Considering the rising number of cheese-dedicated festivals in recent years, its safe to say the nation is in the midst of a severe cheese addiction. But who can blame us, considering the sheer breadth of dairy-related talent being produced within the borders of our sunburnt country.

The delicious. Produce Awards 2018 were recently held in celebration of this bounty of producers. Proving themselves one of the best cheesemakers in the country were Carla Meurs and Ann-Marie Monda of Holy Goat Cheese who were named both the From the Dairy Winner, and Producer of the Year for their Holy Goat Cheese Nectar Tomme.

It was a no-brainer for the panel of esteemed judges says panelist Alla Wolf-Tasker; “This brilliant washed-rind firm cheese from Ann-Marie Monda and Carla Meurs is packed with flavour. A blend of their own organic goat’s milk and local organic Shorthorn cow’s milk, this is yet another delicious cheese by the pair that’s destined to become a classic.” 

Of course it was a labour of love for the Bendigo-based duo, considering the cheese was ten years in the making. “Our intention has always been on milking goats, and our only focus is cheese,” Monda explains. “The latest one we have been working on for 11 years. It’s a long process which requires lots of finesse, and where you need to have the right conditions.”

Nectar itself was created by some quick thinking of the duo, after running low in the required amount of goat’s milk. “Goats are seasonal producers,” explains Monda, “so we must begin sourcing in winter, though the yield is half the amount of milk you would find in summer. [With Nectar] we started during a time where milk stocks were low.” As luck would have it the Holy Goat property neighbours a property that is home to a herd of shorthorn cattle. Milk was traded, and Nectar was born.

While some of Australia’s best chefs consider Holy Goat’s Nectar to be the best cheese Australia has to offer, Monda is quick to point out that the talent truly lies with their hardworking team; their goats. In fact, even the brand’s name is in ode to the animals. “As a certified organic farm, we weren’t trying to be quirky with the name. We just wanted to honour the animals that gave us their milk. “