Cheeses pleases
From Cheddar and Edam to Gruyere and chèvre, cheese hits a certain note that makes us feel good inside. Several cheeseries across the Cape Winelands offer a wide selection of cheeses far superior in craftsmanship to the yellow tasteless rubber found on supermarket shelves. Making your own cheese isn’t too difficult either, and with a little effort you could be enjoying your own ‘craft’ cheese on your next cracker…
Fairview offers a comprehensive collection on their cheeseboards. Served with a selection of fresh breads, the cheeseboard is paired with wines and fruits.
Cheese tasting at scenic estates has gained popularity recently. A number of operators offer cheese tour packages, visiting cheeseries close to Cape Town and in the winelands, not unlike wine tasting. Set in some of the more scenic parts of the Cape, the artisanal cheese industry is attracting more and more tourists each year, with big estates like Fairview Wine & Cheese populating shelves in supermarkets with fine local flavours.
Fairview, regarded as one of the principal cheeseries in the country, is set in scenic Paarl with a backdrop of vineyards and mountains. Known for their white rind cheeses, Fairview are also make celebrated lactose-free goat’s milk cheeses, like their prize-winning black pepper and paprika Chevin. The estate also offers guests combination tastings including wine and cheese starting from R25 per person.
The majestic Cape Winelands provide the backdrop for exploration of the cheeseboard and wine bottle.
Served with jams and preserves, visitors can taste anything from the Fairview Brie to their Feta. Cheeseries across the region are experimenting not only with genres, but also adding herbs and spices to set their cheeses apart.
Healy’s at Waterkloof Wines close to Somerset West is known for its mature Cheddar. With maturation periods of up to 24 months, the cheese is kept in a cave-like environment for optimal maturation.The cheesery offers cheese tasting starting from R30 per person. They also offer a cheese and wine pairing for R60 per person.
Established in 2000, Forest Hill is part of Anura wine estate, between Paarl and Stellenbosch. Forest Hill produces a variety of soft white cheeses including brie, Camembert and a few of their own takes on traditional fromage. Like a number of other estates, visitors interested in a tour and wine and cheese tasting can expect to pay from R45 and can embark on a tour of the cellars.
Dalewood Fromage has its own herd of Jersey cows, providing the freshest milk to the picturesque cheese estate in the Winelands. Dalewood offers a Lanquedoc, a medium strong soft artisanal cheese made solely by them in very limited quantities. Directions to the farm are quirky, “There is a lone pine tree, a hedge and a curved white wall at the entrance.”
Just outside Stanford, the Klein River Cheese Farm has up to six cheeses to taste in their cheese shop. There is also a formal cheese tasting at R15 per person and guests are given a short history of the farm and the cheese making process. Through a window in the shop, visitors have a view of the cheese factory, which best seen during the week between 10:00 and 11:30. The cheesery also has a Picnic Deli, where guests can choose from a selection of picnic baskets or create their own from a veritable Smörgåsbord.
Make your own cheese
If you fancy yourself a connoisseur and would like to give cheese making a go, kits are available online from Cape Town-based company Cheeselab, starting at R580. The entry level kits include the ingredients to make Feta, cream cheese and mascarpone. For the experienced fromager, intermediate kits are available to make mozzarella, halloumi and ricotta, but it is a good idea to start with the beginner kit, as it includes all of the hardware you’ll need to get going. Cheeselab, in association with Beerlab, run courses for interested cheese makers.
