The burgeoning cheese industry in South Africa, which has been around for more than 100 years, is set to benefit when the first plug of formerly disadvantaged cheesemakers goes to France to learn more about the trade.
Well-known local turophile and fellowship initiator Kobus Mulder said the objective is to offer Western Cape cheesemakers the opportunity to gain new skills and expertise by doing an intensive, three-week course at a college in the Burgundy town of Macon-Davaye.
”A further objective is to, somewhere in the future, enable these people to start their own small cheese factory. Hopefully, somebody like Joseph Philander from Paarl will run his own cheesery,” he said by way of illustration.
Mulder, diary manager at AgriExpo, said the plan — which forms part of an existing regional agreement between the governments of the Western Cape and Burgundy — is to send about five aspirant cheesemakers to France every year.
Western Cape agriculture minister Cobus Dowry formalised the initiative during a visit to Burgundy, one of France’s most important wine-growing and cheese-making regions, in October last year.
At the time, Dowry said: ”The people from the Western Cape will be able to gain from the experience and expertise of the people in Burgundy in the areas of wine production, cheese production and tourism.”
Mulder said the candidate cheesemakers will receive training, both theoretical and practical, about European cheese types, including soft cheeses such as Camembert or Brie and fresh cheeses such as Chevre.
According to the South African cheese industry website, about 84% of local consumers eat Cheddar and Gouda, while noting a growing demand for speciality cheeses.
”Future consumption trends will depend greatly on the development of the new South African middle and upper classes. Improved economic situations and the fact that South Africa is experiencing a 9% annual growth in food purchasing will increase consumption of cheese in any form,” reads the website.
Mulder said the Western Cape has 29 cheese factories, mostly small and independently operated, which stand to benefit enormously if one of their employees is selected to attend the course.
He said South African cheese quality compares ”very well” with the international market, with awards garnered recently at the prestigious World Cheese Awards proof of local quality.
Mulder described cheese as an ”almost complete” food because of its protein content and nutritional value.
He said due to patent law, South African cheesemakers will not be able to manufacture certain protected cheese, such as France’s Livarot and certain other cheeses from Spain, Austria and Italy.
According to Patrick Faict, a South African cheese judge, there are more than 100 different cheeses currently produced in the country.
”When you mention names like Gruyere, Camembert, Derby, Caerphilly or L’Orraine, one would think to be standing in an overseas cheese shop, but no, not so.”
Faict said similar to the French situation, many of the farm cheeses are made on a small scale, or are not designed for transporting and are therefore not widely available.
He said with the opportunity given to the aspirant cheesemakers to work in a ”proper” cheese environment, the local cheese industry will prosper and not only bring in more gold medals but ”more importantly, the flavour”.
Mulder said many of the local cheeses will be showcased at the fourth annual South African Cheese Festival, hosted at Bien Donne outside Paarl.
He said since a modest start of about 8 000 visitors, the event has grown and become a gastronomic experience par excellence with about 26 500 visitors expected this year.
The festival runs from April 29 to May 2, with the names of the four lucky participants in the French cheese fellowship scheduled to be announced on April 27, at a gala dinner of the South African Diary Championships. — Sapa
On the net:
South African Cheese Festival