melbourne. weeks, to a crumbly tasty cheese (03) 9639 0335. www. aged for at least two years. springstreetgrocer.com.au ✜ Signature cheese: Devilish They take their cheeses seriously Cheddar, tasty cheddar ground and at Spring Street Grocer, with two pressed with chive, onion and chilli. maturing rooms and an impressive selection from around the world. Bruny Island Cheese Cheesemonger Anthony Femia also 1807 Main Road, Great Bay. works closely with local producers. (03) 6260 6353. WE’RE NO LONGER ✜ Signature cheese: Made brunyislandcheese.com.au MIMICKING CHEESE in-house, the aux Nick Haddow is the only FROM ABROAD, BUT Calvados is a young Normandy Australian cheesemaker licensed DEVELOPING OUR camembert soaked in calvados to make cheese with unpasteurised OWN CULTURE, MAKING with a coating of toasted panko milk, which gives an idea of his THINGS THAT ARE crumbs. It has a rich, meaty flavour. and partner Leonie Struthers’ persistence and dedication. Bruny REFLECTIVE OF L’Artisan Cheese Island Cheese is known for cheekily OUR TERROIR 23 Ford And Fells Road, Timboon. named cheeses such as Tom, a 03 5598 3244. lartisancheese.com.au table cheese, and Otto, a fresh When cheesemaker Matthieu cheese wrapped in local prosciutto. Megard relocated from France ✜ Signature cheese: Raw Milk to Australia, he brought with C2, a cooked curd cheese made him recipes for traditionally with unpasteurised milk. Bottega Rotolo as a European-style delicatessen, handcrafted cheeses. His organic 141 Bathurst Street, Hobart. and gives strong support to local range includes The Extravagant, Grandvewe Cheese (03) 6234 9978. bottegarotolo.com.au producers, stocking a good a decadent triple-cream , 59 Devlyns Road, Birchs Bay. It’s not just locals who pick selection of Tasmanian meat, and The Mountain Man washed (03) 6267 4099. grandvewe.com.au up their cheese from Bottega wine and cheese, including Heidi rind. The tranquil gardens make At Tasmania’s only sheep-milk Rotolo’s cheese room. It also Farm and King Island Dairy. a beautiful setting for the cafe. dairy, they keep it in-house. Pat supplies many of Tasmania’s best ✜ Signature cheese: The ✜ Signature cheese: Mepunga the lambs, watch the sheep being restaurants. The selection leans Tongola Goat Products range, Gruyere, made in 20kg wheels, has milked (September-March) and towards French and Italian. everything from fresh curd to a sweet, nutty taste when fresh, view the cheesemaking process, ✜ Signature cheese: Xavier an aged cheese. and develops more complex before trying one or two of their David Comte, a semi-hard cheese flavours as it ages. cheeses, which include haloumi made in the Jura Massif, France. VICTORIA and Cannonball, a soft cheese Red Hill Cheese rolled in ash (only available Hill Street Grocer Milk the Cow 81 William Road, Red Hill. September-March). 109 Hill Street ,West Hobart. 1//157 Fitzroy Street, St Kilda. (03) 5989 2035. redhillcheese.com.au ✜ Signature cheese: Sapphire (03) 6234 6849. hillstreetgrocer.com (03) 9537 2225. milkthecow.com.au Red Hill cheeses are made to Blue, a -style blue with The flagship of a three-store This funky cheese-shop/bar is match the Mornington Peninsula’s ❯ a soft flavour. family empire, this grocer doubles open until late for those who wines: the Portsea Picnic, for AUSTRALIA BRACHAT/STOCKFOOD OLIVER PHOTOGRAPHY:

176 QANTAS SEPTEMBER 2014 CHEESE TASTE

Fetta from around the world (clockwise from top): Greek, Persian, Australian, Bulgarian, Danish

instance, a semi-hard cheese, is Alpine pastures in summer designed to be enjoyed with the and aged for up to 10-12 years. local chardonnay. ✜ Signature cheese: the much High Valley garlanded Mountain Goat Blue, Wine & Cheese Co which combines delicate blue 137 Ulan Road, Mudgee. veins with a velvet mouth-feel. (02) 6372 1011. highvalley.com.au Marinated fetta is the name Gippsland Cheese of the game in this pretty stone 17 Ryan Court, Warragul. cottage, the retail outlet of High earthy sheep’s milk cheese The Barossa (03) 5622 3887. Valley Wine & Cheese Co. with veins of black truffle. Valley Cheese Co gippslandcheese.com.au ✜ Signature cheese: Pesto 67B Murray Street, Angaston. Stocks a range of its own products fetta, a Persian-style fetta Binnorie Dairy (08) 8564 3636. as well as the best Gippsland has marinated with basil leaves. Tuscany Wine Estate, Hermitage barossacheese.com.au to offer. The area is renowned Road & Mistletoe Lane, Pokolbin. Winemaker Victoria McClurg has for its blue cheeses such as Berry’s Jannei Goat Dairy (02) 4998 6660. binnorie.com.au turned her talents to cheese with Creek Tarwin Blue, but anything 11 View Street, Lidsdale. Simon Gough makes a range impressive results. Her cow’s milk from Tarago River or Jindi is (02) 6355 1107. jannei.com of cheeses including brie, portfolio is rounded out with worth trying. Celebrating its 20th anniversary washed rind and goat’s cheese. a selection of seasonal goat’s ✜ Signature cheese: next year, Jannei Goat Dairy ✜ Signature cheese: Labnah, milk cheeses. Washed-rind Gippsland Gourmet Chevre, a silky near Lithgow makes a range of a Middle Eastern drained yoghurt cheese has become a speciality. goat’s curd marinated in garlic, fresh cheeses. The shop is open rolled into balls and marinated in ✜ Signature cheese: Le Petit peppercorn, thyme and bay leaf. Friday-Saturday, Monday and chilli, garlic, rosemary and olive oil. Prince is a creamy washed-rind by appointment. goat’s cheese that is matured for NEW SOUTH ✜ Signature cheese: Creamy, SOUTH four weeks. WALES spreadable fresh curd that goes AUSTRALIA well with fruit. Alexandrina Cheese Formaggi Ocello Woodside Sneyd Road, Mount Jagged. 16/425 Bourke Street, Surry Hills. GPO Cheese Cheese Wrights (08) 8554 9666. (02) 9357 7878. ocello.com.au & Wine Room 22 Henry Street, Woodside. alexandrinacheese.com.au Drop in for an aperitivo after work 1 Martin Place, Sydney. (08) 8389 7877. Rich pastures, salt-tinged air and or just browse the rich selection (02) 9229 7700. gposydney.com woodsidecheese.com.au the high-fat, high-protein milk of European and local cheeses. Few of the shoppers who stroll Sample Woodside’s wide range from a herd of Jersey cows give Ocello’s special focus is small past Sydney’s GPO realise this of cow’s and goat’s cheese at their these hard and semi-hard cheeses producers, particularly from Italy little gem is hidden below. Don’t cellar door. Some of their most from the Fleurieu Peninsula their and France. just pick up a slab of cheese: interesting use native herbs such distinctive taste. ✜ Signature cheese: Bitto Valli stay to enjoy a selection in the as lemon myrtle and saltbush. ✜ Signature cheese: del Bitto, a Gruyère-style raw-milk sandstone-lined space. In winter, ✜ Signature cheese: Monet, Alexandrina Vintage Cheddar, cheese from Lombardy, made only fondues are a warming option. available only in spring and aged for between 15 and 18 from the milk of cows and goats ✜ Signature cheese: The summer, is a pretty goat’s cheese months, regularly wins awards

that have grazed in the highest Sardinian truffle pecorino is an made with edible organic flowers. for its intricate flavours. A PHOTOGRAPHY: JULIE CRESPEL/BAUERSYNDICATION.COM.AU

178 QANTAS SEPTEMBER 2014