Takes you to a barnyard in Tasmania
Big B is a semi-hard cheese made by Tongola Cheese in Southern Tasmania.
Tongola Cheese is a small farmhouse dairy that was established by Hans Stuz and Esther Hausemann in the late 1990’s. The Swiss natives moved to the hills overlooking the Huon River, purchased 16 acres of land, and a small herd of Toggenburg goats. Eventually, they added a dairy and tiny cheesemaking facility to the farm.
Best of both worlds
Moreover, the name Tongola is inspired by their experiences in the Swiss Alps living in tongolas (little huts). Back then, they would bring the local farmers’cow to the alpage pastures and make cheese.
In 2017, the cheesemaking facility moved to nearby Leap Farm. Kate and Iain Field took over the business and now make an incredible range of farmhouse goat’s milk cheeses on their farm. Actually, their goats descend from Hans’s and Esther’s herd.
One such cheese is Big B. They make this cooked curd, semi-hard washed rind using pasteurised goat’s milk. Its maturation period lasts for a minimum of 3 months. During this time, the affineur painstakingly brushes and washes every single wheel by hand.
Overall, this process imparts a unique aroma to the cheese. At 3 months, it has a rugged reddish-brown rind with a pronounced barnyard, earthy aroma.
How to pair Big B
Enjoy with some cherry paste and a glass of Shiraz or Merlot.
