We all know sweet dreams are made of cheese – but did you know there are more than 2000 varieties of our favourite snack?
No one really knows who made the first cheese, according to ancient legend it was created accidentally by an Arabian merchant who put his supply of milk into a pouch made from a sheep’s stomach as he set out on a day’s journey across the desert.
The world’s oldest cheese is Bitto Storico from the Valtellina Valley in Italy, which can be aged for up to 18 years which is considerably longer than any other cheese on the market.
Here are four venues you need to visit to cheese the day:
For a true paddock-to-plate experience head to Maleny Cheese Café on Clifford Street. Experience a taste of the rolling hills surrounding this café, which overlooks the working dairy factory where cheese and yoghurt are lovingly handcrafted from pure, locally sourced milk.
Enjoy these products and other curated delights as part of a seasonally-inspired menu; think dishes such as a Maleny cheese board with feta, brie, camembert, buffalo and club cheddar cheese.
Nestled among native gardens, The Studio Bistro on Marrinup Drive in Yallingup offers stylish dining and something for all tastes. Located in The Studio Gallery, diners can peruse local artwork and contemplate a Mod Oz menu with a classic home influence, or relax on the alfresco patio, listen to the birds and enjoy the fresh air of the Margaret River region.
Delve into the cheese selection, served with Yallingup wood-fired fruit toast, such as Tasmanian Surprise Bay vintage red wax cheddar, Margaret River double cream brie and Shropshire blue with its sharp, strong flavour and slightly spicy aroma.
Get to know your neighbours over a drink or two at new bar on the Leichhardt block, Otis on iconic Norton Street. An impressive drinks list and food to satisfy all appetites await at this fun and funky venue, ideal for unwinding with friends or making new connections in rustic surrounds of distressed timber, trailing greenery and a lively atmosphere.
Pull up a stool at the open window and watch the street action while sipping a signature Funky Fruit Salad Tiki cocktail – along with eats such as a seven cheese truffle toastie, with pickled onion and hot honey.
Those looking for one of the best things to do in Stanthorpe head to Queensland’s highest and coldest dairy farm cheese shop at Stanthorpe Cheese on Duncan Lane in Thulimbah. Expect to find artisan cheese from a single herd of pure-bred Jersey cows from one farm, making the cheese on offer totally unique, seasonally different and interesting.
Stock your next cheeseboard with offerings like rich, crumbly and spicy Stanthorpe Pepper, ideally enjoyed with a drop of Barbera or Mataro, or hard and tangy Romano-style Granite Gold, with a hint of crumble.
It’s going to be a Gouda day…we Swiss you the best.
