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Thread: Cheese

  1. #1
    Diamond Member AndyD's Avatar
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    Cheese

    I always have been a cheese fanatic, it's one of those little luxuries I really enjoy. On and off over the years I've even made my own cheeses, it's a lengthy process that requires a lot of patience, some skill and high quality ingredients but it's rewarding.

    I haven't had a really good cheese for a couple of years now, there was a farm about 2 hours away from Cape town where I would regularly purchase great cheeses but the old guy who made them sadly passed away and the cheesemaking side of their business fell by the wayside because his son went to university shortly after his death.

    Late last year I received a phonecall from his son saying that he was back and had started producing cheeses again. I immediately ordered a wheel of mature cheddar which he reserved for me and promised to call again when it was ready. Meanwhile, in my excitement, I got impatient and also ordered some farm produced Wensleydale from a friend who was going to the UK for a month.

    The Wensleydale arrived and it was everything I expected. Needless to say a few days after its arrival I received the long awaited phonecall to say the Cheddar was fully matured and ready for collection. I made the 4 hour round-trip drive to collect. The core sample I tasted on the farm was spot on and the several other samples I tasted on the way home confirmed this. Life was as good as it gets.

    I stashed both cheeses in our pantry and went about life with a certain amount of smugness. I made plans to invite friends who would appreciate them to dinner and produce said cheeses after the meal. I even had a couple of bottles of appropriate wine selected.

    A week later my wife made a confession casually over the dinner table. It turns out that my two kids had eaten the entire Cheddar and a good part of the Wensleydale over a weekend when they had several friends over to stay. Apparently it wasn't their fault really because they didn't know they weren't supposed to eat it but one late night snack and a lunch of cheese on toast the following day for them was the demise of nearly 3 kilos of cheese. I'm left with enough Wensleydale to sprinkle across half a dozen crackers which I'm eating as I type. It somehow hasa less rewarding taste and the feeling of joyous anticipation has been replaced with one of having been mugged. I'm going back in the kitchen when I've finished my crackers to eat the half jar of Melrose and last of the peanut butter that's sitting in the fridge.....purely out of spite.
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    Dave A (19-Jul-12)

  3. #2
    Moderator IanF's Avatar
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    Andy,
    You know this is your fault, no mother ever thinks her kids made a mistake. So be a man accept it then make sure your kids help with your next batch of cheese making especially the cleaning. I am sure you can let it curdle a bit more for the flavour.
    Now take up beer making at least they should know that is yours.
    Only stress when you can change the outcome!

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    AndyD (18-Jul-12)

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    Diamond Member Blurock's Avatar
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    Andy, I believe La Masseria in Stellenbosch also makes good cheese. They have a regular cheese making workshop. I have tasted some really good Italian style cheese at their restaurant in Durbanville.

    I share your love for cheese. As a bachelor it used to be my staple food until my wife introduced me to more variety.
    Excellence is not a skill; its an attitude...

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    AndyD (18-Jul-12)

  7. #4
    Diamond Member wynn's Avatar
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    A teenager with the 'munchies' knows no boundrys! check if the 'munchies' are not brought on by secret consumption of 'electric spinach'
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    AndyD (18-Jul-12)

  9. #5
    Diamond Member AndyD's Avatar
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    There are quite a few small cheese making operations around the Cape, at least 20 that I know of and there's even one ten minutes down the road from me in Kommetjie, most make some nice cheeses but there's very few I would class as 'special'. I'll do some homework on Stellenbosch and maybe take a drive around there one weekend and do some sampling.

    Thanks for the suggestion Wynn and talking of sampling I might just try a urine drug-test on the two kids. Problem is even if they test positive it will also somehow be my fault. They have the appetite of a 2 horsepower waste disposal. Every time they're in the kitchen and the fridge door opens I know it's another R30 on the grocery bill.

    Kids....you can't even get a decent price on the internet for them nowadays.
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  10. #6
    Email problem KimH's Avatar
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    Andy, I had such a good laugh reading this thread.
    As the mother of 2 boys aged 26 and 16 I feel your pain.
    Thankfully the 26 year old is living on his own now,... but when he does come and visit the first thing he does is open the fridge and forage for food
    The 16 year old may as well move into the damn fridge considering the amount of time he spends in front of it!
    Would you mind giving me the contact details for the Cape Town cheesemaker - my husband is also a cheese lover and I think it's time for a road trip.
    "If at first you don't succeed, do it like your mother told you."

  11. #7
    Diamond Member AndyD's Avatar
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    Hi Kim, glad it gave you a chuckle at least. There lots of artisanal cheesemaking setups around CT. It would largely depend very much on exactly what type of cheese you like. I'm not a big fan particularly of the goats and sheep milk cheeses, I prefer the traditional varieties especially English and French cheeses. For cheddar you can try Healey's in Somerset Wes and if you like softer types you can try Dalewood who make a very nice Brie and Camembert. For organic goats cheese you might like the Imhoff Farm who use milk from their own goat herd, they also make a very nice Caerphilly with Chilli cheese.
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    KimH (21-Jul-12)

  13. #8
    Email problem KimH's Avatar
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    Healey's and Dalewoods it is. Thanks Andy
    "If at first you don't succeed, do it like your mother told you."

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