Raw milk cheese is still a very new concept in Australia. Meet the cheese that started the movement in 2009, Bruny Island Cheese’s Raw Milk C2.
Bruny Island Cheese Co.
After spending more than 10 years working with cheesemakers around the world, Nick Haddow came back home to Australia in 2003. Soon after, he established Bruny Island Cheese Co. in Tasmania with a very clear goal in mind.
Without a doubt, Nick’s plan was to bring traditional cheesemaking to Australia. And, there is no practice that is more traditional than the use of raw, unpasteurised milk to make cheese.
Australia’s first raw milk cheese
In 2009, Bruny Island Cheese Co. launched Australia’s first commercial raw milk cheese. The aptly named Raw Milk C2 is a pressed cooked cow’s milk cheese that provides the purest form of expression of the local terroir.
Drawing his inspiration from the mountain cheeses of France, Nick and head cheesemaker Luke Jackson, make Raw Milk C2 using the fresh, unpasteurised milk from their own herd of cows.
What does Raw Milk C2 taste like?
Overall, they mature the wheels of C2 onsite for a minimum of 6 months. In fact, they select some of their best wheels for further maturation up to 12 months.
During this time, an affineur wipes the wheels down weekly to encourage the rind and flavour development.
At 12 months, the cheese develops a sweet aroma and a mildly nutty flavour. Moreover, it has a beautiful, rugged cream coloured natural rind which is packed with flavour.
How to serve Raw Milk C2
As always, you will want to get your piece of cheese to room temperature before serving.
Celebrate the local terroir of Bruny Island by pairing with a local Honey Pale Ale or IPA. Furthermore, this robust semi-hard cheese will match intriguingly with an equally robust red wine such as Syrah or Malbec.
