THE MOULD CHEESECAST

Today we chat to our first international guests on the podcast; Gabrielle Kervella and Alan Cockman from Kervella cheese who are one of the three producers in New Zealand making Raw Milk cheese. With both sharing impressive cheese making resumes in Australia, France, South Africa and now New Zealand, these veterans have a great story to tell with an incredible 80 years of combined experience. We discuss Kervella's journey from a small goat farm in Western Australia, to learning how to make goat cheese in France on family holidays … trying to apply European techniques to Australian conditions, before finally returning to Gabriella’s home in New Zealand to what they thought would be their retirement. Not. So. We get curd nerdy with Alan as he tells us about the evolution of starter cultures and the difference between how cheese is made today on a mass scale compared to what he is trying to achieve and how raw milk plays into this. We also touch on the regulations in New Zealand in regard to Raw milk production, what their customers think and what it means to be a true artisan producer. You can tell that Alan and Gabriella have a true and enduring passion for their craft and it is such a pleasure to share their story. So let’s get into it. ---- Follow Kervella at @KervellaCheese Follow us @mouldcheese 

WELCOME TO RAW MILK CHEESE MONTH at the Podcast where we speak to the makers, growers, farmers, and families who are making the best RAW milk cheese in the Australia (and beyond!). To kick things off, we talk with Burke Brandon from Prom Country Cheese in South Gippsland Victoria. Last year, they released the Moyarra Reserve which was the first RAW milk cheese in Victoria for over 80 years. It’s been a wild 12 months since for sure, so we thought this a great chance to check in and see how things are... a year after release. It is in this month's cheese box, after-all. Challenging year aside, Burke along with his wonderful wife Bron, took some time to reflect and fine tune not only their own processes, build on the connection with their customers (crucial to any business) and probably most importantly, build confidence in their production method. For us, we’re grateful for it as the proof of this is in the cheese. it’s down right delicious. Burke also offers some great insights into the barriers to Raw milk production in Australia and we get into the nitty gritty about ph, Acidity, cultures and the potential (well, hopeful) chance of making a raw milk blue cheese in the country. Or maybe that’s just us projecting our own wants. Look, this one is great for those true curd nerds! So let's get into it. ----- Follow @prom_ cheese Follow @mouldcheese

This week episode we're flipping the format and thanks to our guest host, the wonderful Hilary McNevin, Dan Sims is put in the hot seat as he talks all things MOULD Cheese Collective, how it evolved, how it's been and where it's going. Add to that he dips into his sommelier roots and talks cheese, wine and drinks matching as well as his new project, GOOD TIME WINES which is all about wine in fun, 150ml cans made by awesome winemakers.  Pivot may be the word of the pandemic, so here is the inside word on how and why the primarily festival focused business of REVEL, has learned to adapt and innovate throughout while keeping the core values of connection and community front of mind.  A huge thank you to Hilary McNevin for stepping into the host chair and yes, it won't be last time! ----- For more information about the MOULD Collective, follow via the socials @mouldcheese Check out GOOD TIME WINES website via the links below and follow on the socials @goodtimewines https://www.goodtimewines.com/ 

Debuting with us at our Sydney Festival earlier this year Coolamon Cheese is one of the newest additions to our cheese community and we are stoked to have them with us. Located in the heart of the Riverina, in NSW, there is a real sense of community, creativity and curiosity at the heart of Coolamon cheese. Here I chat with cheesemaker, Jennifer Nestor who with many years of experience, and clearly a truly creative flair, she somehow manages to balance this with a traditional hands-on approach to cheese making. One cheese we discuss in particular is the Merlot Flour brie which is in the September Cheese box. Yep. Flour made from dried Merlot grapes. See what I mean! This is just one example of the many other interesting and creative cheeses coming out of Coolamon. So let's get into it!

Today we chat to the team Long Paddock Cheese, Alison Lansley and Ivan Larcher. Located in Castlemaine, Victoria, it is not only home to the production side of Long Paddock cheese but it is here that they have developed one of Australia’s first Cheese Schools ; Dedicated to offering a range of small-scale business-related education, as well as training for cheesemongers, regulators, home cheese makers and cheese lovers. Alison, is a long time supporter of the Australian cheese industry and Secretary of the Australian Specialist Cheesemakers' Association (ASCA) and is the key driver behind the project. Alongside her is Ivan Larcher, who is the key educator of the school and, of course, head cheesemaker at Long Paddock cheese. He shares some great stories of his journey from France to Castlemaine. Long Paddock were set to make their debut at our Melbourne Mould Festival, however due to you know what you’ll have to wait a little longer to meet them face to face however, lucky for many of you listeners out there would have had the delightful opportunity to enjoy their cheeses in our recent Festival Cheese box. I was a big fan for sure and we know you will be too. Let’s get into it. ----- Learn more about the cheese school HERE Links about the cheese school below! Australia's first 'university of cheese' is open for curdling

To wrap up our month of this month long celebration of Aussie Artisans, today I talk with amazing Rachel Needoba from the Butterfly Factory in Yarragon, West Gippsland. Rachel’s story is a truly fascinating one filled with incredible anecdotes all wrapped in a love for all things gastronomy. From the cheese side of things, you could say it escalated during her time in France, in particular Burgundy, where she met her husband, winemaker William Downie, which then brought her to create a home in Gippsland, and finally to establish her own brand, the micro dairy the Butterfly Factory, at the start of 2020 focusing on milk, yoghurt, butter (mmm, butter!) and of course cheese. This was cheese production on a true small, artisan scale but from small things, big passions can come and thanks to the recent completion of her very own cheese factory on her farm, you can expect to see more and more exciting cheeses being produced here. I’ve had the privilege of chatting with Rachel a number of times now and I’m so grateful we finally got the chance to record a chat and help share her story with you.  And, hopefully, even share some of her cheese with you in our monthly cheese boxes. In the meantime, I’m going to leave a few links below of where to find her cheese as well as a video we did with Victoria Together celebrating Dairy in Gippsland. Follow the Butterfly Factory Story ... Instagram: @butterflyfactory_gippsland Facebook: Butterfly Factory Gippsland If in Victoria, you’ll find Rachel’s cheese at the Prom Coast Food Collective LIVE GIPPSLAND Videos referenced in the interview which were supported by Victoria Together https://www.together.vic.gov.au/food-wine/live-gippsland Also follow on the socials at @livegippsland

Continuing with our month-long focus on Aussie artisans, today we speak with Sallie Jones from Gippsland Jersey from the heart of Victoria’s Dairy country in, you guessed it, Gippsland. There is so much to love about the Gippsland Jersey story but it’s hard to summarise it better than the three core principals Sallie adheres to; Paying a proper price to farmers, a commitment to rural mental health and finally, kindness. Those three core value principals truly are the foundation and key to the brands growth, success and dare I say almost cult like following in their local community and beyond. Seeing local supermarket shelves sold out of their milk is not an uncommon occurrence. Look, there is no hiding the fact I love this part of Victoria seeing I moved to Gippsland just before the second lockdown in Melbourne back in May 2020. But there really is something special going on down here and across all aspects of agriculture, the arts and beyond. You name it. It’s happening. And it really is regional champions like Sallie, and businesses like Gippsland Jersey, that not only help drive the region forward, but do so with a genuine intent, care, and kindness, for their local community. And at the end of the day, isn’t that what it’s all about? ---------- Follow the Gippsland Jersey Story Website: https://gippslandjersey.com.au/ Instagram: @gippslandjersey Facebook: Gippsland Jersey LIVE GIPPSLAND Videos referenced in the interview which were supported by Victoria Together Also follow on the socials at @livegippsland https://www.together.vic.gov.au/food-wine/live-gippsland

Continuing on with our month-long celebration of Aussie artisans, here i get to speak with the wonderful Kris Lloyd AM, one of the true greats of Australian Cheese. After waking up one day and deciding to have a go at this whole ‘making cheese business’, Kris’s impact cannot be underestimated. Handcrafting cheese in the picturesque Adelaide Hills, with a variety of milks from local dairies, this is all about making cheese that is uniquely Australian and down right delicious. Numerous cheese awards aside, Kris herself was recognised last year in the Queens Birthday honours for her dedication to not just industry itself, but to education, communication and to tourism. We are so lucky to have this chance to sit down with her to and talk us through how it all started. How she balances the creative and the business side of things (always precarious). The importance of surrounding yourself with good people … and …  the exciting and hardworking world of Australian cheese. This is a great one for all you budding artisan makers as it is a story of creativity, innovation and resilience. Let's get into it.

This month we shine an even bigger spot light on Aussie Artisan, what that means and what it  truly takes. For the entire month of August (and beyond for that matter), we’re encourage you all to seek these ‘legendairy’ producers in your own local area. Today, we’ll hear from Erica Dibben from Tilba Real Dairy which is located on the beautiful south coast in NSW. It’s a region that has been through a lot in the past 18 months (in particular) facing down the devastating bushfires of late 2019 / 2020 and then of course, right into a global pandemic. Lets not sugar coat it. It’s been tough. Nic and Erica have been in the dairy industry for over 20 years and despite the challenges, remain incredibly passionate about it, especially when it comes to providing outstanding products for their local community and beyond. At its core the Tilba Real Dairy’s story is one of strength, community, authenticity and, the word that is heard a lot around here, resilience. Here, Erica talks candidly about what it means to live that and of the vital importance of providing for those around them and what it means to them. Plus, how food security and quality go hand in hand and the challenges the dairy, and more broader farming industry, currently faces I really enjoyed this very open and honest chat with Erica and we know you’re going to enjoy hearing more about Tilba Real Dairy. Let's get in to it

Blessed may be the cheesemakers but let's not forget the cheese mongers who play an important role in advocating the artisan cheese community. Today we catch up with the magnificent Penny Lawson, a self confessed avid cheese lover and owner of Potts Point’s favourite fromagerie, Penny’s Cheese Shop. Penny has become a staple in the Australian cheese landscape having been in the industry for over 20 years. She also works as a cheese judge with the Australian Specialty Cheesemakers' Association and for those of you who’ve joined us at the Festivals, you would have seen her smiling facce behind many a stand helping out and spreading the good cheese word. We finally got a chance to sit down and chat all things especially about the evolution of the Australian cheese, judging cheese, the important and vital role of the cheesemonger plays, as a provider, educator and advocate to cheese lovers, and what we can all do to support our growing cheese industry. I should say as well, that for the entire month of August, we’re shining an even bigger spotlight on Aussie Artisans to celebrate #aussieartisanweek which is puled together by our mates at Pepe Saya. That week is August 16-22, 2021. Supporting local artisans is paramount right now especially as NSW continues its difficult lockdown and Victoria and South Australia just come out of theirs. Where you spend your food dollars really does make a difference. Let’s get into it.

On a small goat farm on the Bellarine Peninsula, Corinne Blackett makes a wonderful, if small range, of delicious goat's cheese. A pharmacist by trade, Corinne fell in love with goats when she had purchased a six to keep the grass under control on the property. What else do you do with these natural lawn mowers? Well, make cheese of course and it was after realising the pleasure of the cheese making process in her kitchen, no doubt thanks to the incredible freshness of milk at hand, Drysdale Cheese was born. Now with a herd of just 30 milking goats on a small, 5 acre property, Corinne makes a small range of award winning cheese that you, if you’re lucky enough, can find in local shops and restaurants in the greater Geelong and Bellarine region I’ve been wanting to chat to Corinne since we started this humble podcast and I’m sure you’ll agree, it was well worth the wait. As with all conversations, this just starts to scratch the surface of the Drysdale Cheese story and there is so much more we could discuss but for now, get settled so, let’s get into it. --- Be sure to follow her at @drysdale_cheeses

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

The Minoia family immigrated to Australia back in 1999 and brought with them a hard working ethos and craftsmanship that has made Vannella Cheese, a the third generation cheese making family, produce what we think, is some of the Australia’s (or dare we say the worlds) best Italian style stretch curd cheese. Here I got the chance to chat with Giuseppe to talk about not just the cheese making process for this style of cheese, but the effects of the seasonal variation and how the quality of Australian milk is outstanding. Family is at the core of Vannella Cheese and it was a so good to reminisce over food from the his motherland and the connections sharing a meal, can create. If you are interested in trying some of their cheese in this month's Mould Collective cheese box you’ll find some scamorza which is a smoked mozzarella. Otherwise you will also find them at the Carriageworks markets every Saturday in Sydney and the of course, check out their website for stockists near you. Let’s get into it …

From humble beginnings in the 70’s with a small her of just 12 milking cows, Bream Creek Dairy has gone from strength to strength. Being one of the only remaining dairies in the area, the Bignell family now has a herd of 800 strong Holstein Friesian cows. But as with all farming, it has it’s challenges and the need to diversify the family business led them to cheese making and we could not be more impressed with what they are producing and I’m sure I can say the same of those who have enjoyed some the recent cheese boxes. We had the opportunity to sit down with Jack Bignell and James Green to discuss the evolution of Bream Creek Dairy and what makes that part of Tassie so special. I’m not sure about you but by the end of this conversation I was looking at flights to Tasmania. It really is a special place. So let's get into it!

Behind every great artisan there is an even better story and for Iain and Kate Field, at Tongola Cheese in Tasmania, that is certainly true. It was an absolute pleasure to sit down with these two and talk about the love of their Kids - yes we meant their goat babies as well as their humans - the cheese they make and their carbon positive farm and regenerative practices. We also talk about the cheese, “Zoe”, which is in this month's June cheese box which will be reaching your doors this week. Iain and Kate are truly dedicated to what they do and I’m so grateful to have the chance to talk with them and hear their story. There is a lot to unpack here and I feel we may need to do a little sub-series on the farming side of things. But for now, let’s focus on the great Tasmania cheese which is focus this month Subscription box as well as the podcast here. Let 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 RAW month at MOULD, where we shine a spotlight on the makers, growers, farmers, and families who are making the best raw milk cheese in the country. Every Thursday of the month of October you’ll be able to tune in LIVE at 5.30pm Australian eastern Daylight time) as we chat to the maker growers farmers and families who just happen to make the best RAW milk cheese in Australia. Expect to hear from Nick Haddow of Bruny Island Dairy as well as the teams at Pecora Dairy, Section 28 and Prom Country who have made the first RAW milk cheese in Victoria for over 80 years. If you can’t tune in live, don’t fret, we’ll be posting the conversations here as well for we think it’s vital to document what’s happening in and around this movement right now. But most importantly, this is your chance to ask any question you may have about RAW milk cheese. So please, make sure you tune in and submit your questions live, or send us a message on the socials on @mouldcheese or email us at hello@mouldcheesefestival.com. But for more information, and or to grab a RAW milk cheese box (if you’re so inclined) head to mouldcheesecollective.com As always, thank you so much for listening, and we look forward to sharing some #RAWesome (sorry!) cheese stories throughout the month. —— BE SURE TO JOIN IN LIVE ON INSTAGRAM! Each Thursday throughout October we’ll be doing LIVE interviews at 5.30pm AEDT where we encourage you post questions with the cheese makers. Just follow @mouldcheese for more! October 8 - Nick Haddow, Bruny Island October 15 - Burke Brandon, Prom Country October 22 - Cressida and Michael Cains, Pecora October 29 - Kym Masters, Section 28 Plus a few other special guests along the way!

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.