From goat’s curd to gruyere, these cheesmakers have winning formulas sure to impress discerning cheese lovers.
Holy Goat
Made at the Sutton Grange Organic farm near Bendigo in Victoria, Holy Goat (at about $130/kg) is universally regarded as one of the best cheeses in Australia by top chefs, including Michael Ryan from Provenance in Beechworth. The cheeses, which include fromage frais and curd cheeses, are made using organic goat’s milk from the farm and use slow lactic acid fermentation. The curds are all hand-ladled into individual moulds and allowed to drain slowly under their own weight.
Meredith Dairy
Meredith Dairy, about halfway between Ballarat and Geelong in Victoria makes a variety of goat and sheep milk yoghurts and cheeses including its widely applauded fresh goat’s curd, fetta and ashed pyramids of soft cheese.
meredithdairy.com
Heidi Farm
Now owned by National Foods, the stewardship of Heidi Farm shows that big companies can own smaller dairies and not mess with their winning formulas. The Heidi dairy is based at Exton, just outside Launceston in northern Tasmania a region as near to alpine conditions as you can get in Australia. It is best known for its award-winning granular and richly flavoured Gruyere and its Tilsit.
heidifarm.com.au
Yea Brand Dairy
The Yea Brand Dairy is best known for its clotted cream, créme frais and mascarpone, which it produces in Yea, 90 minutes from Melbourne. Managing Director Bill Kirk, was the original creator of the King Island Dairy range.
yeabrand.com.au
Kytren Fine Quality Goat Cheese
Kytren fills the goat’s cheese gap left by the closure of Kervella, which started making goat’s cheese in 1984 and closed in 2008. The Kytren property is based 55km north-west of Perth and supplies a range light and creamy goat’s cheeses.
Yarra Valley Dairy
Founded in 1995 the Yarra Valley Dairy is based at Hubertswood in the Yarra Valley and has its own herd of some 200 cows and also makes goat’s cheese. Its marinated fetta has won several awards.
yvd.com.au
Pyengana Dairy Company
Pyengana Dairy Company, founded in 1992, is best known for its clothbound cheddar, a semi-hard cow’s milk from the town of the same name in north-east Tasmania near St Helens. The cheese recipe used by Pyengana’s John Healey is based on the same one his grandfather used in the local dairy co-operative that operated from the late 19th to mid-20th century.
Tongola Goat Products
Based less than an hour’s drive from Hobart, Tongola is known for fresh and washed rind goat’s cheese made from milk from its herd of Toggenburg goats.
Woodside Cheese Wrights
Since 1994 Woodside has been producing award-winning cheeses using both cow’s and goat’s milk sourced directly from local dairies. Most recently Woodside won a gold medal at the World Cheese Awards for its Eyzy-Ketzy, a washed rind cheese made with half goat’s and half cow’s milk.
woodsidecheese.com.au
La Latteria
A new addition to the Australian cheese-making scene, La Latteria is based in inner city Melbourne on Elgin Street in Carlton, just seconds away from the city’s Italian centre, Lygon Street. It specialises describes itself as a mozzarella laboratory and specialises in hand stretched cheeses. Its smoked mozzarella in particular is worth a try.
lalatteria.com.au
Tarago River Cheese Company
Based in lush Gippsland in Victoria in the foothills of Mount Baw Baw a few hours from Melbourne, Tarago River was founded in 1992. It sources milk from its own herd of Friesians and from Jersey cows from nearby farms. The dairy is, however, best known for its award-winning Strzelecki Blue goat’s cheese. It has a rustic orange-coloured rind and a rich, creamy and aromatic cheese.
taragocheese.com
Bruny Island Cheese Company
Founded in 2001,the Bruny Island Cheese Company makes cheese using both local cows and goats’ milk. It is one of the few Australian dairies working towards producing a raw milk cheese which should be available in November 2010 to its Cheese Club Members.
brunyislandcheese.com.au