Hunter Belle Cheese 'Belleyere'

Gruyere-style (Hard Cooked)
Cow's milk (Brown Swiss)
Hunter Valley
~3kg wheels
2-4 months maturation
www.hunterbellecheese.com.au

Hard cheeses are not widely made in Australia, let alone in New South Wales, so Hunter Belle's 'Belleyere' rates a special mention. Pronounced bell-yeah, it is made in a Gruyere-style, and matured for around 3 months.

Hunter Belle 'Belleyere'

Owned and operated by Geoff and Tania Chesworth, Hunter Belle makes cheeses exclusively from the milk of Brown Swiss cows, sourced from a single herd near Singleton. Most of them have belle-themed names, a legacy of the original cheesemaker which is being continued by current cheesemaker Tim Gadischke.

The rich milk from these pasture-fed cows produces a deep, golden colour in the 'Belleyere'. It has the slightly pungent aroma of a smear-ripened cheese like Tilsit, a compact Gruyere texture, a mild Cheddar-like tang, and a lingering sweet aftertaste - a little bit of something for everyone.

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.