Insider’s Guide to the Outstanding Cheeses of NZ Cheese Month

If you’ve visited Farro or any of your favourite supermarkets or specialist cheese stores this month you may have noticed it’s NZ Cheese Month.

October gives us an opportunity to celebrate our local industry and make an extra effort to put Kiwi-made cheese in our shopping baskets to enjoy with family or friends.

Figures from the New Zealand Specialist Cheesemakers Association show Kiwis eat an average of 8.2kgs of cheese per person each year. This sounds like a lot – but if we’re writing the report card we’d say ‘needs improvement’. Across the ditch, Aussies consume an average of 14.7kgs for each person – the Danes do even better with an average consumption of more than 28kgs per person!

To make it easier for you to know what to enjoy for NZ Cheese Month, we’ve compiled the judges tasting notes from the 2018 Outstanding NZ Food Producer Awards – and we’re sharing them with you!

Clevedon Buffalo Company – Marinated Buffalo Cheese – GOLD, FRESH.CO.NZ DAIRY CHAMPION and SUPREME CHAMPION Order online at Farro

“A very unique product. OMG. Delicious, stunning, outstanding texture. Well-balanced, judges would certainly buy this!”

Clevedon Buffalo Company – Marinated Buffalo Cheese Chilli and Lime – GOLD

“Good aroma, tasty, great texture. Lovely and fresh.”

Cranky Goat – The Reginald – GOLD Stockists

“Beautiful cheese. Happily moreish. Good aroma, well-balanced flavours, tasty, good texture, delicious.”

Cranky Goat – Soft Goats Cheese – SILVER Stockists

“Delicious, very good product. Judges would buy.”

Cranky Goat – The Nag – SILVER Stockists

“Good aroma, well balanced, delicious cheese. Very good texture. Well-made and well done!”

Over the Moon Dairy – Volcano – GOLD Order Online

“Delicious. Unique. Etheral, moreish. Delightful. Good aroma, well balanced, good texture, OMG!”

The Drunken Nanny – Lemony Lush – GOLD Stockists

“Delicious and unique. Lemon a lovely compliment. Well balanced flavours.”

The Drunken Nanny – Goat Milk Kefir – GOLD Stockists

“Unique product, well balanced flavours, tasty, judges would buy.”

The Drunken Nanny – Dill Lush – SILVER Stockists

“A delicious cheese.”

The Drunken Nanny – Fresh Lush – SILVER Stockists

“Lovely fresh goat’s cheese. Good aroma, well balanced, plenty of flavour, delicious, fresh.”

Whitestone – Ohau Goat’s Blue – GOLD Stockists

“Very, very good blue. Great texture with delicious flavours. Judges loved this.”

Whitestone – Lindis Pass Brie – SILVER Stockists

“Complex earthy flavours, lovely and ripe. Creamy and delicious.”

Whitestone – Lindis Pass Camembert – SILVER Stockists

“A rich creamy texture with great flavour.”

Have an Outstanding NZ Cheese Month – we’d love your reviews and photos on our Facebook page or Instagram @OutstandingFoodProducerAwards #CheeseLoversNZ. Let us know which of our Outstanding winners’ cheeses you love!

Simon Berry (MD) and head cheesemaker Chris Moran