CHEESE BOX 56 –
CHRISTMAS 23
Welcome to our Cheese box 56 – Christmas 23!
Welcome to the wonderful world of NZ artisan cheese!
Someone really cares about you because you are in for a treat! We started The Cheese Wheel about five years ago because we saw a big problem. There are over 30 artisan cheesemakers in NZ (you can see profiles of most of them on our website here), but most find it difficult to impossible to sell their products in delis, let alone supermarkets. They are our heroes because they make such great and innovative cheese using milk from cows, sheep, goats, buffaloes, and even deer. We’ve helped solve their distribution problem by selecting four fabulous cheeses each month and delivering them to your door.
We’d love for you to join the cheese movement, become a Cheese Wheeler, experience four artisan cheeses delivered to you each month, and support NZ cheese makers. Help make NZ a better and more cheesy place.
Have a very Merry and Cheesy Christmas, and a Happy and Cheesy New Year!
BLACK GARLIC AND TRUFFLE BOUCHEES – FROM ANABELLE FINE CHEESE
This cheese has been made exclusively for our Cheese Wheelers. Anabelle’s bouchees are legendarily delicate and so delicious they might bring a tear to your eye. So, what happens when she adds black garlic (From Neudorf Black) and truffle? Can you have a rating of 12 out of 10? This is luxury cheese you want to simply smear on a chunk of fresh baguette. Match it with champagne, a non-hoppy IPA, or an artisan melonade. A glimpse of heaven.
Region: Auckland. Type of milk: cow.
PECORINO – FROM CRAGGY RANGE SHEEP DAIRY
James and Kate from Craggy Range Sheep Dairy, who featured on Country Calendar in November, relocated from Waiheke Island so they could expand their flock. It worked a treat. This pecorino is perfect for grating over a salad or pasta (don’t tell anyone, but we like to just nibble it too). Go full noise with a Barolo or a Syrah, a hoppy IPA or stout, or a smoky lapsang souchong.
Region: Hawkes Bay. Type of milk: sheep.
NGAWI BRIE – FROM KINGSMEADE CHEESE
The good people at Kingsmeade were early movers in the artisan cheese scene and are much loved for their support of the industry and for their constant innovation. Be patient and leave this cheese out for an hour or longer so it’s oozing, then scrape some onto some fresh crusty bread. Crack open a Club Soda, a Sauvignon Blanc, a Beaujolais, a Pilsner or Belgian Tripel. Happiness.
Region: Wairarapa. Type of milk: cow.
BLUE MONKEY – FROM MOUNT ELIZA CHEESE
NZ makes some wonderful blue cheese, and this one from Mount Eliza Cheese is one of the best! It’s rich, buttery, and intense. If you have guests, make sure you put aside a wedge because they’ll quietly and quickly eat all of this. Look for a creamy Porter, a Port (or got the other way with a Chardonnay), or a medium/dark roast coffee.
Region: Bay of Plenty. Type of milk: cow.