Marrook Farm 'Mountain Swiss' (aka 'Potholes')

Mountain-style
Cow's milk (Ayrshire)
Mid-North Coast
www.marrookfarm.com.au

The good people at Feather & Bone in Sydney recently introduced me to another fine, Swiss-style cheese from Marrook Farm. When they first took delivery of this new creation, they asked cheesemaker David Marks why he hadn't named it after a local land-mark, like his other hard cheeses, 'Bulga' and 'Brinawa'. In typical, straight-talking style, David replied that there were indeed a lot of potholes in the local area.

Marrook Farm 'Potholes'

While it is tempting to call the cheese an Emmental-style - that stereotypical "Swiss" cheese with holes in it - David insists it's not. It does utilise Propionibacteria to form the holes (these bacteria produce CO2 during the cheese's maturation, which pools inside the cheese forming holes or 'eyes'), it's not made using a 'hard-cooked' method like other Swiss-style cheeses. In fact, the recipe and method is a closely guarded secret, which David and his neighbour, a retired cheesemaker, came up with while experimenting last year.

Most cheesemakers would take months or years to develop cheese of this quality through experimentation, trial and error, but David just seems to have the knack when it comes to mountain-style cheeses.

Of all Marrook Farm's hard cheeses, I think 'Potholes' shows off the sweetness of the farm's milk best. The aroma of sweet, cultured cream gives way to a delighfully supple texture, filling the mouth with flavours of cultured butter, mushrooms and a hint of sweetness. It would probably make an excellent cooking cheese - think fondue made with 'Potholes' for melt-ability and 'Bulga' for depth of flavour - but I wouldn't know, because I ate the whole piece on its own.

Like all of Marrook Farm's hard cheeses, 'Potholes' is only made when the cows are exclusively feeding on pasture, so availability is seasonal. But well worth seeking out.