7 Must Not Miss Tastes at CheeseFest 2015

Happy 10th Birthday CheeseFest!

Glorious surrounds of Rymill Park. Photo: Willunga Wino

Under the tutelage of Aussie legend Kris Lloyd, you have grown from an event attended by just 800 people, into a three day celebration of all things CHEESE!

And what beverage matches best with cheese?

Wine you say?

In this, I actually disagree with you – and agree with Kris.

Cheeky view of the Vale Brewing logo. Photo: Willunga Wino

The only wine that matches well with cheese is champagne, otherwise, you are better off with a cleansing ale to clean and ready your palate for the next bite. With wine I find that one always dominates the other, and you are left with aftertastes that affect how you taste the cheese and the wine.

Ever get the feeling you’re being watched? Photo: Willunga Wino

So, what must you not miss at CheeseFest 2015? Here are my 7 picks!

1. Must Not Miss the Mozzarella and Pizza Bar

I upgraded myself to attend the La Casa del Formaggio Mozzarella and Pizza Bar, which you can attend too.

In the Mozzerella e Pizza Bar. Photo: Willunga Wino

For your $25, you have an allocated 45 minute session with live music (it was great while we were there!).

Great live entertainment. Photo: Willunga Wino

Also included in your fee, a choice:

Pizza: Potato & Rosemary, and Margherita. Photo: Willunga Wino

Pizza freshly made. There are three flavours, Margherita, Potato Rosemary and Olive Tapenade, or a Chorizo pizza.

Mozzarella Plate. Photo: Willunga Wino

Mozzarella plate with accompaniments.

Rounding out your extras is a glass of Coriole wine or Vale Brewing beer, plus soft drinks from the fridge.

Keep it coming..Coriole Prosecco. Photo: Willunga Wino

You must check out the parmesan lamps! I really want one for my kitchen.

Parmesan Lamps! Photo: Willunga Wino

2. Must Not Miss Shaw River Buffalo Cheese

These cheeses have a clean, fresh, pure flavour and I really enjoyed the smoked buffalo, as well as the buffalo mozzarella that was lovely in both flavour and texture.

Generous pour of Coriole Rose. Photo: Willunga Wino

3. Must Not Miss Kangaroo Island Source Manchego

A hot tip from a fellow Yelper was to sample the manchego at Kangaroo Island Source, who are more well-known for their soft cheeses. WOW! It’s nutty, rich, semi-hard, and delicious!

Cuddles with Cows. Photo: Willunga Wino

I’m also a huge fan of the Kangaroo Island Source Mediterranean Salt which transforms passata into the best pasta sauce ever, and a teaspoon makes your roast potatoes an amazing gourmet treat. Gift Kangaroo Island Source Mediterranean Salt to your interstate friends and family via a Kitchen Sampler Hamper from Fleurieu Markets.

Sunset styles. Photo: Willunga Wino

3. Must Not Miss Kangarilla Creamery

Kangarilla Creamery is back! Welcomed with open arms – and the longest queues of any cheesery at the Fest – KC are bringing their pure, small batch, artisan goodness back to the people out of their brand new state of the art creamery housed at McLaren Vale Winemakers. They’ve opened their cheese & wine flight cellar door for the first time this weekend! So after CheeseFest you can get your fill at 200 Chalk Hill Rd on the weekend.

Mr Wino represent’n. Photo: Willunga Wino

5. Must Not Miss Hills Cider Co Hopped Cider

Forget those super-sweet, reconstituted juice based ciders of the past. Radelaide is full of top notch, small batch, artisan ciders. Innovators Hills Cider Co have just upped the ante again, this time with a hopped cider.

Hop Edition. Photo: Willunga Wino

WOW! As hop fiends in our beer, Mr Wino & I were blown away by this amazing cider which is made with no less than 5 different hops,

Cascade
Citra
Chinook
Galaxy
Summer (Aussie hops!).

Each adds different flavour profiles and nuances to the dry style cider. We can smell the lovely grassy, citrussy scent of the hops, then when you taste it, amazing flavours of passionfruit, pineapple, and pink grapefruit really leap out.

Tasty Hills Cider options. Photo: Willunga Wino

The brew has a pleasant haziness in it’s looks, from the suspended and flavoursome hop oils.

A grown up cider. Photo: Willunga Wino

6. Must Not Miss Woodside / Kris Lloyd’s Tasting Plate

Kris Lloyd’s own cheeses, under her two labels of Kris Lloyd Artisan as well as Woodside, are second to none. In my mind, the Monet is still the worlds most beautiful cheese – and boy does it taste good too. On offer are tasting plates from $15 to $30, going from generously portioned to massive and enough to share between 4 or 5 friends.

Kris Lloyd’s artistry on a plate. Photo: Willunga Wino

The Kris Lloyd Plump dried fruits are so full of flavour, and the fig and vanilla jam is an unbelievable accompaniment to the Monet, bringing out delicious peppery flavours.

7. Must Not Miss Simon Bryant’s Welsh Rarebit

Simon Bryant always has an innovative selection of eats from his Eat Dirty stand. Some new dishes debut at CheeseFest including one of my childhood favourites, Welsh Rarebit – a kind of grilled cheese on toast with the added tastiness of egg and worcestershire sauce.