Talbot Forest Cheese Co.
20 years ago, a bunch of locals sat together at the edge of the mythical sounding Talbot Forest, in New Zealand’s small but culinarily vibrant town of Geraldine. Sitting there, surrounded by lofty mountains, whiffs of fresh forest air, and pretty cows with flirty eyelashes (and really good milk!), it felt only natural that cheese should be the progeny of all this collective magnificence. And so, the Talbot Forest Cheese Co. was born.
In the name of research, we packed our taste buds in a backpack and took them global, before returning home to New Zealand to share some of the world's best cheeses with the locals, and recreate others with our unique Talbot flair – and with what could be seen as either madness or bravery – invented some of our own local styles along the way.
A burst of wild curiosity and Kiwi ingenuity overtook our creative process. It drove us to do some crazy things, like smoke a bunch of cheese with mānuka logs (risky, but it turned out great!), and cover everything in pepper (Havarti was the firm winner).
We tasted the thrill of discovery, and it continues to drive us to this day.
We’re here to inspire your own journey into cheese obsession, and as with every good journey, it starts with an open mind and a little exploration. So come, peruse the possibilities, expand your flavour horizons, sniff out your favourites – and be sure to come back for more.
As Gary at the local pub will tell you, our cheeses are like no other, (or ‘udder’ if you like milk as much as we do). This could be because we’re friends with the locals, but we reckon it’s mostly due to our obsession of seeking out the very best cheeses from abroad as well as creating our own local flavours. Using quality ingredients, and taking the utmost care in transforming them from milk into magical cheese.
As the symbolic start of any good gathering, the cheeseboard is the unsung hero. Softening awkward silences with muffled munching, and, as the wedges shrink; sparking musings, discussion, brazen opinion and debate. It just goes to show that cheese and conversation is the perfect combination.
Whether you're a friend of all cheese or your obsession revolves around just one or two, this social centre piece is the glue that brings us together. And so it's fair to say we are united in the love of cheese.