There are so many ways to eat it, too, not the least of which is in a carefully curated cheese platter. Mix soft cheeses with hard and blues with cheddars, for a variety of flavours and textures, from the likes of Harvey Cheese, Cambray Cheese and Halls Family Dairy.
But don’t stop there. Here are some other suggestions to indulge in more of our glorious dairy.
Spread it
Buy some good quality bread (think Naturally Leavened sourdough or Eco Bread’s authentic Polish loaves) and toast a few slices. Get some of your favourite goat’s cheese, such as Bookara Goat Dairy’s, and spread it generously across the toast. Top with some roasted red capsicum or freshly sliced tomatoes and fresh basil. Simple but delicious.
Match it
Cheese goes well in almost any salad – just choose the right cheese to complement the other main ingredients. Blue cheese, for example, marries beautifully with mandarins and almonds, while goat’s cheese works a treat with smoked tomatoes and watermelon. A simple caprese salad, a delicate mix of mozzarella (try La Delizia Latticini), basil and tomatoes drizzled with extra virgin olive oil, is also sure to please.
Heat it
Make it a social occasion, dig out your fondue kit and get ready to dip the vegies and bread of your choice into a moreish bowl of cheesy goodness. This fondue recipe uses Borrello Cheese’s stracchino and provoletta, with the added bonus of a little truffle oil from Great Southern Truffles. You’ll be fighting everyone off with your fondue fork. If you’re after a super starter, fire up the grill or barbecue for these feta, zucchini and cherry tomato skewers – a match made in heaven.
Bake it
Tarts make a wonderful lunch or light supper and never more so when they include some superb cheese, such as this goat’s cheese and red onion rendition. Goat’s cheese also gets a starring role in this easy frittata, lovely eaten warm or cold. If you’re looking for something comforting and even more filling, it’s hard to go past a cauliflower and cheese combo. This potato, cheddar and rosemary bake is a strong contender, though.
Sweeten it
Don’t forget the sweet treats! Cheese has many ways to please, with ricotta, mascarpone and cream cheese all popular choices for desserts. A slice of cheesecake will never go astray, even if you don‘t make it quite as fancy as this festive affair. You can also sweeten a Margaret River Dairy Company wheel of camembert with a little honey and bake with figs for a gooey delight.
Whenever you’re entertaining this festive season, head to the cheese aisle – you are sure to find plenty of extra inspiration in the amazing array of Western Australian cheeses.
