june 28 - july 4 | 2017
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circulating in wangaratta, myrtleford, bright, mt beauty, beechworth, yackandandah, rutherglen, chiltern and districts
The art of cheese By KYLIE WILSON
RISING STAR:
Jack Condron is among the cheesemakers at Milawa Cheese and (inset) Melissa Jacka has developed Tolpuddle Cheese at the family’s Tarrawingee property.
GARDENING WITH
DEBBI
RSPCA
WITH
PEARL
MOVIE THE
HOUSE
WINE TALK WITH
ANITA
MANY of us enjoy sampling gourmet cheese with wine or antipasto, but among the gourmet food producers in the North East are cheesemakers who have dedicated themselves to achieving a range of flavour. Among these is Jack Condron, who worked his way up the ranks at Milawa Cheese Company to the role of head cheesemaker, after initially working in the retail side of the business. Born and bred in Oxley, he grew up just a stone’s throw from Milawa Cheese. But over the years, his passion for cheesemaking has grown and grown. “It’s quite easy to become passionate about cheesemaking, many people do it at home in their spare time as a hobby,” Jack said. “I guess what I love about it is the idea of creating something delicious that other people really enjoy. “A good cheesemaker has to be observant, always monitoring the milk and the cheese itself right through maturation - some of which can take two years. “The process too is a rare mix of art and science, where you have to think about the microbes and how they work within a cheese, and then also thinking about how that cheese will look and taste. “It can be frustrating, but it’s a thoroughly enjoyable job. “I’ve been lucky to have worked with such knowledgeable people who are widely renowned throughout the industry.” Jack’s dream is to travel to Western Europe, particularly Britain, France and Italy, to get a feel for the processes used by the cheesemakers there. “I think it’s always interesting to see how other people and cultures go about cheesemaking, and sometimes you can learn new techniques and apply it to what you’re doing, which really elevates your knowledge and skill set,” he said. continued page |
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