NZ made Cheeses

Brie made in NZ

Brie is a soft cows' cheese named after Brie, the French province in which it originated. It is pale in colour with a slight greyish tinge under crusty white mould; very soft and savoury with a hint of ammonia. The whitish mouldy rind is typically eaten, the flavor quality of which depends largely upon the ingredients used and its fabrication environment.

Haloumi Cheese

Halloumi cheese originated in Cyprus and was initially made during the Medieval Byzantine period, subsequently gaining popularity throughout the rest of the Middle East region.

The cheese is white, with a distinctive layered texture, similar to mozzarella, and has a salty flavour. It is stored in its natural juices with salt-water, and can keep for up to a year if frozen below −18 °C (0 °F) and defrosted to +4 °C (39 °F) for sale at supermarkets.

It is used in cooking, as it can be fried until brown without melting due to its higher-than-normal melting point, making it a good cheese for frying or grilling (such as in saganaki), as an ingredient in salads, or fried and served with vegetables. Cypriots like eating halloumi with watermelon in the warm months, and as halloumi and lountza - a combination of halloumi cheese and either a slice of smoked pork, or a soft lamb sausage.

The resistance to melting comes from the fresh curd being heated before being shaped and placed in brine. Traditional halloumi is a semicircular shape, about the size of a large wallet, weighing 220-270 g. The fat content is approximately 25% wet weight, 47% dry weight with about 17% protein. Its firm texture when cooked causes it to squeak on the teeth when being consumed.

Traditional artisan halloumi is made from unpasteurised sheep and goats milk.

Sulgina

Sulguni is the most popular cheese in Georgia, and is enjoyed in many of its neighbouring countries. It is a stretched curd cheese which has been produced in Georgia for centuries, and comes in many different varieties, from fresh and mild to aged, dried and smoked, and often quite salty. It is closely related to Italian pasta filata cheeses such as Mozzarella, Provolone and Caciocavallo. Sulguni is among the favourite ingredients used in Georgian cuisine, most commonly in the famous Georgian cheese-bread called khachapuri, although many prefer to eat it simply as a table cheese.

NZ made Sulguni

The Sulguni produced by Colchis Ltd is of the fresh variety, made from all-natural local ingredients. It is made from cow's milk and has a low salt content and a slightly sour taste. The unique property of Sulguni is its layered texture, which is achieved by hand-stretching each individual wheel of cheese according to a traditional method. These layers and high moisture content give the cheese a distinctly succulent mouthfeel, which is not to be found in any cheese except very fresh Mozzarella

Inguli

Inguli is an entirely original fresh cheese developed by Marina Kandelaki, chief cheesemaker and founder of Colchis Ltd, and named after her 

aunt Inga (as her Georgian nickname is Inguli). It is made from cow's milk and has a strong, very salty flavour, inspired by the traditional brined cheeses of Georgia. What makes it so unique is that it is made with a kefir grain starter.

Kefir grains come from the Caucasus Mountains to the north of Georgia, and have been used for centuries to make a beverage which is now becoming more and more popular due to its probiotic qualities. Using these grains give Inguli a complex, slightly yeasty rustic flavour and irregular holes, both of which are uncommon in fresh cheeses.

Find our more at Colchis Ltd., Auckland