Over the Moon Camembert

White mould
Cow's milk
New England
200g wheels
www.johnsonsfarmgate.com.au/otm

If you're a regular attendee at many of the farmers' markets around Newcastle or Sydney, you'll be no stranger to Over the Moon milk, in all its 100% Jersey, non-homogenised, luxurious glory. The milk has a cult-like following, and is sold by Johnson's Farmgate, along with their fresh produce sourced from growers in the Upper Hunter Valley.

Over the Moon
Camembert

They've recently added a Camembert-style cheese to their range of dairy products. I bought one recently at the Newcastle City Farmers' Market, and it's not a bad first effort. In fact, once I let it ripen properly for a few extra weeks, it was better than many established brands. The texture was rich and smooth, and the flavour was creamy with deep savoury notes - something I look for (and rarely find) in Aussie white mould cheeses.

The cheese is made by John & Lia Christensen of New England Cheese, in the tiny town of Nowendoc (population 157) along Thunderbolt's Way. Some years ago, New England Cheese produced some impressive goat's milk cheeses, but then took a break from cheesemaking to concentrate on milk production.

But now that they're back in the cheesemaking business, you will likely see some of their new creations featured here in future posts. If this Camembert is anything to go by, you'll be over the moon when you try them.

Small Cow Farm 'PetitVache'

White Mould
Cow's milk
Southern Highlands
1kg wheels/250g wheels
4-6 weeks maturation
www.smallcowfarm.com

You'd be hard-pressed to find a better, more consistent Brie and Camembert in Australia that those produced by Small Cow Farm. In my many years eating, selling and enjoying these cheeses, they have always been ripe and flavoursome, and with individual characteristics reflecting the seasons.

Small Cow Farm 'PetitVache'
Brie and Camembert

Both Brie and Camembert are produced with the moniker 'PetitVache' - a literal translation of "Small Cow" into French - but are distinguished by their size. Generally I find the Brie to be milder but more buttery, and the Camembert tends to have more developed flavours with stronger, mushroomy notes.

While the Williams' don't use their own Dexter milk to make these delectable softies anymore, they still source all of the milk from neighbouring farms in the Southern Highlands. The high annual rainfall and rich, lush pastures in this part of the state create luscious milk ideal for making soft cheeses.

I particularly like them in Summer, because they pair so beautifully with stone fruits. The combination of ripe, juicy peach with a generous wedge of buttery brie is as perfect as,  well... peaches and cream.