FAQs

Get your cheesey questions answered here...

Are there really Buffalo in New Zealand?

The answer is yes...Riverine Water Buffalo in Clevedon and in Dairy Flat.

How important is the about the 'best before' date on cheese? Is it still safe after that date?

In the words of the venerable NZ Specialist Cheesemakers Association:

• "Store all soft cheeses in the fridge unless special cheese cabinets are available. Parmesan and other hard cheeses are easier to cut and use if stored at cool room temperature.
• With the possible exception of 'fresh cheeses', there is no magical transformation from safe to unsafe on, or near, the best before date of a well-made and cared for cheese.
• In fact, it is very unlikely that such a cheese, from a reputable supplier, will ever become unsafe - according to your taste, it simply becomes inedible.
• Cheese, like wine, is batch made and there are many elements that will influence how quickly each batch will mature. When deciding on a best before date, a very conservative view is taken. Most cheese companies set the best before date on the basis that the cheese will be at, or just over, the 'peak of maturity' on that date, and will still satisfy most consumers.
• Therefore a cheese that has 'expired' may be perfectly good. When you know and have confidence in the cheese-maker's judgment, it is simply a matter of taste."

What if I am lactose intolerant?

Many cheeses, particularly harder, aged cheese are so low in lactose that they are not an issue for lactose-intolerant people. Some people can tolerate sheep, buffalo or goat cheeses and yoghurts better than cow milk cheeses and yoghurts. People can have issues with various elements of cow milk, not always the lactose, so it depends! Sheep cheese is generally better-tolerated than other milk types. Come in and try...