New Zealand’s Artisan Cheese Scene
New Zealand, the world’s largest dairy exporter, has experienced a growing demand for unique and artisanal cheeses in recent decades. This shift has led to a revival of small-scale cheesemaking, particularly among migrant cheese makers who have adapted traditional recipes to create local cheeses from cows, goats, and sheep.
Key Players and Locations
Cheesemongers in Christ Church, owned by Sarah and Martin Aspenwall, offer a range of international and New Zealand artisan cheeses. The owners have lobbied for changes in national food regulations, allowing the use of raw milk for local cheese making. Other notable locations include a small, award-winning dairy farm near Nelson, which was the first to produce cheese from sheep’s milk in the late 1990s, and Crescent Dairy, a self-sufficient organic farm near Oakland, which produces highly-recommended goat cheese.
Artisan Cheese Making Process
The cheese-making process involves molding, salting, and aging in a cellar, with a final wash of French brandy. The resulting cheese is creamy, slightly salty, and surprisingly mild, despite its strong odor, with a sweet taste that develops during the aging process. Good quality milk from healthy goats is essential for producing high-quality cheese.
Challenges and Triumphs
New Zealand farmers have faced challenges in producing raw milk cheeses, including convincing local authorities to approve it. However, with strict controls in place, raw milk cheese can be safer than pasteurized milk cheese. The end result is a high-quality product with a better texture and taste than similar cheeses found in England.
Notable Cheese Makers and Products
- Chris and Jill, who were the first to be granted official approval to make cheese from raw cow’s milk and produce traditional clothbound cheese.
- Jan and John Walters, owners of Crescent Dairy, who are among New Zealand’s most awarded cheese makers.
- Saint Benedict, a surface mold ripen log with ash, similar to a bree style.
Conclusion
A trip to New Zealand for Cheese Slices has concluded, featuring passionate people, beautiful countryside, and interesting artisan cheeses. The country’s artisan cheese scene is booming, driven by traditional Dutch cheese makers and a growing interest in unique and high-quality cheese products.
Grammatical Structures in the Activity
- Passive Voice: Used to describe the cheese-making process, such as “the cheese is molded, salted, and aged in a cellar.” This structure is used to focus on the action rather than the doer.
- Relative Clauses: Used to provide additional information about the cheese makers, such as “Chris and Jill, who were the first to be granted official approval to make cheese from raw cow’s milk.” This structure is used to add descriptive details and clarify the relationships between ideas.
- Conditional Tenses: Used to describe the challenges and triumphs of cheese makers, such as “if strict controls are in place, raw milk cheese can be safer than pasteurized milk cheese.” This structure is used to express hypothetical or uncertain situations and their potential consequences.
Key Vocabulary
| Term | Definition | Example Usage |
|---|---|---|
| Artisan Cheese | High-quality, unique cheese made in small batches using traditional methods. | New Zealand’s artisan cheese scene is booming, with many small-scale cheese makers producing unique and delicious cheeses. |
| Cheesemonger | A person who sells cheese, often with a deep knowledge of different types and varieties. | Sarah and Martin Aspenwall are well-known cheesemongers in Christ Church, offering a range of international and New Zealand artisan cheeses. |
| Raw Milk Cheese | Cheese made from unpasteurized milk, which can have a richer flavor and better texture. | New Zealand farmers have faced challenges in producing raw milk cheeses, but with strict controls in place, it can be safer than pasteurized milk cheese. |
| Pasteurized Milk Cheese | Cheese made from milk that has been heated to kill off bacteria and extend its shelf life. | Pasteurized milk cheese is widely available, but many cheese enthusiasts prefer the unique flavor and texture of raw milk cheese. |
| Cheese Making Process | The steps involved in creating cheese, including molding, salting, and aging. | The cheese-making process involves molding, salting, and aging in a cellar, with a final wash of French brandy to create a unique and delicious cheese. |
| Passive Voice | A grammatical structure in which the subject of the sentence receives the action of the verb. | The cheese is molded, salted, and aged in a cellar, using the passive voice to focus on the action rather than the doer. |
| Relative Clauses | A grammatical structure used to provide additional information about a noun or pronoun. | Chris and Jill, who were the first to be granted official approval to make cheese from raw cow’s milk, are notable cheese makers in New Zealand. |
| Conditional Tenses | A grammatical structure used to express hypothetical or uncertain situations and their potential consequences. | If strict controls are in place, raw milk cheese can be safer than pasteurized milk cheese, using the conditional tense to express a hypothetical situation. |
| Clothbound Cheese | A type of cheese that is wrapped in cloth during the aging process, which helps to develop its flavor and texture. | Chris and Jill produce traditional clothbound cheese, which is highly prized for its rich flavor and smooth texture. |
| Surface Mold Ripen Log | A type of cheese that is aged with a layer of mold on its surface, which helps to develop its flavor and texture. | The Saint Benedict cheese is a surface mold ripen log with ash, similar to a bree style, with a rich and creamy flavor. |
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Vocabulary Quiz
1. What does “artisanal” mean in the context of cheese production?
A) Mass-produced
B) Made using traditional methods
C) Imported from other countries
D) Made from cow’s milk only
2. What is the term for the process of adding salt to cheese?
A) Aging
B) Salting
C) Molding
D) Washing
3. What type of farm is Crescent Dairy?
A) Conventional
B) Self-sufficient organic
C) Small-scale
D) Large-scale
4. What is the result of the aging process on the taste of the cheese?
A) It becomes sour
B) It becomes bitter
C) It develops a sweet taste
D) It remains the same
5. What is the name of the cheese-making technique that involves adding ash to the cheese?
A) Surface mold ripen
B) Clothbound
C) Bree style
D) Saint Benedict
Answer Key:
1. B) Made using traditional methods
2. B) Salting
3. B) Self-sufficient organic
4. C) It develops a sweet taste
5. A) Surface mold ripen
Grammar Quiz
1. Which grammatical structure is used in the sentence “The cheese is molded, salted, and aged in a cellar”?
A) Active Voice
B) Passive Voice
C) Relative Clauses
D) Conditional Tenses
2. What type of clause is used in the sentence “Chris and Jill, who were the first to be granted official approval to make cheese from raw cow’s milk”?
A) Independent Clause
B) Dependent Clause
C) Relative Clause
D) Adverbial Clause
3. Which sentence uses the Conditional Tense?
A) If strict controls are in place, raw milk cheese can be safer than pasteurized milk cheese.
B) The cheese is molded, salted, and aged in a cellar.
C) Chris and Jill were the first to be granted official approval to make cheese from raw cow’s milk.
D) Crescent Dairy is a self-sufficient organic farm.
4. What is the purpose of using the Passive Voice in the sentence “The cheese is molded, salted, and aged in a cellar”?
A) To focus on the doer of the action
B) To focus on the action rather than the doer
C) To describe a hypothetical situation
D) To add descriptive details
5. Which sentence uses a Relative Clause to provide additional information?
A) The cheese is molded, salted, and aged in a cellar.
B) Chris and Jill were the first to be granted official approval to make cheese from raw cow’s milk.
C) If strict controls are in place, raw milk cheese can be safer than pasteurized milk cheese.
D) Chris and Jill, who were the first to be granted official approval to make cheese from raw cow’s milk, produce traditional clothbound cheese.
Answer Key:
1. B) Passive Voice
2. C) Relative Clause
3. A) If strict controls are in place, raw milk cheese can be safer than pasteurized milk cheese.
4. B) To focus on the action rather than the doer
5. D) Chris and Jill, who were the first to be granted official approval to make cheese from raw cow’s milk, produce traditional clothbound cheese.