Small Cow Farm 'Rustic' Blue

Blue vein
Cow's milk
Southern Highlands
random weight portions

www.smallcowfarm.com

As we celebrate the many great things about Australia, spare a thought for our artisan cheesemakers and small dairy farmers. It might be our national day, but animals still need milking, cheeses still need turning and there's no such thing as overtime rates for working on a public holiday.

Small Cow Farm
'Rustic' Blue

While it's nice to know they're there, our artisan cheese producers won't survive unless we buy their cheese, and buy it often. If you're not sure where to start, here's a tip: all of the cheeses featured here are handmade by real people - usually in small batches, and often with milk from their own animals.

Rustic Blue is the latest creation from cheesemaker Mark Williams at Small Cow Farm. It's been available for about a year, and is still a work in progress, but its quality and character are consistent.

In shape, size and texture, it reminds me of Fourme d'Ambert, from the Auvergne region of France. It's creamier and milder than their signature Small Cow Blue, which has intense blue notes and a spicy finish. 'Rustic' Blue is more earthy and approachable - perfect for lazy grazing and casual scoffing.

So, celebrate Australia Day with artisan cheese, and help advance Australian fare.

Small Cow Farm 'Redella'

Washed Rind
Cow's milk
Southern Highlands
180g round
4-6 weeks maturation
www.smallcowfarm.com

Your idea of a luscious red might be a fruity red wine, or a bunch of ripe cherries, but mine is a gooey washed rind cheese. Like human red-heads, these sticky, stinky cheeses are actually orange, and are renowned for their bold personalities.


Small Cow Farm
'Redella'

For a mild introduction to the world of smelly cheese, try the latest addition to the Small Cow Farm range. Named 'Redella', it has the same smooth texture as their 'PetitVache' range, and the faint pungent aroma you would expect of a washed rind cheese.

'Redella' is intentionally mild, as it's based on a French cheese called 'Langres'. The French original is often served with Champagne poured over the top, which adds a little boost of flavour, but for my money, 'Redella' wins in the flavour stakes.

I'm also a fan of the packaging, a very French-style miniature wooden box, which prevents the soft, gooey cheese from spilling lava-like from the wrapper. It's unique in the Australia cheese-scape, and perfectly fits in with cheese-maker Mark Williams' aim to produce cheeses that are "special and different".

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.

Small Cow Farm 'Fettice'

Fresh (Fetta*-style)
Cow's milk
Southern Highlands
180g discs
www.smallcowfarm.com

Did you know that Fetta means "slice"? A well-made fetta should be slice-able, rather than smooth and creamy and spreadable. It should also be salty, but not so salty that you can't actually taste the cheese.

Small Cow Farm 'Fettice'

Small Cow Farm's 'Fettice' - their take on Fetta - has both of these features in spades. In fact, it's about a close as you can get to traditional fetta without being made from sheep's or goat's milk.

The very sensible tub comes with 2 discs immersed in brine, so you can easily store what you don't use for another time. Not that there's much risk of that in my kitchen.

Spanakopita - that wonderful Greek pie made with leafy greens and cheese - is one of my current favourites. I particularly like it with lots of fresh mint and a generous squeeze of lemon juice - using Small Cow Fettice, of course. Yiamas!

*"Feta" is the correct spelling for the traditional Greek cheese, and the name now has PDO status in Europe. But the variant "Fetta" is more commonly used in Australia.

Small Cow Farm 'Small Cow Blue'

Blue
Cow's milk
Southern Highlands
2kg wheels
3-4 months maturation
www.smallcowfarm.com

This is one of Australia's strongest and most characterful blues, and it's made just a short distance from Sydney at Robertson in the Southern Highlands.

Small Cow Blue

Created by Mark and Lesley Williams, 'Small Cow Blue has quite a spicy tang, with a distinctive underlying sweetness. The milk for this cheese comes from a single herd in the Southern Highlands, rather than the Williams' heard of Dexter cows, whose luscious milk is better suited to making soft, white-mould styles.

While the maturation details are a closely-guarded secret, the cheese is allowed to ripen with a natural blue mould growing on the outside, which adds to its full-bodied character. I suspect the cheese is at least partially matured under a wax coating, which may explain its sweet, fruity notes.

At last year's ASCA Sydney Cheese Show, two version were entered. The aged version was really powerful - big, spicy, fruity, sweet - but the slightly younger entry was spot-on for me. It had the perfect balance of salt and spice, with a gorgeous underlying creaminess and a lovely tang on the finish. It reminded me of my favourite all-time blue, Valdeon from Spain (minus the Sycamore leaves).

Small Cow Blue is perfect for Winter, particularly when paired with a rich, raisiny tokay or PX sherry.