FAQs

The Perfect Breakfast

Easy Ideas For Beautiful Cakes

Easy Ideas For Beautiful Cakes

G&K's very new and very exclusive range of cakes, Cakes by Lavish, include delightful range of 7" cakes and gateaux made purposely to serve as a minimal design, or to dress up with your own unique flare and creativity.

Get creative with your favourite selection of fruit, chocolate or even colourful toffee to offer a new design with every cake.

Berry Delight Gateaux with Toffee Dressing

Mango & Coconut Gateaux with Seasonal Berry Decoration

Pear & Caramel Gateaux with Toffee Decoration

Triple Chocolate Gateaux with a basic fruit centre piece

Frequently asked Cheese Questions

Bob Berry, Whitestone Cheese Maker & Founder

1. At what temperature should cheese be served?
2. Where is the best place to store specialty cheeses?
3. When is a cheese best (or best before)?
4. What is a 'double cream cheese'?
5. What is the difference between brie and camembert?
6. How does the blue get in the blue cheese?
7. What is different in a vegetarian cheese?
8. How do you ripen a Blue Cheese quickly?
9. What does "best before" and "use by" mean under the new food standards?
10. What are the best knives to use to cut Cheeses?
11. Should I name and describe a cheese on the dessert menu?
12. How is the cheese flavour affected by seasonal variations in milk?

1. At what temperature should cheese be served?
Store cheese in the fridge, but serve at room temperature. This is best achieved by cutting off what is required for service each day and bringing only that portion from the fridge.
The flavour of a warm cheese blooms, whilst cheese served cold lacks flavour and character, just as cold red wine does.
Make cutting cheese part of general prep to ensure correct serving temperature. It is also easier to portion control accurately during prep as the cheeses are firmer when cold.
When matching wines and cheeses, try to match serving temperatures of the wines and cheeses, and only lightly chill the wines.

2. Where is the best place to store specialty cheeses?
Cheese has developed over the centuries, not only to excite palates, but because it is a means of preserving milk. Therefore many styles of cheese, e.g. Feta and Farmhouse Gouda, were developed without the need for refrigeration.

There are three objectives when storing specialty cheeses:

• To prevent drying out
• To prevent cross contamination between cheeses and other moulds and yeasts
• To preserve and ripen the cheeses.

The paper that is used to wrap whole wheels in is the best way to ripen the cheeses. Once opened, wrap cheeses in clean cling film, taking care to cover the cut surface completely, and loosely covering the rest of the cheese. Change the cling film each time you cut a portion from the whole cheese.
To prevent the rinds from drying out and to preserve flavour, store the wrapped cheeses in sealed plastic containers using separate containers for blue, white mould and yellow cheeses.

3. When is a cheese best (or best before)?
Store all soft cheeses in the fridge unless special cheese cabinets are available. Parmesan and other hard cheeses are easier to cut and use if stored at cool room temperature.
With the possible exception of 'fresh cheeses', there is no magical transformation from safe to unsafe on, or near, the best before date of a well-made and cared for cheese.
In fact, it is very unlikely that such a cheese, from a reputable supplier, will ever become unsafe - according to your taste, it simply becomes inedible. NZFSA now allow all products to be sold after it’s past best by date.
Cheese, like wine, is batch made and there are many elements that will influence how quickly each batch will mature. When deciding on a best before date, a very conservative view is taken. Most cheese companies set the best before date on the basis that the cheese will be at, or just over, the 'peak of maturity' on that date, and will still satisfy most consumers.
Therefore a cheese that has 'expired' may be perfectly good. When you know and have confidence in the cheese-maker's judgment, it is simply a matter of taste.

4. What is a 'double cream cheese'?
The amount of cream in a cheese is one of the variables that cheese-makers can use to change the characteristics of a cheese.
Cream content in a cheese is largely responsible for cheese body, mouth-feel and flavour. Consider the difference in taste between non-fat and homogenised milk.
A 'single cream' cheese is made with milk where cream has been neither added nor skimmed from the milk. To make a 'double cream' cheese the cheese-maker increases the cream content by around 10% (from 50% to 60% Fat in Dry Matter. FDM)

5. What is the difference between brie and camembert?
White moulded cheeses originated in France. Traditionally, brie is made in the Ile de France region and camembert is made in Normandy. The differences between the two cheeses result from milk from different breeds of cow, different pastoral and climatic conditions and the cheese sizes. French brie is typically a broad, flat wheel weighing 3kg whilst camembert is always a small 250g wheel.
White moulded cheeses made outside France lack these extreme regional differences, yet camembert or brie made in different regions of New Zealand can have different flavours, hence the difference between brands.
Incidentally - the white mould spores are added at the beginning of the cheese making, and are encouraged to grow by being matured in specially humidified rooms. Before the cheese is wrapped, the mould is thick and downy.

6. How does the blue get in the blue cheese?
Blue mould spores (penicillium roquefortii) are added to the milk in the vat, at the beginning of the blue cheese making process.
During the maturing period, the cheeses quickly grow blue mould on the outside of the cheeses. They are then spiked with stainless steel needles to allow air to enter the cheese and to speed up mould growth throughout the cheese interior. You can often see straight lines of blue mould growth in blue cheeses which is a result of this process. The mould continues to grow throughout the cheeses and grow in the gaps between the curds. This process gives blue cheeses their characteristic appearance and has been named 'blue veining'.

7. What is different in a vegetarian cheese?
The setting agent used in the basic cheesemaking process is usually calf rennet. This is an enzyme found in the stomach of calves and makes the cheese unsuitable for vegetarians.
Other options are available however, and many companies use a milk coagulant called Fromase, that is produced by the fermentation of a strain of fungus called Rhizormucor miehei. This means that these cheeses are suitable for vegetarians. It is generally impossible to tell whether a cheesemaker has used rennet or Fromase, and especially so in cheeses that are not aged.
'Vegan cheese' is a misnomer, as by definition cheese is made from milk, an animal product.
Vegetarian cheeses are also suitable for Halal use and Fromase is Kosher certified.

8. How do you ripen a Blue Cheese quickly?
To quickly ripen kiwifruit, you can place them in a paper bag with apples. On the other hand there is no magic formula to ripen Blue cheese, quickly, just patience and time. However, there are a number of things you can do to help with the process of ripening creamy blue cheeses.
Ensure your fridge or chiller is set at the right temperature, around 4ºC. Just like Goldilocks who did not like her porridge too hot or too cold, Blue cheese does not like extreme temperatures. If the fridge is too cold, the mould on Blue cheese can't grow. Blue cheese actually generates its own heat as it matures, so cool air circulation is essential.
Do not leave your cheese in a warm area. Leaving Blue cheese in a warm area will not make it ripen any faster. In fact, leaving the cheese in a warm area for a long period of time will actually damage it, as the gaps between the delicate blue and grey veins may close up and therefore stop blue mould developing to its full "veining".
If you cut into a wheel of Blue cheese and discover that it is not mature enough to your liking, wrap it back up in the silver foil which the cheese was originally wrapped in, and seal with a piece of tape. Do not wrap the cheese up in plastic film wrap as this does not allow the cheese to breathe as well. The silver foil has tiny holes in it, which allow the cheese to breathe. Just like us, Blue cheese needs to breathe.
Turn Blue cheese wheels once a week. This will ensure that the cheese does not get a soggy base and that all parts of the cheese are getting a good circulation of air.
Don't store Blue cheese next to other strong smelling foods such as fish or spring onions. The odours from these foods will permeate through the cheese.

9. What does "best before" and "use by" mean under the new food standards?
Since 12 December, 2002 when the food standards were changed, all cheeses with a shelf life of 2 years or under must have a "best before" date or "use by" date labelled on it. In the past, the use of "best before" dates and "use by" dates were not clearly defined.
The "use by" date can only be used on products which have to be consumed within a set period of time, have a short shelf life and which do not get better with age. This means fresh cultured products such as Bocconcini, Fresh Mozzarella and Fromage Blanc
Mascarpone and Cream Cheese have been processed and packaged using special heat treatments, therefore extending their shelf life. These products have been labelled with a "best before" date. However, once opened, treat them as fresh.
The "best before" date is placed on all cheeses which improve with age. When deciding the "best before" date for cheeses, Cheese companies tend to take a very conservative view. Therefore many cheeses will actually reach their peak of maturity on the "best before" date or past the "best before" date. Depending on your taste, cheeses are often better after their "best before" date. Cheeses dated with a "best before" label can be legally sold after the date, providing the cheeses and their packaging have not been damaged.
Semi-hard cheeses such as Gouda and hard cheeses such as Aged Cheddar only improve with age as they ripen. Therefore in many cases, older is better.
It is important to remember that the stated date labels are only valid if the products are stored under the stated storage conditions and the packaging remains completely intact. All cheeses must be stored refrigerated. If cheeses have been frozen and then thawed, the stated date marking is no longer applicable.

10. What are the best knives to use to cut Cheeses?
Most knives will successfully cut cheese. However, to obtain the perfect cut, there are some tricks to the trade.
Both open-bladed knives (knives with the 'holes' in the blade) and narrow-handled knives are excellent for cutting soft brie-style cheeses and sticky washed-rind cheeses. The holes prevent the cheese from sticking to the blade. Also, the raised handle of narrow-handled knives stops users' hands from coming into contact with cutting boards.
Large hard cheeses, eg Goudas, are often cut with a double-handled knife using a rocking action.
However, for serious cheese cutting, you can't beat a wire, and a Handee Cheese Cutter is a wise investment. The Handee Cheese Cutter efficiently and quickly cuts whole wheels and wax-enrobed cheeses into neat portions, and is easy to clean, dry and use. A wire is also much safer to use than a knife.
For cheeseboards, it is important to remember to use a separate knife for each cheese. For service, table knives are suitable to handle small pieces of cheese - or go French and serve a knife and fork!

11. Should I name and describe a cheese on the dessert menu?
Yes, it's imperative that cheeses are named and described on the dessert menu. It is a win/win situation for your establishment and for your customer.
Most customers don't enjoy surprises and many are too shy to ask. They will be disappointed if they receive a style of cheese that they do not like. A customer will have a more enjoyable cheese experience if they know exactly what they are will be receiving, so it is very important that cheeses are described in detail on the menu and that front of house staff know the characteristics of each cheese. For example: “Whitestone Waitiki Camembert - a full and rich flavour with a soft, ripe texture” sounds so much more enticing than 'brie' and 10 times better than 'Selection of New Zealand Cheeses'.
Naming cheeses on the dessert menu also gives your customers reassurance that they are receiving a quality cheese for dessert. Given the choice, customers will pick “Whitestone Windsor Blue” over Blue Vein cheese.

12. How is the cheese flavour affected by seasonal variations in milk?
Milk is a "living" natural product. Its composition, colour, flavour and the flavours that flow from it, including in cheese, are all influenced by seasonal and day-to-day elements such as climatic and feed conditions. There are a host of other variables, including the stage of lactation of the milking animal and the breeding season. The latter is particularly influential in goats' milk; rampant hormones can result in especially strong ‘goaty’ flavours.
Consumers in the "New World" that are mostly urban are generally much less aware of the natural rhythms of life on the farm and expect consistency in their cheese and dairy products. However it is essential to recognise that milk and cheese are natural foods. A key element of the cheesemakers art is to understand the milk he or she is working with and to adapt cheesemaking procedures, based on experience, an understanding of seasonal changes and science, to produce a consistent product. Seasonal changes are a cause for discovery and celebration rather than a reason to pursue blandness and homogeneous consistency.
Saying this is not a justification for poorly made cheese. It is to recognise that cheese is diverse, debatable and a celebration of life and living foods.

The Perfect Breakfast

1. Pott’s Rich Fruit Loaf
Sliced to toasting perfect thickness, this decadent combination of prunes, fig, sultana, apricot and paw paw are blended throughout a dense wholemeal loaf. Perfect with butter or jam for a simple but indulgent breakfast.

2. Smoked Salmon on 100% Rye
Take our sliced Atlantic or Tasmanian Smoked Salmon, layer it over some thick rye toast with a poached egg, fresh chives and some House Hollandaise and you have an easy breakfast fit for the most discerning pallet.

3. Food For Health Muesli
For today’s growing portion of dietary constrained consumers, or those of us aiding our bodies to better digestion, Food For Health provides 4 very functional, very healthy and quite delicious mueslis. The four variants are Gluten Free, Liver Cleanse, Wheat Free and Fibre Cleanse. Each one tailored to the specific need stated – and each one great with milk or yoghurt.

4. Open Top Egg, Bacon & Cheese Pie
It is what it is – a whole egg broken into a pizza dough case, topped with bacon, onion and cheese and finished with a rich egg and cream mixture - the breakfast pie for champions! A little bit of relish or a little bit of Worcestershire and it’s a hearty meal to start the day.

5. Emma & Tom’s Juice
What is a breakfast without the perfect beverage accompaniment!? And it’s safe to say ET’s is perfection in a 350ml square bottle! Be it a straight Juice or Infusion of Herbs and Botanicals, Emma & Tom’s will have a Juice to your customers’ liking. Bottled juice is handy, promotes consistency in supply and reduces the wastage you produce... Could it be more simple and tasty?

Request Catalogue