Australia’s specialty cheese has a reputation for quality, craftsmanship and flavour which is justly deserved. There are many different types of specialty cheese, all with their own unique flavours and characteristics. It is this variety that makes exploring and tasting the world of specialty cheese so satisfying. To help in your search for the perfect cheese, find out more about the different styles: their characteristics, cheesemaking method and the best way to store and serve each type. With all the facts, you can be confident and adventurous with your cheese choices: you will be amply rewarded with fresh and exciting taste experiences, and you may well discover some new favourites!
- Soft White cheese
- Washed Rind cheese
- Blue cheese
- Cheddar style cheese
- Eye cheese
- Fruit & Savoury cheese
- Fetta Style and Goats cheese
- Fresh & Cooking cheese
Soft White cheese
Soft white cheese varieties are also known as soft ripened cheese or surface ripened cheese. They have a velvety white surface and luscious golden interior. The taste is creamy and smooth, varying from a very buttery to a pronounced mushroomy taste. In Australia, the best known soft white cheeses are Camembert and Brie.
Taste and Texture Notes
A fully matured soft white cheese is creamy in texture and develops wonderful flavours.
The characteristic white mould on the outside of the cheese is edible and adds to the flavour of the cheese.
Soft white cheeses are living cheeses - they mature and ripen over time. Just like avocados or bananas,
soft white cheeses are best eaten when ripe. Traditionally-made soft white cheeses will ripen from the outside in,
developing their characteristic flavours over time due to the enzymes and cultures in the cheese.
Young immature cheese has a firm, dense texture which can be almost chalky. When fully ripe, the centre
of the cheese will be soft and bulging with a smooth, creamy and shiny interior. The rind will show slight
pigmentation and the flavours and aromas will be rich, mellow and fully developed.
Click here to see how soft white cheeses mature through the ripening stages.
One of the most common questions we’re asked is: What’s the difference between Brie and Camembert? They are both types of soft white cheese and are both made using the general cheesemaking method described above. Historically, the pronounced differences between the cheeses were due to regional variations: Brie was originally made in an area south-east of Paris where the cattle grazed on stony river beds, while Camembert originated hundreds of miles to the west, near the coast in Normandy, where a different breed of cattle grazed on lush green pastures. In addition, Brie and Camembert were made in different sizes: Brie a large flat wheel, Camembert a small high cylinder. Both the raw ingredients and the differing surface areas resulted in the different tastes between the cheeses. Today, modern-day Brie and Camembert varieties are produced in many places, in many ways, throughout the world. This variety means the original differences between Brie and Camembert are not so pronounced. Today, cheesemakers may vary the starter cultures, moulds or fat content of their cheeses to produce these different flavours. Generally speaking, Brie is a smoother, creamier cheese with a mushroomy taste; and Camembert has a nuttier and slightly sweeter flavour.
See our other Frequently Asked Questions for more interesting cheese information!
Cheesemaking Notes
After the cheeses have been made, they are moved to a temperature controlled room with high humidity. This encourages the velvety white rind to grow and cover the cheese exterior. The white mould is usually Penicillium candidum, which is edible and adds to the flavour of the cheese. It takes about a week for the mould to grow and fully cover the surface of the cheese, after which it is wrapped and moved to less humid conditions to further mature.
Selection and Storage
Select a cheese with a pure white rind, or with slight browning. With a pre-cut wedge, don’t be concerned if there is white mould growing on the cut surface – this is proof that the cheese is alive and maturing well, and should be treated as a positive.
The white mould on the cheese surface protects and ripens the delicate interior. The mould needs moist, humid conditions and care must be taken to ensure it does not dry out or sweat. Storing cheese in its original wrapper is best - most soft white cheese wrappers have tiny perforations to help the cheese breathe.
The rind is edible and adds flavour, but if very ripe may overpower the cheese. It is always acceptable to partially remove the rind for a milder flavour, if this is your personal preference.
The optimum time to enjoy the cheese will depend on the degree of ripeness and your personal tastes. Use the best-before date printed on the pack as a guide - soft white cheese is best eaten close to the best before date. Depending on your individual tastes, you may find you can also enjoy the product past this date.
If the cheese smells strong upon opening, leave to stand for 10 minutes uncovered before tasting. Discard soft white cheeses with a strong smell of ammonia or with patches of brown, red or black pigments, as these are over-ripe and past their best.
Soft White Products
Tasmanian Heritage Double Brie
Tasmanian Heritage Camembert
Tasmanian Heritage Signature Brie
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Soft White Recipes
Salmon and Double Brie Baguette
Light Lunch with Double Brie and Smoked Salmon
Brie-Stuffed Pork
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Washed Rind cheese
Washed rind cheeses are made in the same way as soft white cheeses, but have an extra step in the process: once created, the white mould coat is washed regularly with a brine solution. This extra step gives the extra flavour and the typical red/orange colour of washed rind cheeses. It also gives the distinctive smell! Washed rind cheeses were first made in the abbeys of Northern France, where the monks created a strong smelling, ‘meaty’ cheese to eat during their fasting periods when meat was forbidden. The earthy aromas of a washed rind cheese may discourage those not used to such strong tastes: however, the cheese within has a deceptively mild and sweet flavour.
Taste and Texture Notes
Washed rind cheeses are amongst the strongest smelling specialty cheeses. The surface of a washed rind cheese has a white mould base with an attractive red/orange bloom, which becomes darker and more prominent as the cheese matures. The rind is slightly sticky to the touch and has a strong, earthy aroma. The cheese within is a very pale straw colour, and in contrast to the strong smell and taste of the rind, should display mild, sweet and complex flavours.
Cheesemaking Notes
The cheese is made as soft white cheese until the white mould coating has bloomed. It is then placed in a temperature and humidity controlled room and a brine solution is washed, or ‘smeared’, across the surface. This contains bacteria called Brevibacterium linens, which causes the beautiful orange colouration and the bold smell. The cheese is washed with the brine solution periodically throughout the maturing process.
Selection and Storage
As for soft white cheeses, washed rind cheeses are living products which mature throughout their life, and are best eaten when fully ripe, close to the best before date.
The rind should be red/orange and can be slightly sticky to the touch. The rind should be evenly coloured, and be free from cracks or splitting.
A strong smell is perfectly normal for this cheese - let stand uncovered for 10 minutes before evaluating ripeness. If the smell is ammoniated, the cheese has passed its best and should be discarded.
If the smell of the cheese is too overpowering, remove the rind and try eating the pale straw-coloured cheese within. The flavours should be complex and creamy, with a mild taste that belies the strong character of the rind.
To store, rewrap washed rind cheese in its original wrapper, which should be perforated with tiny holes to allow the cheese to breathe. Wrapping in plastic wrap will cause the red/orange rind to become overly sticky and moist.
Washed Rind Products
Tasmanian Heritage Signature Hand Washed Brie
Blue cheese
Blue cheese, or blue vein cheese, is instantly recognisable due to the marbling of blue mould through the cheese. The cheese can display streaks and pockets of green, grey, black or blue mould. With its distinctive aroma and curious blue-rippled appearance, blue cheese can seem mysterious to those more used to standard cheddar. However the complex tangy tastes of blue cheese find favour with those adventurous enough to investigate! Taste and Texture Notes Blue cheese varies in flavour intensity depending on both the cheesemaking style and the age of the cheese. Flavours vary from a mild creamy blue brie, through to traditionally strong and piquant blues. Blue cheeses can be divided into three subgroups, based on flavour intensity:
Blue Brie:
Soft, creamy and mild in flavour, blue brie is a soft white cheese with the addition of blue. They have the creaminess of a soft white cheese, combined with a delicate blue flavour. They are generally mild and will not offend the nose or palate: a good beginner’s blue cheese.
Medium Blue:
Usually soft and buttery in texture, with the distinctive ‘blue’ taste and smell. These cheeses have a smooth crumbly texture and often have a yellow-brown rind. The blue veins continue to grow and the cheese becomes stronger in taste and smell as it matures.
Strong Blue:
These cheeses tend to be more aggressive, with a salty tang and a slightly acid biting blue flavour. For the true lovers of blue cheese, the strong blue cheeses provide a pronounced full flavour experience. A crumbly, sharp and salty flavour experience.
Cheesemaking Notes
A common misconception is that the blue mould is ‘injected’ into the cheese once the cheese is made, due to the distinct spike lines. In fact, blue mould spores (generally Penicillium roqueforti) are added to the milk at the culturing stage. Once the cheesemaker considers it ready, the cheese is pierced with stainless steel rods, or needles. This allows air into the cheese interior and encourages the blue mould (already present but dormant without air) to grow along the spike holes and into the smaller crevices of the curd. The blue mould growth is first visible as light-blue veins at the cheese centre. As it matures, the cheese softens and the blue veins become darker and spread outwards, slowly developing the distinctive ‘blue’ flavour.
Selection and Storage
Like soft white cheeses, blue cheeses are living products. The blue vein growth continues over time, and the cheese will ripen and mature to deliver stronger, richer flavours. Because the blue moulds need air to grow, do not wrap blue cheese in plastic wrap. Rather, rewrap in its original wrapper, which is generally perforated paper to allow the cheese to breathe.
Blue vein cheeses have optimum flavour closest to their best before dates, as this is when they are at the peak of maturity.
The rind is edible and adds flavour, but if very ripe may overpower the cheese. It is always acceptable to partially remove the rind for a milder flavour. As with all foods, enjoying specialty cheese comes down to personal preference.
Like soft white cheeses, blue vein cheeses are best served at room temperature. Store your cheese in the refrigerator, but remove 30 to 60 minutes before serving.
Blue cheese Products
Tasmanian Heritage Blue Opal
Tasmanian Heritage Signature Deep Blue
Tasmanian Heritage True Blue
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Blue cheese Recipes
Gnocchi with Pumpkin and Blue Cheese
True Blue Omelette
Baked Potatoes with True Blue
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Cheddar Style cheese
Cheddar-style cheeses are Australia’s most popular style of cheese. Traditionally, Cheddar is a distinct English variant of hard cheese which originated near the village of Cheddar, in Somerset. Today, what we call ‘cheddar’ is made very differently from this original Cheddar, and only the name remains. Cheddar-style cheese is firm and close textured, with a low moisture content. The flavour profile can vary from bland and buttery to a sharp rich taste, depending on age.
Taste and Texture Notes
Cheddars are usually categorised by their age. The older the cheddar, the stronger and sharper the taste.
Mild - Matured for 1 to 3 months. The taste is mild and buttery.
Matured - Aged between 3 to 12 months, giving a full flavour and a more pronounced taste than mild cheddars.
Vintage - Aging from 1 to 2 years (or longer) gives a crumbly texture, a strong sharp flavour and a definite ‘bite’.
Vintage Club - A blend of cheddars and other cheeses, vintage club cheddars display a rich depth of flavour. Often made in a range of special flavours and styles.
English Style - Traditional English cheeses in the cheddar style, including Red Leicester, Lancashire, Cheshire and Traditional Cheddar. Each has their own distinct taste profile, originating from their place of origin and time-honoured cheesemaking style.
Cheesemaking Notes
Traditionally, like all cheeses, Cheddar was made by hand. When making cheddar, the whey is drained and the curds settle into a rubbery mass. This is cut into large blocks and hand-turned, or ‘cheddared’. The process is repeated until the cheese reaches a consistent texture and acidity level. Today, the vast majority of cheddar available is factory produced. The cheesemaking process is similar, but the processes are performed by machines rather than hand turned.
Selection and Storage
As a hard cheese, cheddar lasts much longer than the soft white and blue cheeses. However care should still be taken in its storage and handling.
Always rewrap cheese and return to the refrigerator to prevent it drying out.
If mould grows on a cut surface, this can usually be cut away and discarded, leaving the main body of the cheese still edible. Keeping cheese covered in the fridge will help prevent moulds from growing on the cheese.
It is not recommended that cheese be frozen, as this changes the internal structure. The texture of the cheese upon thawing will not be optimal.
Cheddar style cheese Products
Mersey Valley Vintage Club Classic
Mersey Valley Vintage Club Original
Mersey Valley Vintage Club Ploughmans
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Cheddar style cheese Recipes
Veal Rolls with Mersey Valley, Sage & Prosciutto
Savoury Mersey Valley Frittata
Mersey Valley Cheddar and Mushroom Risotto
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Eye cheese
Also known as pressed cheese or round eye cheese, the eye cheeses are characterised by their holes, or ‘eyes’. The size, shape and amount of eyes throughout the cheese varies depending on the cheesemaking method. Eye cheeses have a slightly sweet and subtle flavour, with an open texture and buttery golden colour. Rinded eye cheeses are often coated in wax for protection (such as the traditional red wax for Edam and yellow wax for Gouda). Swiss style cheese is one of the best known varieties of eye cheese, and was first made in monasteries and abbeys in the French Alps and Switzerland.
Taste and Texture Notes
The eye cheese category is large and diverse, incorporating a wide variety of cheese types. Their general taste profile is mild and nutty, but there are distinct variations within each style. When first cut, eye cheeses have a wonderful, almost flowery aroma; the flavours are generally complex, beginning with sweet mild tones which then reveal earthier nutty characters that linger on the palate.
Swiss style - Swiss cheese is characterised by the large round eyes dotted throughout the cheese. The eyes should be smooth, round and glossy, and the cheese has a sweet, nutty flavour.
Gouda - Creamy, semi-hard cheese, often with a yellow wax rind. Gouda has a smooth supply texture and a sweet fruity flavour which intensifies with age. The eyes are very small and the cheese has a smooth, firm texture.
Edam - A semi-hard cheese, originally from Holland, with very small eyes. Traditional Edam is made in a ball shape and covered with a red wax rind, and cut into wedges for consumption. The taste is mild, sweet and nutty with a smooth, firm and slightly resilient mouthfeel.
Smoked - A mild cheese traditionally flavoured by smoking with hickory chips.
Havarti - Mild semi-soft cheese with a creamy mellow flavour and a soft luxurious mouthfeel. Classic Havarti has a mass of small irregular eyes through the cheese.
Raclette - Very subtle with a pale golden interior, with a sweet earthy taste and a lasting savoury end note. Raclette derives its name from the French ‘racler’ (to scrape), as it is traditionally heated and scraped onto potatoes.
Gruyere - A Swiss-style cheese most famous for its use in fondue cookery. Gruyere has small pea-shaped holes throughout the body of the cheese, and has a nutty full-bodied flavour.
Tilsit - A more unusual cheese style with robust flavours, smooth texture and small distinct holes. Tilsit is traditionally eaten at breakfast in Europe, and is great as both a table cheese or for grilling and melting.
Cheesemaking Notes
The distinctive eyes in the eye cheeses are formed by the release of carbon dioxide gas, produced by the bacteria Propionibacterium shermanii. The cheese matures in a controlled environment, which is heated to around 20°C to encourage the bacterial activity. This also aids in the development of the texture and the fruity flavour of the cheese.
Selection and Storage
Choose eye cheese which is smooth and supple with shiny eyes.
Eye cheeses should keep for several weeks if refrigerated.
Eye cheeses should be stored separately from other strong smelling foods, as it can take on stronger odours which taint the flavour of the cheese.
Store eye cheese in its original wrapper or waxed paper. Plastic wrap is only suitable for short periods as it may cause the cheese to sweat.
Eye cheese Products
Tasmanian Heritage St Claire
Australian Gold Swiss
Australian Gold Edam
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Eye cheese Recipes
Omelette with St. Claire
St. Claire Antipasto Plate
St. Claire Baked Tomatoes
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Fruit & Savoury cheese
Fruit and Savoury cheese is a popular blend of cream cheese with herbs, spices, fruits and/or nuts. Often used in entertaining, the flavours can vary from subtle and fruity to hot and spicy.
Taste and Texture Notes
Fruit & Savoury cheeses are generally divided into Sweet and Savoury flavours.
Sweet - These variants combine cream cheese with fruit pieces or sweet flavours, such as apricot, chocolate or cherries.
Savoury - Flavoursome and sometimes spicy, cream cheese is blended with herbs, spices or other savoury elements such as garlic, chives, chilli or peppercorns.
Cheesemaking Notes
Cream cheese is blended with the desired mixture of fruits and flavours. Australian Gold’s fruit & savoury cheeses showcase an eye-catching ‘swirl’ of flavours through the body of the cream cheese.
Selection and Storage
Like any cheese, fruit and savoury cheeses should be stored in the refrigerator.
Flavours vary widely through the range, from sweet and creamy to spicy or savoury. Experiment to find the varieties that suit you best!
Fruit and savoury cheese is a versatile ingredient when cooking: try stuffing chicken breasts with Apricot and Almond fruit cheese, or melting the Peppercorn variety over green vegetables.
Fruit & Savoury Products
Australian Gold Onion & Chives Cha Cha
Australian Gold Apricot & Almond Swirl
Australian Gold Herb & Garlic Hip Hop
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Fetta Style and Goats cheese
These cheeses are known as Fresh Unripened cheeses, as they undergo very little maturation and are not ‘ripened’, such as the soft white cheeses.
Taste and Texture Notes
Fetta is a moist crumbly white cheese stored in a brine solution. The texture is solid but crumbly with a clean fresh acidic and salty flavour. A versatile cheese with a long history, it is thought to have been created in Greece by shepherds from the mountain region outside Athens.
Goat milk cheeses, also called ‘chevre’, are generally smooth and creamy with a distinctive tangy flavour.
Cheesemaking Process
Fetta is traditionally made from ewe or goat milk, but is commonly made from cows milk in Australia. It is salted to preserve the cheese, then stored in brine to prolong its life.
Goats cheese is generally made in small sizes and traditionally made in logs, cones or pyramids. Almost any cheese made from cows milk can be made from goats milk, such as Camembert or Fetta; however most goats cheese sold in Australia is the fresh unripened version.
Selection and Storage
Fresh unripened cheeses are very perishable and should be eaten relatively quickly after purchase. Always store in the refrigerator.
If fetta is found to be too salty, try rinsing or soaking in cold water or milk to draw out excess salt.
Goats cheese can have a distinctive aroma, and the sharp fresh finish can seem intense to the uninitiated. Some goats cheeses are very delicate, while others can be pungent. Try different varieties until you find one which suits you.
The distinctive taste of goats cheese softens into a mellow mild flavour once melted - try quickly grilling onto a pizza topping or melt onto a baguette.
Fetta and Goat cheese Products
Australian Gold Fetta
Australian Gold Fetta Reduced Fat
Fetta and Goat cheese Recipes
Australian Gold Fetta and Pumpkin Pizza
Fresh and Cooking cheese
Some specialty cheeses are mainly used in cooking, such as stretched curd cheeses like mozzarella, and hard grating cheeses such as Parmesan. They vary greatly in their flavours, textures and method of cheesemaking. Experiment with different varieties to add flavour, richness and texture.
Taste and Texture Notes
Cooking with cheese brings another dimension to your culinary techniques! Cheese adds flavour, texture and richness to many dishes, and is an essential part of the national cuisine of many cultures. Melting cheese generally mellows the flavours, giving a milder and creamier result than eating the cheese as it is. Popular cooking cheeses vary widely in their flavours and applications.
Mozzarella - Traditionally made from buffalo milk, mozzarella is now primarily made from cows milk. Its flavour is mild, delicate and creamy. Mozzarella is widely known as ‘pizza cheese’ due to its elastic character and ability to form strings when melted.
Bocconcini - Italian for ‘little mouthfuls’, these egg-sized balls of fresh mozzarella should be eaten as fresh as possible due to their short shelf life.
Parmesan - The original Parmesan is Parmigiano Reggiano, made exclusively in Italy. This, and other Parmesan cheeses made in the same style, have a strong robust flavour and very hard texture. Used extensively in Italian cooking, Parmesan cheese can also be used as a table cheese or shaved onto salads.
Cheesemaking Process
Stretched Curd cheeses are made by working the curd in hot water until it becomes elastic, then stretching it to be moulded into different shapes. They are lower in moisture than Fresh Unripened cheeses (due to the heating process).
Hard Grating cheeses are made by cutting the cheese curd very finely to allow the maximum whey to escape, then cooking the curd at high temperatures. The cheeses are then generally matured for at least six months, which produces a very hard cheese with very little moisture. They are excellent grating cheeses and have a very long shelf life. Their flavours are concentrated and can be very sharp and piquant.
Selection and Storage
Always rewrap cheese and return to the refrigerator to prevent it drying out.
If mould grows on a cut surface, this can usually be cut away and discarded, leaving the main body of the cheese still edible. Keeping cheese covered in the fridge will help prevent moulds from growing on the cheese.
It is not recommended that cheese be frozen, as this changes the internal structure. The texture of the cheese upon thawing will not be optimal.