BOUTIQUE HAND MADE FARMHOUSE CHEESE - IS THERE ANYTHING BETTER?

The popularity of great hand made cheese is expanding rapidly. It’s a global demand for interesting cheeses with authentic flavour and character and there are now so many in the fridges it can be hard to choose.

Here at Taste Gourmet we select the best authentic artisan cheeses from Australia’s small but exciting farmhouse cheese makers. The cheeses we stock are created by wonderful traditional skills - we wanted you to meet a couple of the passionate and inspiring characters who make them.

We asked Woodside Dairies in South Australia and Binnorie Dairies in the Hunter Valley to tell us more about how their cheeses are made.

We'll feature Binnorie Dairies in this blog and Woodside Dairies in our next blog.

BINNORIE DAIRY
Binnorie is owned by Simon and Sally Gough, Simon set up the Dairy about seven years ago.
Binnorie is in the Pokolbin wine region, Hunter Valley. They specialise in fresh style cheeses made from both cow and goat milk.
Binnorie has a simple philosophy - do it well or not at all. Opened in 2003, there range of specialty cheeses are already considered a benchmark in the industry, combining textures and flavours rarely seen in the Australian food landscape. By focusing on fresh style products that can be used in a myriad of dishes, Binnorie products endeavour to inspire both chefs and home gourmets alike to new levels of creativity.
Simon Gough is the cheese maker and we asked him to share some secrets of cheese making with us.
Why did you start making these products?
When I first started making cheese around 15 years ago, it seemed to me that cheese platters were becoming less and less popular, so I concentrated on making cheeses that could be used in dishes rather than just at the end of the meal. We have a core range of around 20 to 25 products, but regularly have a bit of a play with other special orders.
What makes your products special?
The milk we use is the same as the milk that heads off to the large processors. Where our product differs is that we combine some technical expertise (I have a degree in Microbiology) with some very traditional recipes that I have picked up while working in factories in Europe (and backpacking through Syria). One other factor that I believe is important is to concentrate on textures - a small change in texture can make a major change to how the palate picks up flavours.
What is your favourite product?
I have a number of products I really enjoy, but it depends on what I am using them for. I would choose the Marinated Fetta to put through a salad, Duetto (a blend of Gorgonzola and Mascarpone) as a dessert style and the Washed Rind to sit down with some pate and a glass of wine.
What’s the best thing about being a cheese maker?
What I enjoy most is creating products that can be used as part of somebody's dish. It gives me a buzz to hear when people have used my cheeses as a base ingredient to create a new and different taste sensation - e.g I have had one chef stuff my Labna balls with an olive, cover in Japanese breadcrumbs and deep fry as a finger food, another use the duetto to make a blue cheese icecream and served this with poached pears. Whilst it is enjoyable to create new products, it is far more pleasing to me to help others in their creativity.

RECIPE - MARINATED FETTA WITH MUSHROOMS
Simon gave us this recipe; he says it is a simple dish, but the heat from the mushrooms slightly softens the fetta and really brings out the flavour. A great side dish or a really indulgent breakfast!

Ingredients
Binnorie Dairy Marinated Fetta
200 gms Field Mushrooms
2 teaspoons Garlic
50 gms Butter
Baby Spinach Leaves
Flat leaf Parsley

Method
De-stem the field mushrooms. Soften butter and mix with garlic. Top mushrooms with garlic butter
Place in oven or under the grill until soft . Top with chopped Marinated Fetta and some chopped continental parsley. Place on some baby spinach leaves and serve.

STORING YOUR CHEESE!
The average Aussie eats 12 kilograms of cheese a year, but imagine how much more we could get through if we didn't have to throw it out when it dries up or goes mouldy.
The best way to store hard cheeses, such as cheddar, is to wrap them loosely in plastic wrap.
Soft cheeses, such as brie and camembert, need to breathe, so wrap them in a damp cloth or greaseproof paper. If you're planning on using soft cheeses within a couple of days of purchasing them, you can store them in the paper or plastic wrap they came in.
Keep fresh unripened cheeses and stretched curd cheeses, such as ricotta and haloumi, in the brine or oil they're sold in.