Premier Sales: Klein River Cheese

Klein River Cheese offers an array of twelve exceptional South African cheeses.
Committed to producing a healthy and as far as possible natural product, the cheeses contain pasteurized cow’s milk, free of hormones and antibiotics; non-animal microbial rennet and no colourants or artificial preservatives.

The cheeses are available from Pick n Pay, Checkers & Spar throughout Namibia.

DANBO

Danbo is mild and slightly aromatic and has a pale, elastic interior. Its texture is smooth and firm and it has a slightly stronger taste than Gouda.

COLBY

An all purpose cheddar style cheese. The cheese is soft and springy, with a sweet and mild flavour. Colby has a higher moisture content than Cheddar and its texture is more elastic.

LEIDEN

Mild and creamy with caraway seeds.

South African GRUYERE, YOUNG

A hard cheese with a subtle tang, that matures for approximately three months.

South African GRUYERE

Slightly grainy, the cheese has a wonderful complexity of flavours - at first fruity, then revealing earthy, nutty characteristics that linger on the palate. It is has a rich full flavour with a strong tang and matures for six months.

Basic Ingredients:
Cow’s milk; selected cultures; non-animal microbial rennet; calcium chloride

Other Information:
Shelf life: approximately 6 months from day of packaging
Size and packaging: approximately 200g pre packed pieces
Suitable for Vegetarians

Uses and pairing:
Delicious served in a classic cheese fondue, adds wonderful flavour sprinkled over a salad or pasta dish, in a quiche, grilled on an open sandwich or simply served by itself.
Wine Pairing
Sauvignon Blanc
Riesling – The perfect wine for cheese, especially Gruyere.

Did you know:
This is our most popular product.
Since 2003 the South African Gruyere has been awarded either 1st or 2nd place at the SA Dairy Championships; received numerous medals at the World Cheese Awards in the UK, America and Europe.
Gruyere cheese originated in Switzerland and has been made there for centuries.

South African GRUYERE, MATURED

A strong flavour, with a crumbly texture. Matured for ten to twelve months.

Basic Ingredients:
Cow’s milk; selected cultures; non-animal microbial rennet; calcium chloride

Other Information:
Shelf life: approximately 6 months from day of packaging
Size and packaging: approximately 200g pre packed pieces
Suitable for Vegetarians

Uses and pairing:
It too can be used in a classic cheese fondue and grated over a pasta dish or salad. Served on a cheese platter; grilled over your vegetables or potato dish; baked in scones or muffins; or simply with a glass of wine. It can be used in so many ways and adds fantastic flavour to any meal.
Wine Pairing: Pinot Grigio

Did you know:
This cheese was crowned the Dairy Product of the Year in 2004. It has also received numerous awards since including a gold medal at the World Cheese Awards; a Qualité award for outstanding product quality and a Slow Food award for creativity and pioneering efforts to extend the range of world class South African cheeses.

RACLETTE

Although the cheese has a pleasant flavour, it is intensified when heated by fire or under a hot grill. Then the full, nutty, sweet and slightly fruity aromas are released and the stringy elasticity of the melting cheese makes it truly magnificent.

Basic Ingredients:
Cow’s milk; selected cultures; non-animal microbial rennet; calcium chloride

Other Information:
Shelf life: approximately 4 months from day of packaging
Size and packaging: approximately 200g pre packed pieces
Suitable for Vegetarians

Uses and pairing:
Try it sliced & grilled on potatoes or blanched vegetables. Fill Ciabatta bread with pesto, slices of tomato, plenty of Raclette cheese and toast over the coals.

Did you know:
Klein River Raclette has received several awards at the SA Dairy Championships including a Qualité Award for outstanding product quality.
The original Raclette cheese is an ancient mountain cheese common to the Savoie region in France and the canton of Valais in Switzerland. Raclette was also the name of a dish which dates back more than 700 years.
The semi-hard cheese was often eaten by shepherds and farmers, who traditionally cut the large cheese in half and leant it against a stone with the cut surface facing the open fire. The outer layer of the supple interior was allowed to heat up gradually. As soon as it started to crinkle and change colour, it would be served over a bowl of steaming potatoes, onions and pickles.

Klein River Raclette melts to a velvety creaminess with a warm golden colour. Try this recipe at home it makes an ideal quick meal.

2 red Onions
5ml sugar
90ml red wine vinegar
½ tsp salt
A generous pinch of dried dill
500g new potatoes
250g Klein River Raclette
salt & ground black pepper
selection of salami, sausages & country-style ham, to serve

First make the pickle. Spread out sliced onions in a dish, pour over boiling water to cover and leave to soak until cold. Meanwhile, mix the sugar, vinegar, salt and dill in a small pan. Heat gently stirring until the sugar has dissolved then cool. Drain the onions, pour the vinegar mixture over, cover and leave for at least 1 hour, preferably overnight. Boil the potatoes in their skins, then drain and place in a roasting tin. Preheat the grill. Season the potatoes and arrange the Raclette on top. Place under the heat until the cheese melts. Serve hot with sliced cold meats. Drain the excess vinegar from the pickled red onion and serve the pickle with the potatoes. Enjoy. Serves 4

HAVARTI

It is a simple, washed-rind cheese with irregular holes throughout. It is full-flavoured & creamy and becomes stronger with age.

Havarti is a table cheese that can be used for slicing, grilling, or melting. It can be enjoyed every day, on sandwiches or with fruit & vegetables as a snack. It melts well and can therefore also be included in omelets, pasta, quiches and on vegetable dishes. Try Havarti grated over salads, grilled on baguette, or use to make an appetizer by layering Havarti, sliced cucumber and fresh dill on small squares of rye. Havarti also serves well as a dessert cheese. Serve on a cheese board with pears, apples, figs, raisins, walnuts and pair with a Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay or a light-bodied Pinot Noir.

Basic Ingredients:
Cow’s milk; selected cultures; non-animal microbial rennet; calcium chloride

Other Information:
Shelf life: approximately 6 months from day of packaging
Size and packaging: approximately 200g pre packed pieces
Suitable for Vegetarians

Uses and pairing:
Table cheese, cooking.

Did you know:
Klein River Havarti has won first place in its category for five consecutive years at the SA Dairy Championships.
Havarti originated in Denmark in the mid 1800s.

STANFORD

Inspired during a study tour in France our cheese maker developed this magnificent hard cheese and named it after our village. The texture is relatively hard and the taste is mild, slightly sweet, and 'nutty'.

OAK SMOKED STANFORD

Our very popular Stanford is sent to a magnificent farm near Villiersdorp where is it smoked using a cold smoking technique. Smoking is done the old fashioned way, controlling the draft and temperature by hand. Oak shavings from old wine barrels are used and this gives the cheese a unique flavour.

VAN BEULEN

After many years of cheese making our cheese maker created a cheese of his own. This semi hard cheese has a complex flavour.

GRANA

Klein River Grana is a hard cheese which is matured slowly. The cheese is fresh, fruity and sweet. With its strong flavour a little goes a long way. Klein River Grana has a smooth, natural rind that is hard and thick. It lasts a long time without spoiling and freezes very well.

Delicious Fondue

INGREDIENTS:

1 ½ cups shredded Klein River Gruyere
1 ½ cups shredded Klein River Colby
½ cup shredded Klein River Raclette
2 to 3 Tbsp Maizena (cornstarch)
1 clove garlic, halve
1 cup dry white wine
1 tsp lemon juice
Splash of kirsch (Swiss liquor), optional
Freshly ground pepper
Pinch of nutmeg
Crusty bread cut into large cubes

METHOD:
In a medium sized bowl, combine the three cheeses and toss with the flour. Rub the inside of the fondue pot with the garlic halves. Add the wine and heat over a medium heat until hot, but not boiling. Stir in lemon juice and kirsch. Add a handful of cheeses at a time to the wine mixture, stirring constantly and not adding more cheese until the previous has melted. When it is bubbling gently and has the appearance of a light creamy sauce, season with pepper and nutmeg. Remove the pot from the heat and place over an alcohol safety burner on the table. Adjust the burner so that the fondue continues to bubble gently. Serve with plenty of crusty bread cubes.

FONDUE HISTORY:

The first known recipe for the modern cheese fondue under that name, with cheese and wine but no eggs, was published in 1875, and was already presented as a Swiss national dish. Despite its modern associations with rustic mountain life, it was a town-dweller's dish from the lowlands of western, French-speaking, Switzerland: rich cheese like Gruyère was a valuable export item which peasants could not afford to eat.

The introduction of cornstarch to Switzerland in 1905 made it easier to make a smooth and stable emulsion of the wine and cheese, and probably contributed to the success of fondue.

Fondue was popularized as a Swiss national dish by the Swiss Cheese Union in the 1930s as a way of increasing cheese consumption. The Swiss Cheese Union also created pseudo-regional recipes as part of the "spiritual defense of Switzerland".

After World War II rationing ended, the Swiss Cheese Union continued its marketing campaign, sending fondue sets to military regiments and event organizers across Switzerland. Fondue is now a symbol of Swiss unity.

Enjoy!

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Tuesday, 29 November 2011

Klein River Cheese