Yarra Valley Dairy Persian Fetta

During this festive season there are many functions happening that you might well be looking for something for your cheese plate and I suppose that it is appropriate that I resume this cheese series with a cheese from my home state.

Cheese Maker: Yarra Valley Dairy
Cheese Name: Persian Fetta
Location: McMeikans Road, Yering, Victoria
Open Daily: 10.30am - 5.00pm

Inside this can is a silken prize and one of my favourites - cows milk fetta marinated in a blend of extra virgin olive oil, herbs and spices.

Open the lid and a wonderful aroma wafts up - a mix of herbs with just a touch of garlic to round it off.

The fetta itself is incredibly creamy, some fetta can be a little dry but this just dissolves and clings to your tongue. This is a cheese you can gladly eat just with some good crusty bread, it really doesn't need anything else. Beware, once opened one of these cans will disappear quickly so you might well need to get two!

If you must you could add it to salads, sandwiches or bake it in a savoury tart or pie. Don't throw away the oil, use it in salad dressing or toss vegetables through it before roasting them for extra flavour.


Originally published here

Yarra Valley Dairy Gemello

Another year, another cheese and I'm starting off in my home state and revisiting Yarra Valley Dairy - head to this post for further information on the Dairy.

Yarra Valley Dairy Gemello is a fresh cheese made in traditional farmhouse style. It's unusual in that it's a blend of Goat (30%) and Cows (70%) milk. The result is a extremely white cheese that is semi soft.

If you are careful you should be able to slice the cheese but it's more suited to being broken into odd sized chunks that are just great for salads. You could also use this as a spread.

Tastewise, the goat imparts a subtle sharpness, a perfect foil to the creamy characters of the cows milk. I would class this as a great cheese to give to those that are new to goat cheese or are just looking for something a little subtle and mellow.


Originally published here

Yarra Valley Dairy Grabbetto

A most picturesque part of Victoria, located in the east, just over an hour away from Melbourne, you'll find the Yarra Valley. Besides being home to one of our great wine regions, it's also where you'll find the Yarra Valley Dairy.

Yarra Valley Dairy was established in 1996 and produces a range of cows and goats milk cheese that are made in a French/Italian style using non-animal rennet.

Still located in a hundred year old shed, the dairy's retail side has changed somewhat since my last visit. There used to be quite a nice cafe but it has downsized considerable to make way for more cheese making facilities. A viewing window now enables you to get up-close and watch the cheese-making process.

They have added a new wine hub which features wines from some of the smaller wineries that don't yet offer cellar door facilities . Cheese tastings are still available and you can sit back and relax with coffee or if you're in need of a larger cheese fix, platters can be purchased.

Cheese Maker - Yarra Valley Dairy
Cheese Type - Grabbetto: Ashed and White Mould Goat Cheese
Location - McMeikans Road, Yering, Victoria
Open: Daily 10.30am - 5.00pm

Grabbetto is a curd style goat's cheese, matured between 2-4 weeks it's noted for its unusual truncated cone shape.

On the left is the young ashed Grabbetto and to the right, the mature version, in which white mould has developed to form a thick skin.

The ash makes a great contrast to the pure white curd - soft and delicate, very easy to cut.

The mould is still quite soft to the touch, when cut the maturation process is visible.

The distinct line will move towards the centre as time passes - the core is more brittle when compared to it's surrounds. This cheese was used in my Mediterranean Scrambled Eggs - the core melted more quickly in the heat of the eggs whereas the outer layers stayed intact, this made for a nice textural detail in the dish

Both these cheeses should appeal to the goat cheese novice and veteran alike.

Originally published here