New Zealand Cheese Month, dubbed as one of the “gratest” months of the year, is set to kick off on October 1, celebrating all there is to love about our unique and diverse speciality cheese industry.
From cheese and whisky matching, goat milking demonstrations, a Cheese Appreciation Evening and meet the cheesemaker events – New Zealand Cheese Month is an occasion for all turophiles aka cheese lovers, across the country.
Driven by the New Zealand Specialist Cheese Association, New Zealand Cheese Month acknowledges our skilled and passionate cheesemakers catering to Kiwi palettes by creating sophisticated world-class speciality cheeses.
With innovation at an all-time high, cheesemakers are continuing to explore different milk types from buffalo to sheep, cow and goat. This year, Putaruru based Over the Moon Dairy has released a cheese using a blend of four milk types – buffalo, sheep, cow and goat – creating a farmhouse style, sweet and nutty cheese appropriately named Southern Cross by Neil Willman.
New Zealand Cheese Month is rich with a wealth of new releases so treat your taste buds with Barry’s Bay new Cacao Nib Havarti, covered in perfectly roasted cacao nibs, or Wakame Kelp Havarti complete with a dusting of the sea-salted superfood. Marlborough-based Cranky Goat has also released a white rind cheese Linkwater Log with 50c of every cheese sold going to the Whole Lotta Life charity helping people aged 15-25 diagnosed with cancer.
Restaurants and specialist food stores including Farro Fresh, Nosh, Sabato, Moore Wilson’s, C’est Cheese and leading supermarkets Countdown, New World and Fresh Choice are all getting behind New Zealand Cheese Month celebrations with events, promotions and tastings.
This is just a taste of what’s happening across the country. Check out the New Zealand Cheese Month website (www.cheeselovers.co.nz) to explore what’s on in each region, try a new seasonal cheese or take your cheese board to new heights this October.
Event and activity highlights will run throughout October on www.facebook.com/CheeseLoversNZ. Cheeselovers are encouraged to track New Zealand Cheese Month activities, and mark their favourite Cheese Month moments, by using the hashtag #nzcheesemonth.