G’day from Sydney Australia – I have been down under for a few weeks visiting my son. Australia has never been a country well known for its cheese apart from its mass-produced ‘Australian medium flavour cheddar’ which hit our supermarket shelves in the 70s.
That is very much on the change, with a raft of new artisan cheese makers – in fact, a cheese from Tasmania won a Super Gold award at the World Cheese Awards in November – a rare unpasteurised ‘tomme’ style cheese quirkily named ‘Raw Tom’. This is especially unusual, as a cheesemaker has to apply for a special license to produce a cheese made with unpasteurised milk in Australia where it is normally illegal to do so.
‘Bruny Island Cheese’ is one such maker. Anyway, there is no Raw Tom to be bought as is often the way with a new award winner so we must wait now for this year’s batch being made as I write with this summer’s milk. Yes, just reminding you all that I am sitting here in the height of Sydney’s summer.
The new ‘Raw Tom’ will be released in about five months. I doubt it will make it to West London but we can try to make that happen, or perhaps on my next visit I will get to try it? In the meantime, keep an eye out for Australian Artisan cheese as it will be on its way in the near future and I think there will be some very interesting surprises in store for us!
Images: Snowdrop, it’s makers Cote Hill, Bruny Island’s Raw Ton
Talking of award-winners we have a very exciting tasting on HQ this month – ‘Snowdrop’ (a small soft cheese) by @cotehillcheese was awarded Supreme Champion 2024 at the British Cheese Awards and given our current chilly weather in London we thought what better time to taste a cheese with such a wintery name. James @no2poundst will be bringing it for us to sample on HQ and you will have the opportunity to buy this rare little beauty – come early not to miss out on this!
New trader alert – @northamptoncheese will be joining the market this month. I have tasted their cheeses before at the Melton Mowbray Show and am very excited that they will be bringing their exceptional cheeses to us in West London. You can read their story at northamptoncheese.com but come and taste their cheeses next Sunday and I’m sure that you will be as impressed as I was.
We’re thrilled that @sawnbysarah is returning after bringing her amazing wood and resin boards in December so if you missed out then you have another chance on Sunday.
So, although I am very glad to be sitting in the warm Sydney sunshine writing this I am also sad that I will not be able to attend this month’s market as I know a little Snowdrop would be have been in my basket alongside some Northampton Cheese. Come along and buy your favourites but find some room in your basket for something new.
You’ll see the rest of the team on Sunday and I will see you all in February!