Erle Levey
What is it about cheese that has intrigued, inspired and sustained us for so many generations?
It has been around for ages – since 8000BC when farmers in Europe, Central Asia or the Middle East learnt how to make it from coagulated dairy products.
Yet cheese still holds a sense of mystery.
This month artisan Sunshine Coast hinterland producer Woombye Cheese Company will reveal some of the mystique at a cheese-tasting evening at the West Woombye cellar door of the factory.
The art of cheese-making came to Australia with the First Fleet, but for many years most of it was factory-processed cheddars.
Today, cheese can be enjoyed in so many ways – in baking, on pizza, as part of salads, as a fondue or by itself.
The natural taste brings people together in different settings and surroundings.
To unlock some of the mystique and explore the history of this extraordinary food, Beth O’Leary of national award-winning Woombye Cheese Company will be holding a Cheese Masterclass at the company’s cellar door on Thursday, 28 March, from 6-9pm.
Woombye Cheese has been recognised nationally and on the world stage for its produce – particularly for the Blackall Gold Washed Rind.
It has been Champion Washed Rind Cheese (Australian Grand Dairy Awards) on a number of occasions and in 2023 was crowned Grand Champion product at the 2023 Australian Grand Dairy Awards.
Now it has been awarded second prize in its section at the World Championship Cheese Contest in Wisconsin, USA – the largest technical cheese competition in the world.
Woombye Cheese has been acknowledged by Slow Food Noosa as a Snail of Approval artisan for the way in which they ensure their products are developed in alignment with the Slow Food values of good, clean and fair food.
Beth will be presenting a tale of local cheesemaking and Easter cheese platter workshop at the factory on Blackall Range Rd.
It promises to be an informative and fun evening to:
– Learn about the history of the cheesemaking process.
– Take part in a delicious Woombye cheese tasting.
– Learn how to curate an Easter cheeseboard.
A lucky door prize of a Woombye Cheese Company Brie Baker Kit will also be presented on the night, along with an Amrita Park Meadery beverage to accompany the cheese tasting.
For Beth O’Leary, it will be a chance to share her passion for cheese-making, learnt over nine years with previous owners Graeme and Karen Paynter.
Since the Paynters started cheese-making in 2013, the range has grown to include Camembert, Triple Cream Brie, Blackall Gold Washed Rind, Woombye Ash Brie, Vintage Cheddar and, of course, the indulgent Truffle Triple Cream Brie.
All of the award-winning cheese is made at Woombye – it is the perfect setting with its panoramic vistas of rolling green hills, creeks and bushland.
“We produce all of our cheese by hand, using traditional methods with care and experience,’’ Beth said.
“If there’s one thing I like more than cheese, it’s telling the story of cheese and what we do here.
“The great part is to try and get the users to understand how it is created. It just doesn’t come from somewhere.
“Cheese is an inherently slow food due to the time it takes to make.
“It’s a food that brings people together for a shared experience and it’s made by hand, using locally sourced products.
“It’s such an emotive food and that’s what I love to share when people visit us.
“In practice, we try to be sustainable by recycling whey – our waste product – and source milk from local farms to make a true hand-made artisan product while adhering to traditional methods.
“In doing so we create opportunities for our staff and acknowledge their achievements.’’
For Beth, who took over at Woombye Cheese after two years of travelling around Australia with her family, cheese making is something she has long dreamed about.
This was the opportunity to do something about it. She grabbed the chance with both hands and turned the dream into reality.
“To be honest, I thought I might one day open a little cheese shop but life had other plans.
“I had done lots of cheese courses, classes and tastings. Then in 2019 we travelled Australia and during this time, visited over 30 cheesemakers across the country.
“These visits really fuelled my passion for cheese and when we returned home and Woombye Cheese needed a new owner, it felt like the perfect thing to do.
“I have found it to be a fun and welcoming community to be a part of.’’
Cheese has nutritional benefits together with wellness and enjoyment. It provides essential nutrients for building strong bones and it takes only 40gm per day to achieve this.
“It also contains a protein called casein,’’ Beth said, “which makes you feel good and wanting more.’’
The making and enjoyment of cheese in Australia has come a long way from the processed Kraft cheddar in foil wrap and a cardboard package that we had as children on salads in summer.
Recent turning points would have been the influences brought by the European migration in the 1950s and ’60s.
“We’ve definitely come a long way with cheese in Australia ,’’ Beth said.
“Some of the first soft cheeses imported were in a can and didn’t resemble cheese at all. Yet over the past 30 years there has been a trend toward artisan cheese.
“Our Blackall Gold Washed Rind is the closest to a European cheese that an Australian maker produces, which speaks volumes in terms of how much we’ve progressed.
“It’s very popular and that’s an encouraging sign.
“While the Kraft cheddar in the blue box still has its place, it great to see people expanding their palate and appreciating Australian specialty cheese as well.’’
When it comes to the enjoyment of cheese, the key thing to remember is not to overcomplicate it.
“Pair it with whatever you like or serve it solo,’’ Beth said.
“Cook, melt, drizzle, fondue, raclette, grate or serve it on a cheeseboard – just make sure it’s a quality local product.’’
Serving and storing cheese is an art in itself, Beth said. If, for some reason, it gets opened and isn’t entirely consumed at once then it is best to wrap the leftover cheese in baking paper and put into a sealed container.
For Woombye Cheese, attaining Slow Food Snail of Approval status comes from ensuring it is locally sourced and produced.
As a result, this insistence on quality has brought recognition at shows as well as in the market place.
“We try to improve where we can and look at ways to be sustainable.”
Although cheese is high in saturated fat and sodium, it is also rich in calcium and protein, and some fermented types contain probiotics.
There are very few who don’t love this diverse and delicious food product. We are very fortunate to have some wonderful local cheese-makers right here on our doorstep.
For the cheese workshop and cheese tasting bookings, search for: Slow Food Woombye Cheese Event.
