The seemingly infinite selection of cheeses on the market provides a wonderful opportunity to sample a wide array of flavours and textures, and the versatility of the product means that cheese can be consumed as a formal course during a meal, or as a snack, or as an ingredient in a range of sweet and savoury dishes. My favourite way of enjoying cheese is the first I mentioned - as a formal part of a meal, usually served between the main course and the dessert. Cheese served in this way can be accompanied by red wine and crisp vegetables, such as radishes, or alternatively a luscious sweet wine and fresh fruit can help to lead the palate into dessert mood. For me the ultimate partner for Chateau d'Yquem sauternes is a creamy, soft cheese and corella pears. Strawberries seem to have a natural affinity with blue vein cheeses. Pears, crisp nashi, delicate berries and juicy melons all go well with a variety of cheese types. For a more savoury feel to the cheese course, try a selection of salad leaves of different textures, colours and flavours, dressed with a subtle vinaigrette. One of the most important things to remember when assembling a cheese platter is to include different textures, flavours and types of cheeses. Surface ripened, blue vein, firm textured, tangy cheddar styles - the choice is endless. A range of crackers and breads-salted, unsalted, wholemeal, fruit breads, ryes, bran-based, will add further interest to the platter, as will fruits and nuts of various kinds. Choose the best quality and the most interesting combinations and you can't go wrong. In recent times Australians have been able to buy a wide range of locally produced cheeses, a far cry from the ubiquitous tasty cheddar of 20 years ago. Double and triple creams, blues, soft surface-ripened varieties and 'firmer cheese styles are all available from local cheese makers. The distinctive flavour of goats' milk cheese, in both soft and firm styles, is becoming familiar to Australian cheese lovers, and some cheese makers are blending goats' and cows' milk to provide an even wider range of new flavours and textures.

Sheep's milk cheeses are also proving successful on the Australian market and, who knows, perhaps one day Australian cheese makers will make use of buffalo milk; after all, it was once used in Italy to make mozzarella cheese. Recipes for making cheese are many and varied, and some cheese-makers jealously guard the recipes and preparation methods for their products. A number of simple cheeses can be made at home by amateur cheese-makers, while other types require specialised knowledge and equipment.

Part I of Cheeses covers the following sections:

• Basic method of cheese production
• Cheese types and ripening
• Cow's milk cheeses
  • Bega
  • Darling downs
  • Elgaar
  • Gippsland
  • Heidi
  • King Island
  • Lactos
  • Margaret River
  • Milawa

Cheeses

Basic method of cheese production

The basic method of cheese production is to add a starter to milk which has been warmed to a specific temperature. This starter is a bacterial culture which produces lactic acid when added to milk. Most matured cheeses have rennet added to them, which contains a coagulating enzyme to hasten the separation of solids and liquids. Rennet is a dried extract from the lining of calves' stomachs, so where religious beliefs or other dietary restrictions prohibit its use, fromos or a microbial rennet is used. After the milk has coagulated, the thin, liquid whey is drained off and the curds are cut and stirred to remove any remaining whey. The curd is then placed in a mould, where it is heated, pressed or salted, depending on the style of cheese required. It is then placed in a controlled environment to cure. Most cheeses are made from the curd mass, but some, including ricotta, also incorporate the whey. Whey is sometimes used to immerse the curd during other cheese-making processes. The simplest, soft, fresh cheese is cottage cheese, which is not allowed to go through any ripening stage. Cheeses of this style are quite easy to make at home, and there are several useful books available which give instructions to the home cook on the processes involved. (Margaret Barca's 'Making your own Cheese and other dairy products', Nelson Homestead Series, is a good example.) When making cheese at home it is essential that working conditions and equipment be absolutely clean, and that the fat content and type of milk used be carefully assessed before beginning.

Cheese types and ripening

Some soft, fresh cheeses, such as fetta and halourni, are stored in brine. These are sometimes referred to as 'pickled cheeses' and taste best after they have been rinsed in fresh, running water to remove excess salt. Another group of cheeses is known as surface-ripened. This group, which includes camembert and brie, is allowed to mature from the outside to the centre, and the curd is not pressed during the maturation process. In the case of camembert and brie, a mould (Penicillium candidum) is applied to the outer surface, which leads to the development of the soft, downy white 'skin' on the cheese. This is perfectly edible and adds to the complexity of flavour in the cheese. As the cheese matures, the inner part becomes smooth and creamy, a texture which is uniform throughout the cheese when it is fully ripe. Over-ripening results in a pervasive taste and smell of ammonia.

Various surface-ripened cheeses, both Australian and imported, have distinctive, easily identifiable flavours in their rinds. To my palate, the flavour of the Australian varieties is more pronounced and robust than that of their European counterparts, something I'd always ascribed to the kinds of moulds developed here. Australian cheese-makers assure me, however, that the moulds used are of European origin and that the methods of manufacture are traditional European ones. It seems then that the kind of milk used, the dairy herds kept and the feed the beasts consume all impart a distinctive Australian flavour to the cheese. It would be an interesting exercise to conduct a blind tasting of imported and domestic cheeses, so that educated palates could taste and describe both products.

Like surface-ripened cheeses, blue vein cheeses are treated with a mould, in this case Penicillium glaucem or Penicillium phicidlum. Needles are inserted into the cheese to ensure that the bacteria is distributed evenly throughout the cheese. Blue vein cheeses ripen from the inside out, and their texture tends to be soft, sometimes even crumbly. Like the mould on camembert and brie, that in blue-vein cheese is perfectly safe.

Washed rind cheeses, which are also classified as surface-ripened, are washed while they are ripening. As well as contributing to the final flavour, this process helps prevents the cheese from drying out. A culture is smeared onto the wooden boards on which the ripening cheeses sit and, because the environment is so moist, the culture grows on the surface of the cheese. The cheeses are washed in a brine solution which may also contain other ingredients, such as wine, and this washing helps to spread the culture and control the maturation process. Sometimes annatto (an orange-red vegetable dye) or other colouring is added, both to give the finished product extra visual appeal and to help the consumer distinguish between the various cheese types. Surface-ripened, washed-rind cheeses, such as tilsit and raclette, are consumed without their rinds.

Some soft and semi-soft cheeses are coated in pepper or herbs, while others, such as the ash-coated chevre, have even more unusual coverings. The ash coating, a traditional French presentation style for this cheese, may be eaten. Semi-hard cheeses, such as gouda and edam, are pressed to remove whey from the curd, while hard cheeses are the result of cooking and pressing the curd. Parmesan is a good example of a hard cheese style. The outer rind of hard and semi-hard cheeses is often oiled or waxed to prevent the curd drying out during the ripening process.

Tasty and cheddar cheeses are the most familiar and popular cheese styles in Australia. There are many brand names on the market, each representing a slight variation in the cheese-making process. The basic method of producing cheddar-style cheese is to add rennet and starter culture to warm milk, which is then allowed to coagulate. The coagulated curd is cut, the whey drained off and the curd cut, turned and stacked regularly - every 10 to 15 minutes over 1 to 1 1/2 hours - until the required texture and degree of acidity is obtained. The curd is then milled (cut into small pieces) and salted before being placed in cheesecloth-lined hoops and pressed. It is then removed and matured in a curing room under controlled conditions.

Traditionally made cheddar-style cheeses develop a firm rind as the cheese matures. Rindless tasty cheeses are also made. These produce less waste as the rind must be removed before the cheese is eaten. Aging times vary according to the degree of maturity and intensity of flavour desired. Mild cheeses are matured for about three months, semi-matures for about six months and matures for up to a year. Vintage cheeses require about 18 months' maturation before reaching their peak. Maturation time is not the only factor contributing to the flavour, colour and texture of cheddar and other kinds of cheeses. The region where the cheese is produced, the kind of animal producing the milk, seasonal, climatic and pasture variables all affect the final result.

Swiss-style cheeses, such as the Lactos St Claire, have holes or 'eyes' throughout. These are caused by bacteria-forming prioponic acid which produces gases that expand the curd and form the holes.
Processed cheeses are heat-treated to halt further ripening. These tend to be less highly flavoured than matured cheeses, and some are smoked or enhanced with the flavours of herbs or spices to counteract this. Another process often used in cheese-making is known as pasta filata. Here the curd is drawn and stretched after immersion in hot whey. The result is sometimes known as plastic curd cheese. It can be cut into pieces, immersed in whey and water again until pliable, then moulded or shaped into balls, sausages and other shapes. Provolone is a well known cheese of this style. All cheeses are best stored in the refrigerator, but the portions which are to be eaten should be removed about two hours before they are required. Do not remove the whole cheese from the refrigerator and then return the uneaten portion; try to estimate the amount to be consumed and leave the rest chilled.

Blue cheeses are best stored wrapped in foil, while other soft cheeses need air circulation and should be wrapped in waxed paper or parchment. In both cases, place the wrapped cheese in a sealed container, preferably twice the volume of the cheese to be stored. A smaller container will tend to make the cheese sweat, while a larger one will allow too much air to circulate around the cheese, making it dry out quickly.

In the following sections  I have attempted to present the most interesting products from a representative sample of some of Australia's finest and most innovative cheese-makers. Like the product itself, the descriptions are meant to tantalise and interest, rather than to provide an entire, definitive exposition. For ease of reference, the cheeses have been divided first into milk type - cows', goats' or sheep's. Some cheeses are made of a combination of milks, usually cows' milk and goats' milk; in these cases I have listed them under the most familiar type, usually cows' milk, and have identified the other milk component in the description. Except where otherwise stated, the fat content given for each cheese is as a percentage of dry matter.

Cows' milk cheeses

Most Australian cheeses are made from cows' milk, usually from Friesian and Jersey cows, with some cross-breeds used. The Friesian is a black and white cow which produces large quantities of milk, while the camel-coloured Jersey [pictured right] yields a product of high butterfat content. Diet and seasonal and lactation factors will affect milk yield and quality. Less common in the Australian dairy industry is the Guernsey, similar in colour to the Jersey but often with creamy-white markings. These cows produce large quantities of high quality milk, with a fat content between that of Jerseys and Friesians. Ayrshires are reddish cattle with white markings. They have good yields of milk which contains a very high proportion of solid nonfats, making it a very easily digestible product. The Ayrshire is an efficient animal, which produces good quality and quantities of milk from relatively poor pastures. It also has a long productive life, usually up to 10 years of age.

Probably the least common breed of dairy cow in Australia is the Swiss brown, or Braunvieh [pictured below right]. This is a dual purpose animal, used for both milk and meat production. I visited a farm in Victoria, run by Bruno and Pam Zeller, where the Swiss influence extended beyond the choice of breed to a traditional milking shed complete with a strap-on one-legged milking stool hanging on the wall. Like their European counterparts, the cattle are housed in this shed during the winter months. Whatever the breed, fat content is an important determinant of flavour in milk, as is the type of feed accessible to the animal. In spring, lush pastures can produce what dairy farmers call a 'feedy flavour' in the milk, which is undesirable for cheese production. In summer, by contrast, dry feed can result in a weaker milk, low in butterfat, and difficult to set into curd for cheese-making. Fat content in milk can be measured manually or by using electronic instruments which provide a digital readout. Most Australian producers rely on the former method, which depends on experience in the area. On cheese labels the fat content is given either as a percentage of dry matter (where the solid fat is extracted, leaving no moisture), or as the fat and moisture content of the whole cheese. The former method will show a higher figure than the latter. All milk must be pasteurised before it is used for cheese production. Lactation in cows follows the season of grass growth. Calves born in the spring are taken from their mothers two to three days after birth, and good quality milk is produced 10 to 14 days after calving, The cow is milked daily until autumn, when it is 'dried off' for six to eight weeks. Milking recommences in spring, when the next calf is born. Cows are milked from about two-and-a-half years of age and their productive life generally lasts for around five lactations, depending on yield and quality. At five or six years of age they are retired from milking and either kept for breeding purposes or culled from the herd.

Bega
Bega has traditionally produced three styles of cheese: mild, which is aged for six to ten weeks; tasty, which is matured for from six to seven months; and Bega vintage cheese, which is aged for ten to twelve months; and a new range of 'fancy' cheeses is soon to be introduced. The following brief description of the manufacturing process gives some idea of the complexity of production for even these most familiar of cheeses.

Raw milk for cheese production is pumped through a pasteuriser into cheese vats of 14,000 L capacity. Rennet and a selected strain of lactic acid is added to promote the formation of a junket, which is cut into small particles with wire cutters. The curd and whey are slowly heated to 38C, while being constantly agitated, which firms the curd and hastens the expulsion of moisture. After two and a half hours of this treatment the lactic acid is at the required level and the curd and whey can be pumped into the cheddarmaster for draining. As it moves up a stainless steel conveyor belt the curd and whey separate and the curd falls into the cheddaring boxes. The small particles of curd fuse together to form one block of curd in each box and, after approximately two hours, the acid development reaches the desired level and the curd is ready for milling.

The boxes are then hoisted up individually to the curd mill at the back of the chedddarmaster. The milled curd is produced in 2cm square sections of variable lengths - something like the size and shape of potato chips. It travels up the conveyor belt again and a sensing device enables the correct amount of salt to be added, where it is thoroughly mixed with the curd. The next step is to press the curd under high pressure overnight. On the following morning the pressed curd is cut into 20kg blocks which are transported to the packing room and sealed in airtight film to prevent the surface of the cheese from drying out and to stop the development of any mould. The cheese is then placed in cardboard boxes or bulk containers and stacked in the maturing room. The maturing time for each batch of cheese will vary, and it is here that the skill of the cheese-maker is called into play. The maturing process takes place under controlled temperatures to ensure high quality in the finished product. Experienced graders examine the cheeses to determine their readiness for sale, at which point the cheese is removed from the maturing room and cut into small packs for the consumer.

Darling Downs
Cheddar accounts for a large proportion of the cheese manufactured at the Darling Downs Co-operative. It is made in 4 1/2kg and 19kg weights and has a fat content of 33 per cent. The cheese is mechanically produced and allowed to age for between three and twelve months.

Edam and gouda are both matured for from two to five months. Edam comes in 500g and 2kg units and has a fat content of 24 per cent. With the exception of cheddar, it is the main cheese produced by the Darling Downs Co-operative. It is made by hand and brine salted. Gouda is also handmade and brine salted. It has a fat content of 28 to 30 per cent and comes in 500g and 3kg sizes. Both edam and gouda are made in a ball shape, traditionally coated in wax. They are good table cheeses with a mild taste and a smooth, fine texture. They can also be used in cooking.

Unity Blue was first made in 1960 and is now very well known throughout Australia. It is a rich, creamy cheese with a fat content of 34 per cent. Unity Blue is made by hand and aged for three to six months.
It is foil-wrapped and comes in rounds of approximately 2 1/2kg and in 100g wedges.

Elgaar
Elgaar cheese is made on the farm from the milk from the organic jersey and fresian herd of cows. Cheeses include a Vintage cheddar which is cloth-wrapped and matured for 12-18 months on wooden shelves in a natural rock cellar while the Farm Matured Cheddar which is also cloth-wrapped, is aged from 8-12 months. A full cream feta hand made from organic jersey milk is hand-ladled into a cloth mould which produces a distinctive pattern on the cheese. Elgaar Farm Mascarpone is made from organic triple jersey cream and with it's spreadable texture, lends itself to both sweet and savoury applications.

Gippsland
Victoria's Gippsland region is well known for its quality cheeses. Blue Cheese Enterprises Pty Ltd, established by the Johnson and Jensen families in 1982, is the home of the renowned Gippsland Blue, a magnificent cheese made by Laurie Jensen. It is possible to view the production of Gippsland Blue in a specially designed viewing area in the factory at Neerim South. In 1985, Jindi Cheese Pty Ltd of Gippsland began producing soft cheeses, such as Supreme and Jindi brie. The factory at Jindi is not open to the public as the proprietors are concerned to protect the specialised mould cultures used in the production of the cheeses. The fat content for the various cheeses listed below is given as a percentage of total weight.

Gippsland Blue is sold in half-rounds which weigh 2kg. As for all the Gippsland cheeses from Blue Cheese Enterprises and Jindi Cheese, the milk for the Blue comes from one specific dairy herd, an 'on-farm' aspect which not only provides greater control over the finished product but gives each variety a distinct regional characteristic. In the case of the Gippsland Blue, the rich, creamy milk needed comes from Friesian-Jersey cross cows. Production of Gippsland Blue is all year round, but during autumn the feed is dry and the milk somewhat weaker and lower in butterfat, thus altering the character of the cheese. About 10L of milk of 4 per cent fat content is required to produce 1kg of Gippsland Blue. The finished product, which is all handmade, has a fat content of 25 per cent. It is matured in dark cellars which simulate the conditions of the European caves in which traditional blue cheeses are made. The cheeses are all spiked by hand to allow the mould to develop and give the cheese its characteristic texture. A reddish-brown rind develops while the cheese is maturing and small 'eyes' (air bubbles) appear throughout the cheese. It takes from two to two and a half months to bring Gippsland Blue to the point where it is ready for sale, at which point the cheese will develop for a further three to four weeks.

Supreme cheese is made by Jindi. It is a double cream cheese (that is, it must have at least 30 per cent fat content). The herd providing milk for the Supreme is made up of mostly Jersey cows. This herd exclusively supplies milk for the cheese. Supreme is a luscious cheese, made up in 1 1/2 kg ingots. It has a white surface mould, resulting from cultures added to the milk during production, and requires 5L of high-fat milk (12% fat content) to produce just over 1kg of cheese. Supreme takes four weeks to make and will mature for a further three to four weeks.

Jindi brie comes in 2 1/2 kg rounds. It has a fat content of around 25 percent and, again, the milk comes from a herd of mainly Jersey cows kept especially for its production. The brie requires six weeks to manufacture and will ripen for a further one or two weeks. Ten litres of milk is required to make 1 1/2 kg of cheese. Like all surface-ripened cheeses, it is best to test brie for ripeness by pressing it gently in the centre. If it is still firm it requires a little longer If a cut cheese has a chalky line through the centre, which is noticeably firmer than the surrounding cheese, again it requires further ripening time A good brie will have a uniform creamy texture throughout. Over-ripe brie will be unacceptably strong in flavour, sometimes with the smell and taste of ammonia present (which naturally matures the cheese), and may have a darkened, brownish rind. Brie in this state may still be edible, but to eat it this way is to do a disservice to a fine cheese.

Re Gippsland Blue: the company is now known as Tarago River Cheese Company but they still do Gippsland Blue as a cheese. Others in their range include Gippsland camembert, Triple cream, Shadows of Blue, - a mild double cream blue, Blue orchid with a traditional robust flavour and Jensen's Red washed rind cheese which has a full flavour and creamy texture. They also make goat cheese - a fresh style chevre, a marinated goat cheese in oil with herbs and spices, and Strzelecki Blue goat cheese made in a farmhouse style with a full flavour and aromatic bouquet.

• Recipe: herb blue cheese dressing
  Both Gippsland Blue and Goats' Milk Blue are excellent in this dressing.
  
  200 g blue vein cheese
  2 tblspns maple syrup
  150 ml creme fraiche
  150 ml milk
  juice 1 lime
  1/4 tspn paprika
  1 clove garlic, crushed
  few drops Tabasco
  1 tblspn chopped fresh herbs (chervil, chives, parsley and dill)
  
  Combine all ingredients in a food processor until smooth. Add a little extra milk if the dressing is too thick. This dressing is very good with salads containing apples and nuts, and can also be served as an accompaniment to cold chicken.
  Suggested Wine: 2005 Three Brothers Sauvignon Blanc Semillon

• Recipe: Rosti with cheese
  The addition of raclette cheese to this traditional Swiss recipe gives the rosti a creamy centre.
  
  1 medium yellow-fleshed potato per person
  onion, finely chopped
  freshly ground black pepper
  pinch salt
  raclette cheese
  
  Grate the potatoes, add the onion, pepper and salt and mix together. Place a spoonful of the mixture in a hot pan which has been coated with a little melted butter. Place a slice of raclette on top of the mixture and cover with some more potato mixture. Saute until golden, turning over once during the cooking.
  Suggested Wine: 2004 Tin Shed Wild Bunch Riesling

Heidi
All of Heidi's cheeses have a smooth, firm texture and medium-gold colour. They are very good table cheeses with a round, full flavour.

Baby is a small round, 300g to 400g in weight with a fat content of between 45 and 50 per cent. It accounts for 5 per cent of Heidi's cheese production and is matured for four to eight weeks before it is ready for sale.

Barrel is 1 1/2 kg to 1 4/5 kg in weight, with a fat content of 45 to 50 per cent. The cheese is ripened for three to six months and turned and washed every two or three days. The result is a firm-textured cheese with a nutty flavour in typically Swiss style. This is a true farmhouse cheese which accounts for 20 per cent of Heidi's production.

Block cheese is very large, between 14 and 17kg in weight. Like the barrel, it has a fat content of 45 to 50 per cent. It is aged for two to four months before being ready for sale. Heidi block cheese is a good-flavoured, matured table cheese with a firm but still creamy texture. It accounts for 60 per cent of the cheeses made by Heidi.

Gruyere is made in large wheels or squares, from 14 to 17kg in weight. It has a fat content of 47 per cent. The maturation process takes from six to eight months, when the cheese is turned and washed every two or three days. Heidi gruyere has a distinctive flavour which marries well with fresh fruit and nuts. It is also a good cooking cheese, particularly when grated and used as a topping for savoury dishes or sprinkled into soups.

King Island
King Island Dairy was established in 1903 and has consistently supplied a fine range of dairy products. The cheese-making side of the business began in 1980, but aside from cheeses the dairy supplies high quality unsalted butter, the very rich King Island cream (55% fat content) and, more recently, an excellent creme fraiche.

Visitors can view cheese-making through windows at the factory, and can purchase the produce of the factory at an on-site shop. Milk for the dairy produce comes from the island's own herds, which graze on particularly lush pastures and provide the cheeses, creams and butters with a unique richness and creaminess.

Cape Wickham Double Brie is probably the best known cheese from King Island. It is a superb cheese with a very good flavour and a rich, creamy texture. Very high in fat (60% fat content), the cheese is sold in 1kg wheels. King Island brie is handmade, requiring four weeks of manufacture before the cheese is ready for sale. It will mature further after sale and, like all surface-ripened cheeses, is best eaten when the inside is of a consistent, creamy texture, without any chalkline of harder, immature. cheese.

In France, brie is traditionally matured in caves. Similar conditions are being achieved in specially designed maturing rooms on King Island, in the expectation that this will help to ensure a consistently high quality product. It is also important for the consumer to store soft, surface-ripened cheeses in optimum conditions.

Pizza cheese is a mozzarella-style melting cheese made in 5kg loaves. It has a fat content of 20 per cent. The cheese is made from milk collected from spring to autumn and is mechanically stretched in the pasta filata method. Pizza cheese is ready for sale within two weeks of being made but will benefit from a little further aging.

Surprise Bay Farmhouse Cheddar is sold in 5kg wheels. It has a fat content of 28 per cent. Manufacture of this cheese is partially mechanised and the cheese is aged for from nine to twelve months before being sold, wrapped in red wax.

Tomme fraiche is a relatively high-fat cheese, with a fat content of 50 per cent. It is a handmade fresh cheese, sold in 1kg wheels. Tomme fraiche is best eaten while very young and goes particularly well with fresh fruits, where its refreshing hint of acidity is shown to its best advantage. It has a soft white curd with a clean aftertaste.

Lactos
Lactos Cheese in Burnie, Tasmania, was established in 1954 by Milan Vyhnalek and is now owned by Bongrain, which specialises in the manufacture of fine cheeses. Visitors are made welcome to the factory and the range of cheeses is available for tasting and purchase.

Most cheeses made by Lactos are from cows' milk, but the company now produces a goats' milk camembert in 250g loaves. Lactos does not maintain its own dairy cows but obtains milk from the region's Friesian, Jersey and Ayrshire dairy herds. The cheeses (with the exception of camembert and brie, which are handmade) are made by mechanical process and seasonal production begins in August, peaking from November to March.

Lactos makes a number of well known cheeses of European origin, including Cradle Valley Gouda, a mild cheese which will develop a stronger flavour as it matures. It is sold in wheels of 3kg weight. Edam, a similar cheese style to gouda, is also made by Lactos and marketed as Cradle Valley Edam.

Lactos markets surface-ripened cheeses like camembert and brie under the brand name 'Tasmanian Brie' and 'Tasmanian Camembert'. Larger loaves are sold as Delice de France. Both are very good examples of their type, with a fat content of under 30 per cent.

The fat content of the following cheeses is given as a percentage of total weight.

Mersey Valley is a vintage club cheese unique to Lactos and, in fact, to Australia. It offers the best of both worlds, where the qualities of aged gouda and cheddar cheeses are combined to produce a semi-soft texture with the piquancy and flavour of a matured cheddar. It is produced by blending several cheeses, some up to two years old. The fat content of Mersey Valley cheese is 34 per cent and it has a shelf life of six months.

Neufchatel is a fresh, cream-style cheese which adapts well to a variety of uses. It does not mature like other cheeses and is best used fresh in dips, for cheesecakes and to add body to mayonnaises and sour cream sauces, particularly for salads. Lactos also sells neufchatel flavoured with chocolate or strawberry, as a ready-made dessert.

As neufchatel is a fresh product, containing no preservatives, it is best when bought as it is required and then stored for short periods in the refrigerator, well wrapped in plastic or foil.

St Claire is one of the cheeses for which Lactos is famous. It is sold as a large wheel of around 10kg in weight and has a fat content of 26 to 30 per cent. St Claire is a rich yellow colour, with a smooth but firm texture and large 'eyes' (the holes that characterise Swiss cheese, formed by the action of gas-producing bacteria). The flavour is sweet and nutty, offering good contrasts when used on a cheese platter with other more sharply flavoured cheeses.

• Recipe: Neufchatel cheese log
  250 g neufchatel cheese
  rind and juice 1/2 lemon
  2 tblspns mixed fresh herbs, finely chopped (parsley, dill, chervil or chives)
  
  Combine all ingredients, working them together well with a spoon. Shape the mixture into a log or ball and then coat in more fresh herbs or, if desired, chopped nuts or a mixture of poppy seeds, sesame seeds and celery seeds. Serve with water crackers and fresh fruit.
  Suggested Wine: N/V Chandon Brut

• Recipe: Pesto cheese
  Pesto, that wonderful Italian combination of garlic, pine nuts and fresh basil which is most often used as a sauce for pasta, can be used to make a tasty cheese log or ball to be served with other cheeses or as a savoury with drinks.
  
  1 bunch basil
  1clove garlic
  100 g pine nuts
  olive oil
  salt
  250 g neufchatel
  1 tblspn parmesan, grated finely
  
  Using a food processor or a mortar and pestle, blend together the basil, garlic, 20g of the pine nuts and enough olive oil to obtain a smooth consistency. Add salt to taste. Work the mixture well into the neufchatel cheese with the parmesan cheese and form into a log or ball shape. Gently saute the remaining pine nuts until golden, drain well and allow to cool. Coat the cheese with the pine nuts and serve.
  Suggested Wine: 2003 Bouvet Ladubay Saphir Brut Vintage

Margaret River
The Margaret River area in the south-west of Western Australia has long been associated with fine wines, but now the Margaret River Cheese Company is adding to the region's interest for lovers of good food. Its brie is the first farm-fresh mould ripened cheeses to be made in Western Australia. The cheeses, made at the company's purpose-built dairy at Cowararmup, are quite difficult to find in the eastern states but well worth seeking out. All of the milk for the cheeses comes from one herd of Holstein cows and, unlike most imported bries, no stabilisers are added to the cheeses to prolong their shelf life. Each batch of cheese is handmade, so there may be some marginal variations between batches. This may also occur because of seasonal variations, when the dairy herd changes its feeding and management patterns. Margaret River Brie has been produced since 1986. Milk for the cheese has a butterfat content of between 3 1/2 and 4 per cent. A direct starter culture is used to ripen the milk, then fromose is used to set it. It is cut into cubes to separate out the whey, which is used to make ricotta or goes to feed the calves. The curd is stirred and then allowed to settle before being ladled into moulds where it drains. Individual cheeses are turned twice within four hours, then left overnight. They are then dipped in brine, left to dry, and placed in a curing cabinet for 10 days. During this time they are turned a number of times. The cheeses are then wrapped in a special paper which allows them to breathe as they ripen, which may take from four to eight weeks. Mature Margaret River Brie has a firmish outer white mould, while the inner part of the cheese is smooth and creamy throughout, with an almost flowing consistency.

Kosher brie has been made in trial quantities. Fromose enzyme is used rather than calf rennet, and a rabbi is in attendance for the milking and pasteurisation of the milk. The rabbi also inspects the sterilisation of equipment and the curd cutting and labelling. Fromose enzyme gives a more stable set to the curd, enabling better handling during production, and the company is adopting its use for all cheese production.

Milawa
The north east of Victoria is one of the state's best known wine regions, home of Brown Brothers Winery, which was established at Milawa in 1889. The area also boasts a deer farm, trout farming and berry and nut producing areas. Milawa Cheese Company, housed in the old Milawa butter factory was established in 1988 by David Brown and Richard Thomas. The latter is well known in cheese-making circles, having worked at Gippsland and King Island. The stated aim of the Milawa Cheese Company is to bring to Australian cheese lovers some fresh, soft varieties which were once only available in Europe. These washed rind and other fresh European cheeses are, because of quarantine and other restrictions, unable to be imported into Australia. The cheese factory is close to the Brown Brothers Winery, so the region offers an interesting outing for the gourmet. Milawa produces speciality cheeses and the factory has its own tasting room.

Milawa blue is a mild-flavoured creamy blue cheese with a fat content of around 45 per cent. It has a blue-green-white mould with an outer washed rind of red-orange and a whitish powdered overgrowth. When Richard Thomas began making this cheese he found that it ripened more quickly than he would have expected. This was due to a naturally occurring, wine-related yeast which is very desirable and much sought after by cheese-makers (just as botrytis is by the winemaker). Richard Thomas has been able to isolate this yeast and use it regularly in his blue cheese production, thus giving the cheese a unique and truly regional character.

The yeast produces bubbles of gas in the cheese (as are found in Italian gorgonzola). The luscious creamy texture is formed when the penicillium mould acts on the protein in the cheese. If the mould breaks down the fat in the cheese, a sharper flavour, similar to the Danish blue style, would result. Milawa blue is also washed with a salt solution during production and this, in conjunction with the mould, causes the orange colour of the surface.

The cheese is made from cows' milk with 4 per cent butterfat, and 8L of milk is required for each kilogram of cheese produced. Handmade in the traditional French manner, Milawa, blue takes around 45 to 50 days to be ready for sale. It has a shelf life of from four to six weeks, and will be available all the year round in 7kg wheels.

Milawa blue is suitable for use in many dishes and makes a very good addition to a cheese platter. It can be used in the chicken fillet and blue cheese recipe and in the abalone with blue cheese, but its most unusual application is perhaps the ice cream recipe which follows.

Milawa white is produced in 2kg flat rounds, 250mm by 40mm, and, like the Milawa blue, handmade from cows' milk in a traditional European style. It has a 45 per cent fat content and a washed white powdery rind with a reddish background. When ripe, the cheese has a soft texture with characteristic 'eyes'. It may be eaten when young, when it has a fresh acid flavour, or when fully ripe, when it has a full flavour and creamy texture. Milawa white is a washed rind cheese which takes 14 days to make, after which it is wrapped and ripened for 21 days. It has a lifespan of around four weeks.

Milawa gold is made in 800g wheels, 100mm in diameter and 80mm thick, with a wonderfully pungent aroma but a quite delicate taste. It has a golden-red washed rind, a smooth texture and small 'eyes'. Like the other Milawa cheeses, the gold is handmade. It has a fat content of 45 per cent and its shelf life is about six to eight weeks.

• Recipe: Blue cheese ice cream
  Some years ago I decided to make a cheese ice cream. The idea did not seem out of the ordinary to me, as cream cheese is so often used in desserts. A tastier cheese would extend this concept and, with luck, give the finished product an extra dimension in flavour. I first chose a standard melting-type cheese which could be incorporated into the custard base used for the ice cream. This produced an ice cream with a rather granular texture. Experiments with blue cheese produced a very acceptable result, with an almost chewy feel, and a distinctive blue cheese flavour, most interestingly backed by the sweetness of the custard.
  
  Blue cheese goes very well with soft fruits, and so does this ice cream, particularly with brambles like the marionberries which I grow myself. Their fresh, clean taste is the perfect complement to the complex flavours of the ice cream. Nashi is also a very good foil for the ice cream. Thanks to the well known quality ice cream maker, Val Gaskell of Ricketts Point Fine Foods in Melbourne, cheese and ice cream lovers are able to sample the blue cheese ice cream, which is made to order. Val also makes a ricotta gelati, once again demonstrating the versatility of cheese and its promise as a dessert ingredient.
  
  250 g blue vein cheese
  150 g sugar
  4 egg yolks, beaten
  350 ml cream
  
  Place the cream and sugar in a saucepan and put on a low heat. Remove from the heat when the sugar has dissolved and blend a little of the mixture into the egg yolks. Gradually pour this back into the remaining mixture in the saucepan and stir well. Cook over a low heat until the mixture thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon. Remove from the heat and allow to cool. Place the cheese in a food processor and gradually add a little of the custard. Process until smooth. Fold this into the balance of the custard and chill the mixture well before churning into ice cream. Serve with a coulis of berries, or soft berries and pears. Alternatively, use the ice cream to stuff crisp, chilled nashi.
  Suggested Wine: 2004 Springvale Gewurztraminer

• Recipe: Tasty pastries
  200 g puff pastry
  150 g grated steppen or tasty cheese
  2 shallots, finely chopped
  1 clove garlic, crushed
  2 tspns marjoram (or herbs of your choice)
  salt and pepper to taste
  2 tblspns bacon, finely chopped (optional)
  
  Grease 24 patty pans and line them with thinly rolled pastry. Combine all other ingredients and place spoonsful of the mixture into each patty pan. Bake at 200C for 15 minutes, or until golden.
  Serve immediately as pre-dinner savouries or party snacks.
  Suggested Wine: Bouvet Ladubay Export Brut