Do you believe in cheeses?
If so, get yourself off to a cheese emporium and get tasting.
It’s New Zealand Cheese Month. That means all sorts of cheesy goings-on like cheese specials, cheese tastings and events, and even a cheese trail to sniff out (yep, the trail links artisan cheese-makers together via an app www.thefoodpathnz.com )
The Cheese Lovers NZ Instagram page will be giving away gourmet NZ cheese hampers to people who share images of NZ cheese using the #nzcheeselovers hashtag. There are also competitions on the Cheese Lovers NZ Facebook page. Just a hint, you are not going to win anything if your pic contains imported cheese. Nah. All these initiatives are about celebrating NEW ZEALAND cheese and our cheesemakers.
Here are the stats:
New Zealanders consume an average of 8.2kg per person annually, compared with Aussies who gobble up 14.7kg per person. But it’s Denmark that will shock your socks off – they are the biggest cheese-wolfers by far with 28.1kg per person. That’s a mountain of cheese, and we’ve got a whey to go to catch up. Couldn’t resist, sorry.
What’s our favourite cheesy nibble in New Zealand? In the specialist cheese category, feta leads the chase – check out the Spring Salad recipe with feta, broad beans & red pepper Spring Salad with Feta & Broad Beans
Check out cheese events around the country here
www.nzsca.org.nz
Moore Wilson’s in Wellington have cheese tastings including Over the Moon, Meyer, Whitestone, Massimo’s.
Farro Fresh in Auckland have Meet the Cheesemaker events featuring the Drunken Nanny, Viavio, Barry’s Bay Cheese.
There are events at the Gisborne Farmer’s Market every Saturday during October (two to go), and there is an amateur cheesemaking contest at Oxford Farmers’ Market in Oxford.
AND… cheese recipes on Shared Kitchen. Take your pick –
Cheese Scones
More Cheese Scones
Grilled Swiss Sandwiches
Cheese Straws
Jacket Potatoes with Cheddar
Goat’s Cheese & Asparagus Tarts
Pears & Blue Cheese
Cauliflower Cheese
Mini Stuffed Peppers with Goat’s Cheese
Luca’s Goat’s Cheese & Charred Pepper Crostini
