Say Cheese

Saying that I love cheese is an understatement. I’m from a small dorpie called Bonnievale where there was a cheese factory that is now called Lactalis, the biggest cheese factory on the African continent.

Many of the people worked at the original cheese factory and on a Friday they would come home with a packet of kaaskrulle (cheese curls). Don’t think cheese curls as in the fluffy, yellow, tartrazine covered, half-moon-shaped curls parading as puffed cheese in a silver lined packet. The curls I grew up on were off-cuts of the rind of the cheese. You could still see the gauze-like rind around a round ball of cheese. It was so nice and salty to suck all the cheese from that gauze. We loved it and couldn’t wat to get a handful of it to chew on and then spit out the gauze when done.

Cheese was then a filling for a sandwich. Today it’s an array of luxury presented to you on manicured wooden boards alongside figs, nuts, grapes, cold meats and other delicacies. A charcuterie board. A grazing platter. Very fancy.

I knew sweetmilk and cheddar cheese. Now names like Parmesan, ricotta, blue cheese, Camembert, brie, bocconcini, mozzarella, feta, Gruyere, Gorgonzola, Roquefort, Grana Padano… Foreign names on my tongue, but delicious.

On a trip to Holland I was literally in cheese heaven. I couldn’t get enough. On local soil I discovered a small cheesery called Dalewood Fromage Estate Cheese through a chance online encounter with Petrina Visser, one of the co-owners alongside her husband Rob. I was used to buying a brie and a camembert from them at my local deli, but when Petrina asked me if she can send me a box of different cheeses, that’s when I fell hook, line and sinker for this handcrafted cheeses. The first thing I ate was the yoghurt and I thought I tasted heaven. Bearing in mind that I’m not a yoghurt fan. Hook, line and sinker. I was hooked. Their range of speciality cheese includes Brie, Camembert, Blue, Huguenot®, Boland™ and Lanquedoc™; in different styles, shapes and sizes to suit any occasion. Talking about occasions.

Just before my 60th birthday Petrina contacted me again and asked if she could ripen a brie for me. Yes! Enough to feed 60 guests? Yes! And it was delivered to my house on the eve of my celebratory party. She even offered to come and dress the cheese table, how’s that for fantastic customer service? I joined the cheese club they have on offer.

On a recent press event organised by Dalewood cheeses in conjunction with Joostenberg Wine Estate I had the double whammy of eating and sampling the new cheeses and fantastically paired wines and food from The Kraal restaurant. I listened deeper at the talks about the cheese and now know that Dalewood’s unique recipe was formulated by Rob Visser who studied Dairy Technology. After years of experimenting, and spending time in France sniffing out traditional cheese making secrets, and countless cheese tastings, the Wineland range was launched – inspired by the magic and romance of the surrounding vineyards.

Entrée

Whole Dalewood Lanquedoc baked in bread with rocket, grilled aubergine, Dalewood yoghurt labneh, feta, parsley and citrus

Wine pairing

Joostenberg Estate Agteros 2014 & 2022

Mains

Joostenberg Estate free range Jersey beef ragout, Dalewood Boland polenta with gremolata and spring vegetables

Wine pairing

Joostenberg Estate Bakermat 2019

Dessert

Pear, pecan nuts, Dalewood Simond and kale

Wine pairing

Myburgh Bros Muscat Ex-Africa 2021

Klapmuts strawberries, Dalewood youghurt & crème fraiche Chantilly, meringue and strawberry & Dalewood buttermilk ice cream

Wine pairing

Joostenberg Estate Chenin Blanc Noble Late Harvest NLH 2015 & 2021

Coffee & dark chocolate truffles

Summer hours for The Kraal

Saturdays and Sundays for lunch from 12:00 – 17:00 and for private lunch/supper parties whenever you have something special to celebrate.

Dalewood Fromage is an integral part of Dalewood Farm. It is a Farmstead Cheesery producing cheese from the ground up with the goal to handcraft. The source is Dalewood’s own Jersey milk which makes it an ESTATE cheese.

The range of speciality cheese includes Brie, Camembert and Blue in different styles, shapes and sizes to suit any occasion. Last but not least are the Huguenot®, Boland™ and Lanquedoc™; uniquely Dalewood, uniquely South African.

To enhance flavour profile white mould cheese (Brie, Camembert & Blue) should be served at room temperature.

Because of its regenerative approach to farming Dalewood is able to produce a natural product with no preservatives, colourants or flavourants and suitable for vegetarians.

Good to know: Dalewood cheese can be made to order and ripened for any function or event.