Cheese Just Got 3x Healthier

As a people, we’re very serious about our cheese. Did you know that the average Aussie consumes more than 14 kilos of it every year? Yes, that much. No wonder more than a third of all milk produced here is used to make cheese – like 377 thousand tons of it!

Cheese has graced many a brekkie table for thousands of years, way before the invention of bread and chocolate. And if we really had to choose a region - the cheese connoisseurs that we are - feta, halloumi, ricotta would certainly top the list.

Cheesemaking 101, Mediterranean style

Feta is a crumbly, creamy, and über-rich soft cheese. Gifted to the world by the Greeks, it’s incorporated in a number of their dishes in ways that are simply ingenious, whether baked in pies, tossed in salads, or just mildly drizzled with olive oil and a dash of oregano. Authentic feta cheese is made from whole sheep’s milk, but these days, some goat’s milk may have made its way into it. Still pretty darn good, though!

Halloumi, meanwhile, is fast becoming one of Australians’ favorite cheeses. It’s versatile (bake it, grill it, steam it, pan fry it, just try it!), fun with its signature sound (love that squeaky first bite), and has an interesting mix of flavours (salty when fresh, creamy and sweet when cooked). All these and more make this semi-hard, brined cheese deliciously one of a kind.

Ricotta, which literally translates to “re-cooked”, is the mouth-watering byproduct of other cheeses, such as provolone and mozzarella. Our palates may be a bit more familiar with it than with feta or halloumi, since the creamy white, mild cheese is a key ingredient in Italian favourites like lasagna, cannoli, and pizza. Drool.

We love homemade cheese! Here’s why

We’ve never met a cheese we didn’t like. But we love feta, halloumi, and ricotta even more because, they’re healthier options than some of their cousins. Already rich sources of calcium and protein, our featured cheeses are even better when homemade, as you have full control over salt and fat content. Why buy cheese when you can DIY, right?

Head over to Bee Sustainable for one of their most popular Melbourne cooking classes, led by resident cheesemaker Jacqueline Bender. Learn how to make your own homemade feta, halloumi, and ricotta cheese using organic or biodynamic cow’s milk, and then, cap the day with – what else? – a good ol’ cheese party!