FOOD INTERNATIONAL

Sharlene Griffiths is a devoted cheese-lover. Long before her wedding day, she’d decided that her wedding cake would be made with tiers of different cheeses.

And when she married Duncan recently in Birkenhead, Auckland, the team at Food International worked with Sharlene and her mother, Diane Pedersen, to create that perfect ‘cheesy’ centrepiece for the day. 

The cake was a tower made up with a Maasdam Wheel as the base, Gouda formed the next layer and then a Brie topped off with a Danish Blue.

The innovative cake was covered artistically with grapes, greenery, lavender and some herbs. 

After the formal cake-cutting ceremony, the cheeses were served with crackers, along with big platters of dates, apricots, almonds and cashews (also supplied by Food International). Some homemade brownie was also offered as a sweet treat.

The wedding was a great success and the cheese wedding cake was a big hit with all the guests. They loved the concept, saying:  “it was a wonderful idea.”

If you are planning a wedding or a big occasion that you want to be very special and just a bit different, the team at Food International will help you make a special cheese cake as a centrepiece guests will love.

Cheese Wedding Cakes. It’s a trend that hit Europe a decade or so ago and is becoming increasingly popular with brides and grooms here in New Zealand.

 Making your wedding cake from a tower of cheeses is seen as a quirky alternative to the traditional cake at weddings as well as a more healthy option. And in creating your cheese cake you can let your imagination run riot.

Different coloured and textured cheeses draped with flowers, fruit or foliage look attractive.  You can cut a cheese into a heart shape to top it off or embellish the cake with roses, small flowers and herbs – such as Rosemary for remembrance. Rustic string can also be used to decorate the cheese wheels, while exotic colourful fruit such as a sliced fresh fig or the red seeds of a pomegranate look sensational.

It will be the star of the show and also work out as an affordable option.

Just remember the following points when planning your cheese cake.

*     Take great care in selecting the best quality cheeses

*     Use amazing flavours

*     Consult your cheese supplier for advice

*     Match the layers of cheese for appearance, texture and flavour

*     You can present one main cake and smaller replicas for each table

*     You can name each cheese with a tiny flag

*      Cheese tastes best at room temperature – leave out of fridge a couple of  

        hours before cutting

*      Serve with special breads and crackers

*      Accompany with big platters of dried fruits and nuts

*      Each guests needs about 70-100 gms of cheese

Of course, you can also add some special sweet treats or even incorporate those into the tiers of cheese. No hard and fast rules on these wedding cakes – just let your creative juices flow and enjoy the different cheeses.

Adel Yousef of Food International (centre) with Stephen and Diana Jones of Somerdale with a display of their company’s cheeses at Victoria Park New World in Auckland.

Cheese aficionados know and appreciate the distinctive sharp flavour of creamy British cheddar and enjoy so many of the other traditional cheeses produced in the UK. Discussions have been going on for years between Food International and Somerdale – the leading exporter of British specialty cheese.

The first shipment of their British cheese from Somerdale was received by Food International about a year ago. Their CEO, Stephen Jones and his daughter, Diana (who is based in Sydney managing their Australian operation) made a flying visit to Auckland recently to discuss further co-operation.

As a result, the range on sale through Food International has expanded now and the assortment will include:

• Barber’s 1833 Farmhouse Cheddar made in Somerset, England, 13 miles from the village of Cheddar itself and protected under the PDO certification. This two-year old Vintage Reserve 1833 Cheddar is a creamy cheese with a distinct bite and smooth finish. The Barber family have been making Cheddar since 1833, which makes them the oldest cheese making family in England and one of the oldest Cheddar producers in the world

• Il Truffelino has been developed exclusively for Somerdale and combines the creamy texture of Classic English Cheddar with the complex and luxuriant flavour of Black Summer Truffles.

• Somerdale Wensleydale and Cranberries is a true classic combining the creamy, open texture and natural sweet acidity of Wensleydale with sweet, juicy, plump cranberries.
• Westminster Cheddar –  Sharp and Vintage –  both are great examples of cheeses made by some of the most respected Cheddar making families in the world. And these families have been perfecting their craft over a period spanning six generations..
• Westminster Cheddar – Rustic Red is made like other cheddars but with the addition of annatto and helveticus culture. The annatto gives it the beautiful vibrant colour, while the helveticus cultures give sweet nutty tones.

And because the packaging of these cheeses emphasizes their British heritage, Food International is presenting the range in their authentic British style.

These Somerdale cheeses are available at some branches of Farro Fresh and selected lines are sold through New World and Pak’N Save.

That busy YOLO Ambassador, Adel Yousef, has been roaming throughout the North Island to promote our wonderful European cheeses.

He worked at trade shows in Rotorua, Tauranga and Wellington over the last couple of weeks and this week is back in Auckland to help celebrate the 10^th anniversary of PAK ‘n SAVE’s favourite employee, Stickman.

PAK ‘n SAVE in Botany are marking a decade of service for the ever popular Stickman with super specials on YOLO Cheeses.

Come in to the big Botany store to see the great display of YOLO in their  specials chiller and make great savings on your YOLO purchases.