Pecora Dairy 'Jamberoo Mountain' Blue

Blue mould
Ewe's milk (East Friesian)
Southern Highlands
~700g barrels
10-12 weeks maturation
www.pecoradairy.com.au

At exactly this time last year, Michael & Cressida McNamara did a really brave thing. They entered their 'Jamberoo Mountain' Blue into the Sydney Royal Cheese Show. With just under 1000 products entered into the competition that year, it might not seem like such a bold move, but here's the thing: the McNamara's had not yet sold a piece of their precious blue cheese.

Pecora Dairy
'Jamberoo Mountain' Blue

They had, however, been making cheese for over 6 years, with around 150 experimental batches, before building the confidence to launch their creation. Their hard work and determination to make an excellent product paid off, when they won the only Gold Medal in the entire class of Sheep's Milk Cheese in the show.

As a judge at that show, I recall being excited and intrigued at this exquisite blue cheese that I'd never come across before - and even more excited when I learned that it was made by a new producer from NSW.

'Jamberoo Mountain' Blue's character is still evolving, but the most recent batch I tried had delicate flavours of white flowers and apricots, with that tell-tale sheep's milk sweetness. The texture was moderately firm, with a very creamy mouthfeel. It really is ewe-nique!