Treat your taste buds to the best, top quality, naturally produced artisan cheeses, sourced from small hand-crafted farming operations around the country and brought to you by Jane Selander at Constantia Cheesery. On a recent visit to the cheesery, Leah was lucky enough to experience a personalised tasting – these cheeses exude unique rich flavours and are as naturally produced as possible with no colorants, preservatives or additives.

My Top 5 Favourites:

1.)   Gorgonzola: Produced in Gauteng by Italian cheese makers, this gorgonzola is described as “dolce latte” meaning sweet milk. Made from double cream, it is deliciously rich and creamy with a melt-in-your mouth consistency.

2.)   Goat’s Milk: Cheddar, Pecorino and Gouda: Produced in the Wellington area, these goats milk cheeses have a variety of health benefits and are a popular choice for those who are lactose intolerant. These goat’s milk products are to die for!

3.)   One Year Old Mature Cheddar: Most only mature for a few months, but this Cheddar gets a whole year giving it a strong, full-bodied flavour. This is a flagship cheese which must be tried as it has won numerous international awards. Highly recommended for those who enjoy a more robust cheese.

4.)   Farm Cheddar (6 month maturation): This lovely natural yellow cheddar is produced from a single Guernsey herd on a popular farm in Prince Albert. The unique Guernsey milk (as opposed to Jersey milk from which most cheese is made), gives this cheese a full bodied flavour.

5.)   Boerenkaas: This is a proudly South African mature Gouda made in true farm style (hence the name). Matured for 7 months, it is very rich, moist and creamy.

The Constantia Cheesery is exclusively open a few days a week for locals and offers cheese tastings on request. You can also find Jane’s cheeses at the Earth Fair Market in Tokai (Wednesday 3pm-8pm & Saturday 9am-2pm), The Neighbourhood Goods Market in Woodstock (Saturday 9am-2.30pm), Stellenbosch Slow Food Market at the Oude Libertas in Stellenbosch (Saturday 9am – 2pm) and the Porter’s Estate Market in Tokai  (Saturday 9am – 2pm) as well as the St George’s Mall Market in the city centre (Thursday 12pm – 6pm). For more info call Jane on 084 581 8080/ 021 794 2102.

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