CHEESE BOX 65 –
September 24
Welcome to our Cheese box 65 – September 24!
Welcome spring, with the Mercer Cheese legends!
Spring is here with the promise of rebirth, so what better time to celebrate our kaumatua and kuia, and the superb aged cheeses they have been making a long a time? Check out thecheesewheel.co.nz for our just-posted profile of Albert and Ineke Alferink from Waikato cheesemaker Mercer Cheese, and their amazing array of Dutch-style cheeses. They make outstanding cheeses, and we are grateful to share this one with you this month.
Special on Franco’s online Cheese Training Programme
We have worked with Franco Sessa, The Grand Gourmand, a few times including during joint online cheese tasting events. He and the Academy of Cheese are offering Cheese Wheelers 10% off their Online Level One Cheese Training Programme, taking place 17-18 Oct 2024. It is a fantastic course for anyone who has a love of cheese. For more details & to book, go to: academyofcheese.org/product/the-grand-gourmand-associate-certification-17-18-october-2024
BAY BLUE – FROM EVANSDALE CHEESE
A Roquefort style smooth and creamy blue with a full flavour but not sharp like some Danish styles. It’s perfect on a piece of baguette. It goes well with a Riesling or a Sauterne, an IPA or Porter, or a non-alcoholic cider.
Region: Otago. Type of milk: cow.
SANDON– FROM MOODY COW
Sandon is small town in Essex, England, but there is nothing small about this smooth, creamy and mushroomy cheese. It looks great too with the white rind dusted with ash, just spectacular. Find some Marlborough bubbly, a hoppy pale ale, or a dry lemonade, and enjoy on some crusty white artisan bread.
Region: Marlborough. Type of milk: cow.
WALNUT AND FENUGREEK BEL PASO – FROM MERCER
Mercer’s favourite and Cheeses Champion. This cheese is made with late-season high-fat milk. It is ultra creamy, crunchy, and tasty thanks to the chunks of walnuts and fenugreek seeds. Try it with a light whisky, a Sauvignon Blanc, or maybe even a ginseng tea. Its wonderful in a sandwich or – you guessed – by itself.
Region: Waikato. Type of milk: cow.
MT RICHMOND ALPINE SWISS STYLE – FROM LITTLE RIVER ESTATE
Known as a ‘cooked curd’ because the young cheese curd is gently cooked in whey before being pressed into a mould, this cheese is then washed by hand fortnightly for between four to 12 months. The heating helps to caramelise the sugars leading to a smooth texture and sweet nutty flavour. Try it with a juniper-forward gin and a slice of crisp pear or tart apple, or a few pecans and hazelnuts.
Region: Nelson-Tasman. Type of milk: cow A2.
