Bodalla Dairy 'Gumleaf Smoked'

Smoked Cheddar
Cow's milk
South Coast
100g portions
~3 months maturation
www.bodalladairyshed.com.au

Bodalla Dairy is one of the newest kids on the NSW cheese block, and while they mostly make club cheese, a few natural cheeses are being churned out too. One of them is 'Gumleaf Smoked' - real cheddar cheese, which is really smoked.

Bodalla Dairy
'Gumleaf Smoked'

Owner and bush tucker enthusiast, Sandra McCuaig, told me she cuts up the gum leaves with scissors, creates a smouldering fire, then carefully cold-smokes the cheese for about 7 hours.

The result? The mildly sweet tang of a young cheddar, laced with a subtle hint of smoke. It's beautifully balanced, and there's not a hint of eucalyptus in the flavour - so you can banish any thoughts of lozenge-laced cheese from your imagination!

It's delicious on its own, but sensational on a toasted sandwich or melted over a burger.

While the South Coast of NSW might be thought of as strictly cheddar territory, Bodalla Dairy's cheesemaker, Lukas Klekowski, is experimenting with soft ripened cheeses, and other styles beyond those familiar yellow blocks. Stay tuned...