THE MOULD CHEESECAST

The Meredith Dairy story is great one.
Farmers from the very beginning, Julie and Sandy Cameron knew they needed to value add to their farm and innovate their way out of the pressures and downturn in wool pricing in the 90s.

So, the Dairy was born and the rest, they say, is history for today Meredith Dairy is arguably one of the most recognised Australian cheese brands in the country.

This conversation with son Angus, highlights the dedication many Australian farmers and cheese makers have for their craft. We chatted about how value and quality needs to happen at every level of farming. From the animals themselves, the farmers who nurture them, the land they graze and then of course, the cheese itself and the process that makes it happen.
It is this full vertical integration that makes Meredith Dairy both unique and successful.

We also talk about the future and ensuring the work being done now is sustained for generations to come. This is about sustainability on all fronts; not just environmentally but, socially and economically as well.
This is a great insight into what dedication to quality looks like both long term and at scale.

LINKS MENTIONED THROUGHOUT>>
https://www.abc.net.au/landline/goat-goals:-goat-cheese-dairy-committed-to/12078242

This episode, recorded LIVE at our Sydney Festival in May 2021, is with Michael Caines from Pecora Dairy.

Tucked away in the Southern Highlands village of Robertson, in New South Wales, Michael and along with his wife Cressida, make incredible cheese and also hold the title of making the first commercially available, uncooked RAW milk cheese in Australia; the Yarrawa
This is no small feat.

You’d be hard pressed to find a more articulate conversationalist on RAW milk cheese than Michael. So here we deep dived into the topic of raw milk and how their full circle operation is the basis of their exceptional cheese.

Yes, we went full curd nerd here and discuss the particulars of sheeps milk compared to cow’s goats and others, why raw milk is so special and touch on the regulatory challenges cheese makers face here in Australia to make cheese from it.

Let get into it

Today’s episode is one for the curd nerds as here I talk with Cameron Rowan, executive cheese maker at Milawa Cheese about all things cheesemaking.

We all know how to eat cheese but the process behind the product is as diverse, complex and frankly captivating as the people who make it.

We sat down with Cam out our Sydney Festival in May,  to talk us through how milk, cultures, rennet, flocculation, forming, fermentation and a hell of a lot of patience can create great Australia cheese.

An artisan in the true sense of the word, it was a pleasure to get down to the nitty gritty of what goes into making Milawa’s King River Gold (which is a real favourite of mine).
And I have to say, Cam’s cheese journey is a truly fascinating one and we’re going to get him on here soon.

But until then, let's get into it.

In this episode, we speak with Mahlah Grey from The Pines, in Kiama.

Sitting down and talking with Mahlah is just a delight and you can’t help but enamored and motivated by her wonderful connection and enthusiasms to the farm her family calls home.

Everytime I chat with Mahalah, there is always something new and interesting to learn about the way they approach farming. It’s truly insightful and inspiring.

With 6 generations of dairy farming history at The Pines, it's safe to say they have seen it all over the years. Droughts, Floods, fires and then a pandemic Mahlah talks to us about the joys of reconnecting with the land and the significant differences just a few small changes can make.

She is a legend and if you want to learn more about what the team at The Pines Kiama is doing, Mahlah wrote a lovely piece in our First edition our Mould Digest which is available in all cheese boxes and at our Festivals. So make sure you grab a copy.

Also, a shout out to Mahlah’s husband Kel. Mark our words mate, we can’t wait to see you at the Festival soon.

Today, we’d like to introduce to you a little sub-series from the usual cheesemaker interviews. They’re the LIVE conversations we have with the cheese movers and makers at our MOULD Cheese Festivals which have returned in 2021 after a year hiatus thanks to you know what.

These LIVE edition podcasts will be marked as exactly that, LIVE so you know what to look for when scrolling through previous episodes. They're raw, uncut and we hope give you a sense of the energy and enthusiasms of the festivals themselves.

To kick things off, we’re chatting with Nicole Gilliver from Grandvewe Cheese in Tasmania.

We love sitting down with Nicole as you’d be hard pressed to find a more thoughtful, articulate and radically candid person. So get ready to enjoy a real, frank and honest conversation around the creative side of things, and the challenges that lay at the core of Grandvewe.

We talk about the importance of innovative thinking on not just the farm, but the cheese and also the spiritual side of things. And by that we mean how a small family cheese business made the world's best vodka.

So, let's get into it …

A microbiologist and food technologist walk into a cheese shop .. may sound like the start of fairly intellectual joke but this did happen and some years later Goldfields was established and Nadia Baxter and Andrew Keene have never looked back.

My name is Dan Sims and on today’s podcast we chat about all things microbiology and how the environment, from what the cows eat to how much it rains, totally changes the cheese from batch to batch.

Plus the pains and gains of running a small business.

Nadia and Andrew work tirelessly with 2 young kids in tow to create cheese that aims to balance art and science … and we’re so grateful for Nardia for taking the time to speak to us.

Welcome back to the Mould cheese Podcast where we talk to the makers, growers, farmers and families who just happen to make the best cheese in Australia.

We are back again this year to continue the conversation with the Brie-liant people in our growing collective orbit..

Expect to hear stories from more cheese  producers, a mini series on drinks matching with the some of the industry’s best before getting to the nitty gritty of how cheese is made and also chatting with independent cheesemongers that champion Australia's best.

It's going to be a Gouda year!

So, to today’s episode ...

It begins with a house cow and a milk moment.

Here I chat with Julie from Robe Dairy about heirloom cultures, the beauty of good milk and the small town of Robe they call home.
The journey started after a taste of real quality jersey milk in Fleurieu Peninsula in South Australia.

It was that moment that Julie discovered the potential her house cow, affectionately called Rosie had to produce some amazing cheese.

But this wasn’t aiming for perfection but rather personality, and  caring for a small herd of just 20 cows.
Then, thanks to the unique cultures they use, Robe Dairy cheese is packed with bundles of personality.

This was actually recorded last year so forgive us for the delay in getting this live!

Welcome to the final chat of our month long series talking to the makers, growers fathers and families who just happen to make the best RAW milk cheese in Australia.

Todays podcast is the recording from the live Instagram chat I had with Kym Masters from Section 28 Cheese, in the Adelaide Hills, South Australia.

Talking with Kym, and tasting the cheese, it’s incredible to imagine that Section 28 is just over 5 years old. The qualities impact they’ve had has been swift to say the least.

Here we discuss not only his cheese, but his RAW milk influence, and how and what RAW milk cheese may be in the future in Australia. Yes, there are indeed some ‘curd nerd’ moments, but it's well worth it.

This was a brilliant conversation to round out the month and whilst we know we only scraped the surface, we hope this has helped you better understand where RAW milk cheese is in Australia and how you, can play your part in this movement as well.

If we’re talking RAW milk cheese in Australia, it would be remise, if not near impossible, to not talk about Will Studd.

Will’s impact on the cheese world in Australia is significant if not profound. Establishing Calendar Cheese company in 1995, the impact this had on Australian cheese is quite phenomenal. Hand on heart I can say my cheese education in my hospitality days, in particular at Punch Lane Wine Bar, was due to Calendar Cheese.

He’s written two books and produced an incredible 68 odd episode global TV series on cheese which I’m sure you all know, Cheese Slices. Add to that, there was the ‘Roquefort’ incident, and a court challenge all about advocating RAW milk cheese in Australia.

Will is joined by another person who probably needs no introduction, Nick Haddow of Bruny Island Cheese.

Aside from making incredible cheese, it was Nick who made the first commercial available RAW milk cheese in Australia some 12 years a go.

He’s also a writer, presenter and when it comes to cheese communication, it would be hard find any one better. Nick and Will have known each other for a long time and have many shared journeys and experiences.

Which is we're handing the reins over to him tonight to interview Will on all things RAW milk cheese so we can get into the nitty gritty of what it is, isn’t, where it is in Australia today and what it could hold in the future.

As anyone in business will tell you, the key to any companies success is people … people … people.

And this is most certainly the case for the Yarra Valley Dairy who, from humble beginnings, has grown to be one of the most recognised cheese brands in the country.

The alumni of people in and around it is testament to its success so it's why I was so grateful to chat with their brand manager, Catherine McCarthy who has been with the company for almost 11 years. That is an amazing stint.

But I ask you not to focus on the title here.  Sure, blessed are the cheesemakers but as I just hint above, it’s the passions and enthusiasms of the people within any business that truly makes it tick.

Plus, as you are about to hear, Catherine has her own cheese journey that brought her to the Yarra Valley Dairy’s doors.

Its deeply personal, honest, and highlights just how great cheese connects us all. 

As anyone who works, or has worked, in hospitality, the pressures your can find yourselves under can be quite full on. So taking a moment of respite from the madness of service is essential.

For chef Colin Wood, this came in the form of cheese making which has now become a significant part of his culinary life. You just have to check out his instagram @colejwood to see what I mean.

Colin’s cheffing careers has taken him across the globe working in some of the best including Andrew McConnells Cutler and Co, to Oakridge and then to New York as culinary director for chef Ignacio Mattos’s restaurants Estela, Altro Paradiso and Flora Bar.

Throughout all, developing cheese programs within them was paramount.

He returned to Australia just prior to the borders closing (due to COVID) and is now in Perth pondering his next steps.

But one is is certain. Cheese will remain a sincere and central focus.

We talk a lot about the importance of story here on this podcast and gee, do we have a good one for you today.

Here I talk with Thea Royal from Shaw River Buffalo on not just how they came to be (which is one epic tale), but … as we just hinted … but the story of the person who inspired the name of one of their most renowned cheeses, Annie Baxter.  

To be the first in any field is a challenge. It takes determination, resilience and a laser like focus on the outcome, regardless of the obstacles laid out in front of you.

For Shaw River, their goal was to make not just Australia’s first buffalo milk mozzarella, but a semi hard style as well. 

They were told it couldn’t be done. So they didn’t it anyway and proved the neigh sayers completely wrong.

I don’t know about you but I just love and adore that kind drive and resilience. Its overwhelmingly inspiring, especially during these times.

But I should say it’s not just with shaw river but ALL cheese makers across this land who strive to be the absolute best they can be.

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LINKS ABOUT ANNIE BAXTER

http://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/dawbin-annie-maria-1967

http://www.womenaustralia.info/biogs/AWE3681b.htm

Today, we talk with cheesemaker, Tim Gadischke.

Originally from Queensland, the steps on Tim’s cheese journey have taken him further south each time and now, finally, has made a home at Coal River Farm in the stunning, Coal River Valley in Tasmania.

Situated just outside Hobart, Coal River Farm is a relative new comer to the cheese community but their impact and growth has been swift. With a key focus of building direct connections to their customers, they’ve open up stores in not just Coal River Valley, but Hobart, Perth and even Melbourne.

But it really is a love and curious fascination with cheese that remains at Tim’s heart which you can’t help but enthused by when talking to him.

And as he says, happy Cows make great cheese.

We couldn’t agree more.

Moving house really does suck. So imagine for a moment, the challenges of not just moving your entire farm but an entire herd of 300 cows.

As someone who has literally just moved house and office, the number of logistical challenges of such an undertaking … is mind blowing.

But that is exactly what Andy and Matt Jackman did when they made the call to leave the drought stricken Northern Victoria to quite literally, the greener pastures of Olinda, in Northern Tasmania.

And here is where the Red Cow Organics story begins.

A new farm.
A new home.
AND … then, a new business.

Focused on making incredible cheese with organics at its core.

This is a story of making a call, and following it all the way through.

The inspiration to start a business, especially that of cheese, more often than not stems from a passion or a wonderful and memorable experience.

But for Tamara Newing, from Boat Shed cheese in the Mornington Peninsula in Victoria, it was born as result of a horrible tragedy.

I’m telling you this now as a heads up and ask you to hold on here as its this is story you really should hear. It’s a story of how cheese making created a process of purpose and inevitably, a legacy.

The line ‘it’s just business, not personal’, is one I’ve always taken issue with and even more so now after speaking with so many amazing people on this podcast.

It’s particularly true in todays episode.

Small business, no matter what it is, comes from a personal investment of emotional energy that goes beyond dollars and cents.

It’s the thing that drives people to do what they do and face any challenge that comes their way.

I’d like to thank Tamara for being so open and willing to share her deeply personal story here and especially on the tenth anniversary, literally to the day, of when her cheese story begins.

Hope, a leap of faith and a strong sense of community are at the core of this interview as I talk with the wonderful humans who are Mahlah and Kel Grey from The Pines in Kiama, New South Wales.

My name is Dan Sims and welcome back to the MOULD Cheese Collective podcast.

This is where we speak to the makers, growers, farmers and families who just happen to make the best cheese in Australia.

There is so much here in this conversation today and speaks so much about going with your gut, making that leap faith and drawing strength from the community around you. And of course, that word that is very much a theme here; resilience.

And when we say community, that includes you, dear listener and Mould Festival champions, as you’re part of this as well. As you’ve played a significant role in giving Key & Mahlah confidence and assurance that they’re on the right path.

Enjoy.

Today, we hand over the podcast reins to our good friend, writer, communicator and food champion, Hilary McNevin who interviews Michael Cains from Pecora Dairy in Roberston, New South Wales. 

Like most farmers, 2020 has throw up many challenges to Michael but again, the word 'resilience' comes to mind. 

Michael is making some incredible cheese and speaks beautifully about his farm, his animals and just how connected you must be to the land to create incredible, world class cheese. Especially his new raw milk cheese. 

This is a real insight into not just farming practices, but the how and why they do what they do. 

Yet another reminder to celebrate and champion great Australian cheese.

Today, we speak with Burke Brandon from Prom Country cheese from South Gippsland, in Victoria. An area very close to my heart not just for incredible cheese, but wine, beaches and more.

What I loved about talking with Burke is that he is a farmer first and his connection to his land and animals, then to his cheese, is self-evident. And so is his humility.

The phrase ‘humble farmer’ may at times be a throwaway line but I can’t think of a better way to describe him.

There is a humble pride for the cheese he makes and I know you’ll hear what I mean as you listen on … especially for his new ‘secret project’ cheese.

Burke and his wonderful wife Bronwyn, open their cheesery and country kitchen over the spring and summer months so if you find yourself that way, do pop in and say hi, and, if you’re lucky, you may get to try one of Bronwyn’s legendary sausage rolls.

I can attest this personally but please don’t mention my name, as I’ll no doubt get in trouble as they are only ever in short supply.
Just as well they have wonderful cheese and wine as back up.

We’re big fans of Prom Country and we know you will too.

Today, we speak to Melissa and Donavan Jacka from Tolpuddle Cheese in Victoria’s high Country.

To start, and with hand on heart, I have to say I owe a lot to these guys in the context of helping me undertand and … illustrate to me .. what it takes to make truly great Australia cheese.

It came in the form of the best emails I’ve ever received … from anyone!

As for its contents, I explain further into this podcast but I will tell you that it was immediate reminder that great quality, artisan cheese is a labour of absolute love. And something that is not in in-exhaustible supply.

Like so many businesses in 2020, Tolpuddle had to adapt and fast, to not only the impact of the unprecedented Australia bushfires at the start of 2020, but again as COVID-19 hit.

As hard as it was, they drew strength from those around them and it was that genuine , and powerful, sense of community, both local and social, that has seen them through. Ever heard of sponsoring a goat anyone???

We talk a lot about collaboration and not competition here on this podcast and today is no exception.

I’m forever blown away by the resilience .. and good sense of humour, so many farmers and cheese makers have.

Yes, it in indeed tough times but do not ask to save Melissa and Donavan … as thanks to their incredible hard work, and their collaborative spirit, they’ve got this.

What we should do instead is champion and celebrate all in which they, and all Australian cheese makers, do.

I’m sure you’ll be able to tell, I really enjoyed this chat and hope you do too

Today we speak with Jack Holman from Stone & Crow Cheese in the Yarra Valley, Victoria.

We first met Jack when setting up the MOULD Cheese Festival in 2017 as then, he was the cheese maker at Yarra Valley Dairy in, the Yarra Valley just outside Melbourne in Victoria.

Stone and Crow was at that moment, his side hustle but as we tasted through his cheeses, and the incredible affinage projects and collaborations he was doing, we immediately realised he was creating something special.

Like all side good hustles, Stone and Crow has now become his fill time gig and we are all lucky as a result.

Every time I speak to Jack, and taste his cheese, I walk away with the feeling that he’s just getting started and the best is still yet to come.

He is indeed one of those quiet achievers who not only makes great cheese, but is constantly thinking about his craft and what boundaries he can push.

So, remember his name folks!

The Brown family's (and Milawa's) contribution to Australian cheese cannot be underestimated.

It all started thanks to some encouragement from their good friend (and other cheese legend) Richard Thomas, David and Anne Brown got in there and gave it a crack at the Milawa Butter Factory in 1988.

The rest, they say is history, but it’s also the present. Many in the Australian cheese community still credit much of their early inspiration to the Brown family, especially that of Anne, including co-founder of MOULD, Nick Haddow from Bruny Island Cheese.

Very sadly, Anne passed away last year and although some times has passed since, her loss is still felt.

Her daughter Ceridwen, who I catch up with today, now runs this family business and she truly is a wonderful human being. 

Family.

That is the word that first comes to mind when I think of MlIawa.

It’s at the core of who they are, where they’ve been and what their future holds. You really get a sense of it when you speak to Ceridwen and I’m so grateful to her for opening up and sharing some wonderfully personal stories here.

She really is an incredible human and truly embodies the family spirit of hospitality, sharing and passionately talking about what Milawa does. \And for those of you who have joined us at our festivals, you would have witnessed this first hand.  And no doubt contributed to so many votes in the people’s choice.  

She’s always out the front of her stand, with a massive Milawa Blue in arm, handing out samples.

I’m very grateful to her for being so open in our conversation here.  

Or may that was the wine we had in hand whilst recording?

In today’s episode, we speak to Kym Masters from Section 28 who are from the wonderful Adelaide Hills in South Australia.

We recording this podcast at the height of home isolation but what I love about this conversation was that we talked about the impact and influence that traveling the world can have.

With distance can come perspective as well as inspiration and motivation.

And it is travel that is at the core of Kym’s, and the Section 28s, story.

Thanks to a family trip to the humble, and beautiful town, of Monforte d’Alba in the gastronmic paradise of Piedmont, in Italys North West, it sparked the inspiration to create what has become, in our opinion, one of the great cheeses in Australia.

Aptly named, and in tribute, to the town, Monforte.

We know we will embarrass Kym by saying that as he is way too humble but this is yet another example the evolution of Australian cheese.
And that something we should all be proud of.

Yes, cheese makers here may draw inspiration from Europe, or anywhere frankly, but they take that and then craft something that is uniquely and unapologetically from this land.

Let’s face it, drawing inspiration from elsewhere is nothing new. We could say the same for music, the arts, architecture … anything.

It’s what people do with it that matters and in Section 28’s case, we are all the benefactors.

We really enjoyed this chat with Kym and hope you do too.

This is the first of a series of interviews with the incredible cheesemakers that make up the MOULD COLLECTIVE. It’s about putting them in the spotlight and helping you get to know them better which in the end, we think, makes their cheese taste even better

Here we chat with not only the co-founder of MOULD A Cheese Festival and Cheese Collective, but cheese maker, author and founder of Bruny Island Cheese in Tasmania, Nick Haddow.

For as long we can remember, Nick has been a champion of great Australian cheese. Our chat was a chance to catch up talk a little more about what drives him, his inspiration and how Bruny Island Cheese Company came to be.

If you’re keen for more, we’d love it if you’d subscribe to this podcast and tell your friends about it to. Or, even better, leave us a rating or comment as we’re really keen to hear from you as to what stories you’d like us to explore and more.

You, after all, are part of this collective too.

Just one quick note though, we recorded this in the time of social distancing so over the internet, so please be patient of some of the sound quality.

We can't wait to share more cheese stories with you.

Enjoy!