ingredients ARCHIVES

BIG CHEESES - award winning NZ cheeses

New Zealand now boasts 15 specialist cheesemakers who have recently formed the NZ Specialist Cheesemakers Association. These artisans of the land are a true reflection of the quality and innovation within the NZ cheese industry today.
culinary journeys feature the first of a series of tastings to showcase and inform you of the award winning cheeses from our small producers.

Mt Richmond Red from Parkerfield is a hard, washed-rind cheese made from ewe's milk. This milk is from ewes which graze the Wairau Valley, Marlborough and the hills of Neudorf, Nelson. Mt Richmond Red has an orange-red rind and an ivory interior and when mature has a sweet, nutty flavour, with a bit of a bite. As it ages, this cheese develops a parmesan like quality. The cheese we tasted had had an affinage of 6 months. Mt Richmond Red was awarded a silver medal at the NZ Cheese Awards 2000.

Neudorf from Parkerfield is a gold medal winner from the New Cheeses category of this years NZ Cheese Awards. Neudorf is a natural rinded hard cheese, made from ewe's milk sourced from the Neudorf area, in the Moutere, near Nelson. This flavoursome new cheese has a dry texture and a subtle sweet flavour. The Neudorf for this tasting was a mature 6 months of age, however it is ready for eating at 3 months. Please note it is in limited supply so enjoy it while you can.

Watch out for the Parkerfield Canaan Chevre when the spring milk becomes available. For further information email to alight@xtra.co.nz

Karikaas Vintage Gouda
Your taste buds will be challenged with this extra matured cheese. The cheesemakers at Karikaas are proud to offer you one of their finest handcrafted cheeses available. Gouda is a traditional Dutch cheese, made from the finest milk. Karikaas source their milk from a specially selected farm, where milk of the highest standards is produced. No sprays have been used on the land, and farming practice is outstanding. Like wine, this cheese also improves with aging - Vintage Gouda is matured for up to two to three years. Little white calcium crystals might form during the maturing and these give a crunchy bite to the cheese.

Like all Karikaas cheeses, no preservatives or colourings are added. No salt is added to the milk (the big difference between Cheddar cheeses) but the young cheeses are brined for a couple of days before they are waxed and put on shelves in the maturing room. The Gouda are carefully looked after and turned several times a week, to keep them free of moulds and to ensure they mature evenly.

This Vintage Gouda has won several gold medals and category awards over the last few years. Enjoy this Gouda with a good red wine, such as a Pinot Noir or Cabernet. For further information email to info@karikaas.co.nz

Whitestone Farmhouse is a unique NZ cheese covered in fine penicillin candidum rind. It has a has a distinctive lemon-grass aroma and springy elasticity. The curd is moist and softens from the edge as it matures. When young it has a "sea breeze" freshness with a nutty edge that develops more character with age. This cheese has also won gold and silver medals in several NZ Cheese Awards.

Whitestone Moeraki Bay Blue Whitestone is well recognised for it's Windsor Blue, Moeraki Bay Blue follows hot on the heels as a very sexy cousin. It's entry into the NZ Cheese Awards 2000 won it a bronze medal. This will be one to savour as it ages to perfection, creamy in the heart with a distinctive blue tang and briny character.

The subtle flavours that belong to all Whitestone cheeses reflect the quality of the land, grass and water that gave them birth. Pressed by hand, bathed by hand, turned by hand and packed by hand, products of skill and artform.

For further information email to wstonecheese@xtra.co.nz

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culinary journeys profile:
WAIMATA CHEESE COMPANY

Rick & Carol Thorpe
131 Riverside Roadi
Waimata Valley
GISBORNE
Phone: 06 867 3673
Fax: 06 867 6304

Waimata Manuka
The latest innovation from Carol Thorpe is a soft, creamy brie number wearing a rich brown coat of Manuka ash. The Manuka leaf imparts a spicy flavour, which hints at it's antibacterial properties but is a perfect marriage to the creamy interior. Manuka is sourced from the surrounding East Coast bushland and the leaf ash is hand pounded to a superfine flecked powder. The ash is unique in that it has the appearance of fine fibres giving this cheese a genuinely crafted, velvet textured rind. Each cheese is individually coated and wrapped by hand. Choose to eat this cheese as close to possible to it's "best before" date which is a good guide for eating the cheese at it's best - it will be fully ripened, subtle to touch and divinely sensuous. Waimata Manuka was awarded a gold medal in this years NZ Cheese Awards 2000, new cheese category.

Cheese Lover's Cheese
At the 1999 New Zealand Cheese Awards, cheesemakers, Carol and Rick Thorpe of Waimata Cheese Company were again honoured for their commitment to quality specialty cheese making. Waimata Farmhouse Blue, a consistent gold medal winner at previous awards was chosen by food lover and TV personality Jo Seagar, as that years Cheese Lover's Cheese.

This rustic blue vein is characterised by it's buttery smooth texture and rich, complex aromatic tang. Serve this with dried muscatel grapes, fresh pear and country style bread. A honeyed sticky such as Millton Mistelle July Muscat - perfect with it's sweet floral tones, is a heavenly match (or indulge in their Noble Chenin Blanc - for notes of pears and honeysuckle).
Note: The Millton label is stocked at Glengarry's stores.

Waimata sings the Blues The cheese making team at Gisborne's Waimata Cheese Company have recently developed a Gorgonzola style blue cheese to compliment their award winning range. This achieved a silver medal for new or experimental cheese at the 1999 Awards and is currently marketed under the Delmaine range.

In 1998, Waimata Cheese were winners of 3 Gold medals at the NZ Cheese Awards:

• The Best Original NZ Cheese with Waimata Arani, a salmon coloured washed rind, pungent, yeasty smelly socks cheese with a rich savoury flavour

• Waimata Farmhouse Blue took top honours for the Best Blue Cheese

• Best Semi-Soft Cheese was Waimata Taepo a subtle, mushroomy, runny cheese with green grass notes covered in Chardonnay vine ash

Keep your eye out for these in your local supermarket or be persistent and keep asking for them!

Tasting notes by Jenny Yee, judge 1997-2000 NZ Cheese Awards.

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FLAVOURS OF THE MIDDLE EAST

Get out of the cold! We take a culinary journey that will seduce you with the exotic spices and flavours of the Middle East. Claudia Roden, in her book of Middle Eastern Food (Penguin) writes under her chapter on Flavourings, Condiments and Perfumes the following - "No one who has walked through a Middle Eastern spice street can ever forget the intoxicating effect of mingled scents nor the extra-ordinary displays of knotted roots, bits of bark and wood, shrivelled pods, seeds. Berries, translucent resins, curious-looking plants, bulbs, buds, petals, stigmas, even beetles".

culinary journeys delivers a snap shot of these colourful and aromatic Middle Eastern cuisines and offers a selection of ingredients to begin your journey with. Check out the culinary journeys recommended list of stockist and try the Little Lamb and Mint Koftas recipe from the culinary journeys cookschool.

INTOXICATING FLAVOUR SAVERS! There is a world of undiscovered Middle Eastern flavours to accent meat, fish and vegetable dishes. Search through your recipe books for ingredients and aromas which will fill your kitchen with the alluring smells of foods from Morocco, Turkey, the Sudan, Lebanon, Syria, Greece, Egypt, Iran, Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Tunisia, Algeria and the Yemen.

Zaatar (or Zahtar)
Zaatar is a Middle Eastern spice blend of dried thyme leaves, anise, coriander, fennel, sumac and roasted wheat. Blends may vary and can also contain toasted sesame seeds.

• It is commonly used on toasted Lebanese bread, lightly brushed with olive oil and sprinkled with Zaatar and perhaps a little Sumac. This serves as a popular breakfast treat or street food.

Sumac (or Summak)
A deep red/purple spice, lemony in flavour, Sumac is made from crushed and ground dried berries. It is used by the Lebanese and Syrians to enhance salads and fish. The Iraqi cook uses it to flavour kebabs.

• Use it in place of lemon juice, sprinkled in as a flavouring.

Pomengranate Molasses or Syrup
Made by boiling the juice from sour pomengranate fruit until it is a deep molasses coloured syrup. It's tangy grenadine flavour is appealing and is used in many Iranian dishes.

• Claudia Roden gives a Iranian recipe in her book for "Faisinjan" - a wonderful dish using either wild duck or pheasant prepared in Pomengranate sauce (failing no wild game, the recipe works equally well using a free range chicken!). Try it from pg 242 of her New book of Middle Eastern Food (Penguin).

Orzo
Orzo is small rice shaped pasta and is best cooked in plenty of salted boiling water until tender or in fresh vegetable or meat stock. Drain and serve warm with broths or stews or at room temperature with salad ingredients.

• Use the Orzo simply with a little butter or olive oil stirred through when hot, sprinkle with chopped flat leaf parsley if you want. Serve as an accompaniment to mop up any juices from slow cooked saucey stews or braised dishes.

• Combine with roasted root vegetables like parnips, carrots and golden beets, season and toss with fresh coriander and Zarbo Moroccan spice rub.

Couscous
Small granules of durum wheat semolina. The instant variety only needs boiling water or stock poured over and covering with cling film to rehydrate it as it has been steamed before it is dried. Season it well. It is great with a little finely chopped preserved lemon peel stirred through it and chopped flat leaf parsley (don't add any more salt as the preserved lemons are already salty). Use it as you would Orzo. The non-instant variety of Couscous is best steamed.

Harissa
A fiery pimento paste which hails from North Africa. It generally contains very hot chilli peppers, garlic, dried coriander, caraway seeds, dried mint, fresh coriander leaves and salt blended with olive oil. It packs a lot of punch so be warned!

Rose Water
The delicate ragrance of rose water reminds be of pyramids of sticky scented pastries filled with pistachio or cashews, truly heaven with small cups of Turkish coffee. The rose water is prepared from dilute rose petal essence and is used to flavour sweets, pastries, drinks and puddings. Orange blossom water is also used although much stronger in flavour.

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VIVA ITALIA - flavours to liven up your day!

See culinary journeys recommended list of stockists for these must-have pantry ingredients.

SPERLARI MOSTARDA di frutta are the delectable jewel-like mustard fruits from Italy's top producer of Mostarda. Each jar of Mostarda is filled with divine whole fruits - pears, baby tangerines, figs, plums, cherries, peaches and apricots. These plump candied fruits are bathed in a delicate mustard flavoured syrup.

• Mostarda di Frutta are an obvious addition to a cheese course and look stunning arranged whole on a simple glass platter with one or two ripe cheeses from your local deli.

• For a grand finish try decorating the top of a lemon or orange syrup cake with whole and thinly sliced Mostarda di Frutta piled stylishly in the centre and drizzled with some of the syrup. Serve with ricotta or mascarpone for complete indulgence.

• Toss crisp peppery salad greens such as watercress or rocket with crispened pancetta and slivers of Mostarda di Frutta and shave over some parmigiano - simple, delectable.

• Lay thin slices of Mostarda di Frutta over peeled wedges of rockmelon. Wrap with a slice of prosciutto.

• Serve wedges or slices of Mostarda di Frutta with baked ham off the bone. Add a simple green salad, a ciabatta loaf and a delicious glass of red.

PELLEGRINO MARSALA
True Italian Marsala comes from the small town of Marsala situated on the southern most tip of the island of Sicily. Here the Pellegrino family have been making some of the finest Marsala for three generations. Marsala was originally invented in 1773 by an Englishman called John Woodhouse. The chap was a wine connoisseur whose passion for the wines of Marsala saw him keen to export the local wine back to England. He added some alcohol to the wine so that it would last the sea voyage to England .the beginnings of the fortified wine we know as Marsala.

Marsala is made from three grape varieties - Catarratto, Grillo and Inzolia and is fortified from alcohol distilled from these grapes.

Marsala Fine, DOC 17% Alcohol
(Fine is pronounced Fee-nay).
Fine is aged for more than a year in oak. This wine style is medium/dry and has similar characteristics to sherry with hints of vanilla and caramel. It is used extensively in Italian cooking and is also served as an aperitif (try it lightly chilled). It is also great with richer desserts and cheeses.

• Prepare a traditional escalopes of veal in Pellegrino Marsala Fine - it will win you hearts and you'll never look back!

• Use to make a classic Zabaglione to serve warm with a hot fruit compote. Mix your favourite dried fruits with tamarillos, apples and pears, splash liberally with Fine, the juice and zest of an orange, a little brown sugar and roast in a hot oven until the fruit is soft and the edges browned.

Marsala Cremovo, 18% Alcohol
Cremovo is made from 'Fine' with the addition of egg yolks. This style is quite sweet (25% sugar), very rich with distinct flavours of caramel and vanilla. It is drunk extensively in Italy as a tonic or "pick me up". It is supposedly good for the morning after a big night! It is also used for cooking and is a great match for desserts and delicious as a liqueur.

Pellegrino Extra Virgin Olive Oil
When you open a bottle of this delicious oil, you will smell fresh green apples. This creamy extra virgin olive oil has a rounded fruity flavour with a mild peppery finish.

Dried Porcini Mushrooms
The intense, earthy porcini flavour will add a rich depth to dishes that will be unmatched by other varieties of mushroom. To use sliced, dried porcini, rinse briefly then soak in hot water for about 30 minutes or until softened. Drain and reserve the soaking liquid to use in the dish. They can also be rehydrated by gently simmering in water or preferably something like a dry Madeira or Marsala Fine - it will smell sensational! Use the porcini in a creamy risotto or try our rustic recipe for Porcini and Mushroom Broth.

Note: Cèpe is the French name for porcini (Boletus edulis).

San Cassiano Organic Balsamic Vinegar
Balsamic vinegar originates from around Modena in the north of Italy. It is made from the must of carefully graded Trebbiano grapes. The grape juice is simmered for several hours to concentrate it before it is allowed to age in wooden barrels. This aging gives the Balsamico a wonderful sweet-tart flavour and a rich mahogany colour. Store your balsamic in a cool, dark pantry (along with your extra virgin olive oil).

• Balsamic vinegar can be used on it's own or to enhance dressings. It is superb to use on lamb fillets or tuna. Try Stephanie Alexander's method for Balsamic Lamb, sear lamb fillets in olive oil and add a tablespoon of balsamic vinegar to deglaze the pan. Turn the meat in the juices and let this reduce for a few minutes before serving.

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