#59 Hagenbutten-Kase by Rolf Beeler

First a little bit about Rolf Beeler, an Affineur (French for "bloke what ages cheese") from Switzerland who champions small artisan cheese producers. This guy is responsible for many of the great imported mountain cheeses available in Australia.
Now the cheese - yes it has the word butt in it. But that's really unimportant.
The Hagenbutten-Kase has a creamy gruyere-like aroma and is speckled with rose hips. It has an amazing looking rind - dark, thick, speckled and mouldy and inside its marked with specks of orange through the pale yellow interior. The flavour was caramel and nutty.


Is cheese is good

#56 Saint Nectaire

Saint Nectaire is a cow's milk washed rind made in the central French region of Auvergne.

Another one to grace our table on Bastille Day, the Saint Nectaire was universally declared a winner by adults and kids alike.

An orange coloured rind has a little of the ammonia aroma you'd expect from a washed rind, but its very subtle. The Saint Nectaire was delicious and slightly fruity balanced with a touch of salt.

If you've never been convinced of washed rind cheeses because of their pungency then give this one a go. It doesn't have the sheer punch of many in this type but it still packs in the flavour.

From memory this was picked up from the French Shop at the Queen Vic Market.





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#55 Crottin de Chavignol

Crottin de Chavignol is a goat's milk cheese from the Loire Valley in France where it's been made for over 400 years.

This was one of three french cheeses we picked up for the home celebrations of Bastille Day.

It was a lovely little barrel about 10cm across surrounded in a pale yellow, rippled rind. The centre was still a little chalky and the flavour was earthy.






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Very excited with the news that the Spring St Grocer has opened its cheese cellar this weekend. Hard to resist that temptation when its less than a 5 minute walk from work.

Is Cheese is Good!!!!

#54 Klundi by Lochelian

Klundi, by Shepparton cheese makers, Lochelian, is made in the style of Cheshire cheese.

I'm new to Cheshire cheese. According to the font of omniscience, wikipedia, Cheshire is both the oldest and most popular cheese in England.

Also, along with limes and Roger the cabin boy, a bit of Cheshire was mandatory on English naval vessels in the 18th century.

Klundi was crumbly, salty, pale and delicious with paste.




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#53 Bruce's Blue by Lochelian

A cheese named Bruce has to be good, surely.

It's like Monty python's Cheese Shop sketch and their Australian Philosophy Department met at an Engineers Uni ball and spent the night making sweet cheese.

Bruce's Blue is named after its maker using the same mould used in making gorgonzola.

It's surface-ripened so the outside is heavily veined and might be a bit threatening to the less adventurous. But for those with the courage to venture forward, the inside is less blue, and has a smooth and creamy feel.

Bruce's Blue is sweet at front of palate and sharp at back end.




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#52 Wanghu Soft by Lochelian

A new producer (to me) from near the Victorian town of Shepparton.

The Wanghu soft is a great looking cheese, I love the grid lines running across the rind. Its a classic, intensely buttery Brie. It oozed but was still slightly chalky towards the centre.

This one sourced from the extremely knowledgeable Two Tall Chefs at the Cheese Shop in North Carlton.Check 'em out on the facebook.








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#51 Cloth Matured Cheddar by Ashgrove Cheese

A Tasmanian produced cloth covered cheddar. The Ashgrove was sharp and earthy to taste with a texture that fell mid way between waxy and crumbly.

I'll confess that I like but don't love cheddar. If offered a choice I'd take a brie or washed rind over a cheddar any day.

But Cheddar is undoubtedly cheese - so it's good. Here's a couple of factoids I've learned about cheddar.

1. Cheddar plays it both ways - its both verb and noun. The cheese takes its name from the process of cheddaring when the curd is cut up extra small and the maximum level of liquid is drained giving it that crumbly texture.

2. The cloth binding protects the cheese and lets it breath so the rind is formed. You won't get the same rind or flavour in a wax covered cheddar.







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#50 Black Pearl by Boatshed Cheese

And here it is - the half ton (raises bat to pavilion, taps hat).
Black Pearl would have to be one of the most memorable cheeses I've had.
Made by the superb cheesemakers of Boatshed Cheese - it has three layers.
First, experience the the outer white bloomy rind- it's rippled and has black vine ash veins - like a brain - quite something to see.
Then, the knife enters, the almost milky layer spoills out (lovingly mopped up by baguette)
And at the core, a soft goaty ball of cheese love
This is a wow cheese.
From Bill's Farm - where else?

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#49 Quesa Arzua-Ullao

Quesa Arzua-Ullao is a pale Spanish cow's milk cheese that feels and smells a little like mozzarella. The flavour moves from sweet to sour. Quite different from most other cheeses in the tally so far.








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#48 Fondue Friday (with special guest Ms Heidi Raclette)

If a picture tells a thousand words then this post has a word count of 3,019.












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#47 Woodside Cheese Wrights - Goat on a Hot Tin Roof

Yes it sounds like a silly name, a marketing ploy, but in reality, this cheese shows just how far cheese makers will go in their craft and in their quest for product differentiation.

Milking goats on a hot tin roof is occupational health and safety foolishness sure, but it's a necessary step along the goat path of making a fine and distinctive cheese.

Apparently the Buffalo Mozzarella on a hot tin roof was a complete disaster.

Goat on a Hot Tin Roof is a spicy, slighty sour and fresh and of course a little bit goaty. A herbed chèvre coated in a mix of chilli and herbs and produced by croweating cheesemakers -Woodside Cheese Wrights  of South Australia.






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