Karikaas - Products

… Karikaas Cheese, the cheese for cheese lovers.

Karikaas cheeses are all hand-made using traditional European methods. They are lovingly handcrafted, by cheese-makers who know their business and who are proud of their traditions and skill.

The Dutch cheeses are coated and turned regularly while maturing for between two months and many years in the cheese store. White pine boards are used in the cheese store, combining New Zealand character, and the known ben efits of using natural wood.

The European style fresh products, yoghurt, cultured buttermilk, and kwark are free of preservatives, stabilizers, emulsifiers and colourings.

Cheeses

Gouda – a traditional Dutch cheese which has a creamy texture and mild flavour when young, by the time the cheese is vintage it has developed intense and complex flavours, and has a firm texture. We sell Gouda in four age categories, young (~2 months), mature (~4 months), aged (~8 months) and vintage, to suit every palate.

Young Gouda is wonderful on pannini – it melts well, and in sandwiches etc. However a good vintage is superb on a cheese board with a good wine, as a final touch to pasta, or anything, which requires more flavour that Parmesan can offer.

Vintage Leyden is a consistent gold medal and award winning cheese, which compliments a good red wine, and is probably best served on its own, or with other fine cheeses, so that it can really be appreciated. Young or Mature Leyden is best fresh on salads and sandwiches.

Edam – a traditional Dutch cheese, reduced fat and vegetarian. This cheese has a smooth texture and mild clean flavour. Edam is a very good melting cheese. A versatile widely favoured cheese.
Reduced Fat Leyden is a cumin flavoured cheese into Edam , which provides a low fat and vegetarian option to those who enjoy Leyden Cheese.

Feta – a cheese developed in conjunction with a Greek who knows his feta. Our cows-milk feta is firm and holds it shape well; it will not fall to pieces on cutting. Feta also has interesting melting properties and is great on a pizza or dropped into tomato soup. It is lightly salted. We also produce an herbed feta , with a special blend of four fresh garden herbs, particularly good for salads or platters.

Other Cheeses – Pepper, Herb, Garlic and Friesian complete our range of cheeses. The Herb is a vegetarian cheese flavored with our selection of four garden herbs. Friesian is an aged cheese with the very distinctive and traditional blend of cumin seed and cloves. This cheese cannot be eaten young, but is a delightful change for those who appreciate old cheese. Pepper ed gouda is a fine example of a cheese with a bit of bite, and Garlic Gouda is the cheese for the Garlic lover, or for adding to a complimentary meal or salad.

Fresh Products One of the distinctive features of our fresh products is that they are natural – no colours, no preservatives and no stabilizers. All our fresh products are cultured in a traditional manner from old European recipes.

Yoghurt – Karikaas natural yoghurts contain the cultures L. acidophilus, L. bifidus and a special culture, supreme BOD Bacillus laterosporus.

Buttermilk – Buttermilk is made from whole milk and is cultured for over a day, before it is churned. This separates the butter (unsalted cultured butter) from the low fat buttermilk.

In addition to the typical kiwi use of buttermilk, baking with it, Europeans also drink buttermilk either on its own or flavoured. Unsalted cultured butter is a sweet tasting butter, superb in baking, giving a lovely lift to scones, biscuits and cakes. Also ideal for those who need to keep an eye on their salt intake.

Kwark – Karikaas kwark is a fresh cheese with an acidic tang. It is a low fat product, great in cheesecakes and tarts. Kwark is traditional European product and there are a number of superb Austrian, Dutch and German tart and cake recipes. It is also very good in quiches, and other savoury baked goods, and as a spread on sandwiches and rolls.