Second Mouse Cheese Co 'Frieda' & 'Henri'

Frieda
Washed Rind
100g squares

Henri
Semi-hard
2kg wheels

Cow's milk
Central West
secondmousecheeseco.com.au  

At about this time every year, I share my latest finds from judging at the Sydney Royal Cheese & Dairy Produce Show. This year I discovered two cheeses - Frieda and Henri. I had 'met' Frieda a few years ago, when she had just been created by cheesemaker Kai Woltman, of Second Mouse Cheese Co. Since then, I've watched her evolve and she is now looking (and tasting) stunning, with her proud orange rind, silky interior and bold but balanced flavour.

Second Mouse Cheese Co
'Frieda'

Frieda is named after Kai's mother, who was still alive when Kai created the cheese in her honour. "She had a very strong personality," says Kai, "so it made sense to create a washed rind cheese for her." Kai grew up in Germany, and lived across the road from a cheesemaker who produced Tilsit. Like most Germans, he ate cheese every day.

When both of Kai's parents passed away a couple of years ago, he decided to create a cheese named after his father, Henri. Kai's father and family had a small dairy in Germany, and they made fresh cheeses for their own enjoyment. "My father was a sweet, kind man," said Kai, which is reflected in the sweet, milky flavours of Henri (the cheese).

Second Mouse Cheese Co
'Henri'

The cheese is a unique semi-hard style - "not Gouda, or Edam or Swiss," explains Kai, but inspired by all of those classics. It has a lovely natural rind and golden interior, which is strewn with small 'eyes' reminiscent of proper Danish Havarti. The supple texture balances beautifully with the mild, milky flavour, and it finishes with a lovely sweet note.

Both cheeses are a fitting tribute to their namesakes.