It is said the best things in life are cheese – and there is so much more to cheese than using it as a filler on a sandwich. Whether it's a slice of locally produced cheese or a smorgasbord of cheeses from around the world, what's not to like?
From fresh cheese to blue cheese, hard or soft cheese, cheddar, Gouda, feta or cream cheese, there is a slice for every palate and every occasion.
Its popularity continues to grow as chefs from fine-dining restaurants to fast food outlets use
cheese to add flavour and texture to their meals.
And an added benefit is that
cheese is an excellent source of protein that's rich in calcium
and vitamins.
Renowned cheese expert Kobus Mulder says in South Africa more processed cheese is eaten by
people who buy takeaway foods as it is used as an ingredient in many fast foods.
“Cheese is a gastronomic food which gives pleasure when consumed. When used in food as an ingredient, it gives flavour and texture to the dish. Cheese can be eaten as a snack (cheese and wine), starter (fried halloumi and baked Camembert), main dish (fondue) and dessert (cheese cake),” Mulder says.
“A new cheese name is born every day somewhere in the world”, so no one knows how many cheese names exist.
“Individual countries might categorise cheeses differently, however, internationally it is accepted that eight categories (types) cover all the thousands of cheeses made,” Mulder says.
“These categories are mainly determined by the milk-solid content of the cheese and the manufacturing method.
“These are fresh, soft, semi-hard, hard, blue, stretched-curd, whey, and processed cheeses. Cheeses within a category will vary somewhat from one another but they still fit into the same category.”
Cheese can be enjoyed all year round and is the perfect addition to some warm, winter comfort foods.
“For winter people can eat warm dishes in which cheeses are used, such as potato bakes with Camembert and bacon,” Mulder says.
He explains that only goat's cheese is seasonal and says the best time to look out for this kind of cheese is from July and August.
“Goat’s cheese is made seasonally due to the fact that goats dry themselves up at the beginning of winter to kid,” Mulder says.
“All the other cheeses are the same throughout the year.”
In terms of cheese trends, Mulder says the making of artisanal cheeses is a growing trend around the world. He says consumers are moving away from “the well-known industrial type” cheeses and are keen to learn more about cheese than just using it as a filler on a sandwich.
“These artisans make small batches of cheese which the industrial factories cannot do.
“The cheese-eating public love these cheeses as they bring different flavours than the industrial cheeses such as Gouda, Cheddar, feta, cream cheese and processed cheese.”
Pairing cheeses with wines, spirits and even tea is another trend.
Mulder says: “Cheeses can be eaten with any food but go particularly well with vegetables, pasta, fruit and fish.
"Wine and beer are good drinks to pair cheese with, but strong cheeses go well with spirits.”
Pairing cheese with tea has become a growing trend, and just like cheese, tea can also be paired with most foods.
The experts at Carmien Rooibos Tea say this combination works just as well as cheese and wine - mainly because tea is closely related to wine in regards to its tasting profiles.
“When serving tea for pairing purposes, you don’t add any milk or sugar/honey in order to fully bring out the taste and flavour of the tea,” a spokesperson says.
“Tea should be served around 60-65ºC and aids in melting the cheese in your mouth, bringing forth the creaminess in the cheese and releasing certain flavours in both the cheese and the tea. As with any pairing, we marry certain foods together to bring out the best in both, thus pairing tea with cheese is an adventure of flavour.
“Not only does the tea complement the flavour in the cheese, it also refreshes, readies and opens up the palate, resulting in a sensory experience. Carmien Tea has an extensive variety of rooibos-based teas, so there is a flavour combination to be made with any cheese you can think of.”
Cheese aficionados can head to the 16th Annual Cheese festival from today until Sunday at the Sandringham Farm, which is located next to the N1, exit 39, between Cape Town and Paarl. The festival runs from 10am to 6pm, with tickets sold via Computicket. No tickets will be sold at the gate.