Name a Jersey!

In the next few weeks - we will need a name for Nigella’s calf, so the bets are on here at the farm to whether it will be Maggie or Delia, or if you have a good idea for a suitable name, please email, [e: nameajersey@alexandrinacheese.com.au];

Fiddles on the Farm – Sunday March 21 2010
(Download flyer PDF 2.9 MB)
Fiddles on the Farm
third Sunday of each month in 2010)

This year, we have enthusiastically launched our exciting regular Fiddles on the Farm concert series for 2010. Please feel free to join us for live music at the next concert on SUNDAY 21 March 2010, the last two concerts have been flaming good musical fun! This weekend we are featuring folk musicians “The Ryebuck Sheilas” who pull together five talented Fleurieu Peninsula based folk artists to play a sweep of traditional folk songs, music to start after noon. Join us for a lazy Sunday afternoon, partake in a ploughman’s lunch, and enjoy a glass of local wine or sip on a bottle of Premium South Australian Ozzie Cider. A great day out, FREE entry, please book a table T 8554 9666.

Please keep April 18th 2010 in your diary for the next Fiddles on the Farm, third Sunday of the month! We are taking bookings well ahead of schedule including Sunday May 16th 2010, Sunday June 20th 2010 and Sunday July 18th 2010 – be sure to come along and dance the jig!

Easter hampers to tempt
the cheese and chocolate lover!

Easter Hamper Flyer (PDF 486 KB)
Easter Hamper Details (PDF 81 KB)
Hamper Order Form (PDF 67 KB)

During Autumn, we love to find our kitchen full of autumn cheeses and dairy products to cook up a storm for family and friends who visit over the long weekend, and during the April School holidays. This Easter we have designed a new set of Easter hampers to tempt the cheese and chocolate lover!

Cheese lovers - simply click on the Cheese Hamper pdfs above to find more information.

Chocolate lovers - if you are interested in adding chocolate to your cheese hamper. Chocolate additions include; Kennedy & Wilson Easter eggs (milk, dark and white) individually priced per egg. We also have Lindt Chocolates in stock (these are great with coffee!), Dark chocolate and Mint chocolate high quality Lindor balls are individually priced per ball (50c each) or 8 balls for $3. Please ask for more information about the addition of chocolate in your cheese hamper.

SA Special Easter Tasting at David Jones, next week

If you work in Adelaide, be sure to pop into David Jones next Wednesday and Thursday (12noon-2pm) for a taste of some of our cheeses. On Wednesday 31st March 2010 and Thursday 1st April 2010 you have the chance to taste the difference! The range stocked at David Jones includes our Crème Fraiche, Encounter Bay Edam, Mt Magnificent Gouda, spiced, Mt Magnificent Gouda, Mt Jagged Red Wax Cheddar and Black Wax Cheddar. See you at the cheese counter!

Product of the Season
Crème Fraiche

Crème Fraiche is an Alexandrina product that everyone sits well on the top shelf in every fridge! The luxuriant texture and delicate flavour of our Crème Fraiche lends itself beautifully to savoury and sweet dishes alike. Try it, and remember it has a long best before date – so it stores well in the refrigerator.

Crème fraiche - shhh… it is the new posh word for delicate and delicious sour cream. Recently a few celebrity chefs’ on television have referred to Crème Fraiche. But many of our customers shout, what is this crème fraiche? We simply offer our customers to taste the difference. “mmmm Crème fraiche….delicious, food for the soul’.

At the Alexandrina Cheese we often get customers asking how is it made? Or how to use it? The product does sound like something hard to find. It isn’t hard to find – find it here at “The Cheesery”, or the farmers market or ask our other stockists in the Fleurieu Peninsula or in metropolitan Adelaide.

You may be able to impress your friends next Saturday night with a dollop on Roast Garlic and Pumpkin soup, or Sunday afternoon serving it with a Caramelised Apple and Rhubarb Crumble with a dash of icing sugar? Once you have tried Crème Fraiche it will be an essential ingredient in your dairy section of the fridge. It is suitable for making any food taste better in all seasons. In autumn or winter time add it to a soup, goulash or stew. In summer, whip up an easy salad dressing for potatoes or fresh green salad. It makes anything savory taste creamy, but it is light and lemony at the same time. It a fantastic locally made product, and it is delicious.

quick FACTS on crème fraiche

what is crème fraiche? - It is sour cream, or cultured cream. It has a light and lemony taste, and goes well with any food as a condiment. how is crème fraiche made? - At Alexandrina Cheese Company it is made by adding a culture (special bacteria) to our fresh Pure Jersey Cream. It is light and lemony. A good traditional crème fraiche has a subtle tangy, slightly nutty flavour and rich, velvety texture. It adds depth of flavour and creaminess to food without being heavy or overwhelming.

history - it is believed that crème fraiche was first produced in Normandy in France. Traditionally, cream came from the surface of unhomgenised raw milk left in pans at room temperature. It would have become lightly fermented and naturally thickened with the help of lactic acid-producing bacteria present. The resulting crème fraiche gas a distinctive, pleasant mildly acidic flavour with good keeping qualities. Nowadays, with pasteurized milk, the ferments (or special bacteria) are put back into cream to produce crème fraiche.

crème fraiche vs. sour cream - to a degree, crème fraiche and sour cream are interchangeable. However, sour cream won’t give the same depth of flavour and has a harsher acidity, and the dish will have a slightly different consistency. The advantages of using crème fraiche in cooking are that it won’t curdle when heated and it can be lightly whipped like cream and chilled.

storage - always refrigerate crème fraiche. Once opened, keep well covered in its original packaging and use by the best before date.

quick tip: cooking with Crème Fraiche

Stew a pot of crisp apples, sprinkle cinnamon and sugar on top of the apples, and plonk a dollop of crème fraiche on top! Serve with a glass of local Muscat or sticky wine on the weekend. Simply done, a beautiful end to the day.

Stockist of the Season
Viva North Adelaide
T 8367000

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Stockist of the Season
Carousel’s Fruit Barn
T 8296 382

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Regional Stockist of the Season
Tanunda Foodland
T 8563 0550

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New Stockists

Tony And Mark's
Fruit And Veg, Newton

Tony And Mark's Fruit And Veg is a great fruit and veg shop. The business has recently finished renovating their brand new shop. We would recommend to all, they even have a great range of Italian biscuits and sweets, but go for the range of Alexandrina Cheese they happily stock on their shelves. Five stars for quality, Five stars for service and Five stars for value at Tony And Mark's Fruit And Veg! You can now also source Alexandrina Cheese products, including Crème Fraiche, Pepato, Mini Edam & Edam, Gouda, Fresh Cheddar Curd, Mt Jagged Mature Cheddar, Alexandrina Vintage Cheddar, Marinated Feta – chill, Marinated Feta – mustard seed are just some of our range stocked at Tony And Mark's Fruit And Veg.

For more information:
Shop 25 1 Jan St, Newton South Australia 5074
t (08) 8365 2264— open check.

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Lucia’s Fine Foods, Mitcham

Lucia’s Fine Foods Mitcham continues to serve people honest, delicious, simple Italian food. The wonderful cooking of Lucia Rosella has spanned generations and today their customers are the grandchildren of their first customers. Lucia’s Fine Foods and Lucia’s Own products continue the tradition that started it all. Quality seasonal ingredients cooked by traditional methods to the same standards set so many years ago by their grandmother Lucia Rosella. It is food made with love! You can now also source Alexandrina Cheese products, including Pure Jersey Cream, Crème Fraiche, Gouda, Cheddar, Fleurieu Feta are just some of our range stocked at Lucia’s Fine Foods Mitcham.

For more information:
http://www.lucias.com.au/
Shop 25 Mitcham Square, 1119 Belair Road, Torrens Park South Australia 5062

t (08) 8271 1522 — open Mon to Wed & Fri 9.00 am to 5.30 pm, Thurs 9.00 am to 9.00 pm
Sat 9.00 am to 5.00 pm, Sun 11.00 am to 5.00 pm.

Recipe of the Season
Divine Palak Paneer

Our Recipe of the season features a recipe using our Fresh Cheddar Curd from Leah Grace of South Coast Regional Arts Centre, Goolwa. Not many people will be able to resist this Indian curry!
Thanks Leah!

Ingredients

• 1 x bunch of fresh silverbeet or spinach, cleaned and separated
• 1 x inch piece of fresh ginger, chopped
• 1 x brown onion, chopped
• a few tablespoons of local olive oil
• 2 x teaspoons of powdered turmeric
• ½ x fresh chilli, chopped
• 1 x 250 gm bag of Alexandrina
  fresh Cheddar Curd
• 1 x large tomato
• salt or vegetable stock powder

Method

Rinse and cook spinach in small amount of water, cook till leaves and stems have become very soft. In a fry pan with the olive oil cook the onion for two minutes, add ginger and cooking until the onion is soft and golden, (if using chilli add a half fresh chopped one at this point) add turmeric and when that has become aromatic add the chopped tomato. Add drained spinach, gently stir to combine ingredients sprinkle with some salt or vegetable stock powder, cook on medium heat for 10 minutes to give all the ingredients a chance to settle in together. Turn heat to low and place pieces of curd (8-10) with slight pressure on the spinach. Keep on low and cover with lid to give the curd a chance to soften and warm. If using chilli the curd is a great balance to the heat and bite. If not cheese and spinach are a marriage made in heaven anyway.

Serve as a side dish with your favourite curry or with rice and pappadums as a very satisfying vegetarian meal.

Jazz with Janet and
the Jerseys a success!