EWE+3 is proof that when the going gets tough, the tough get collaborating.
Widespread floods earlier this year devastated many farms.
Among these was Towri Sheep Cheeses, at Allenview in the Scenic Rim just out of Beaudesert, and a leading agri-tourism operator and producer of award-winning cheeses made from milk from their beloved Awassi herd.
“The floods caused absolute devastation to our business, livestock and family farm, including the collapse of our main water supply,” Towri’s Dallas Davidson, who with her mother Carolyn run the sheep dairy and cheesery, said.
“Milk production went down 100 per cent as our dairy was completely flooded, and we were unable to deliver to our wonderful restaurant clients due to flood waters and road closures.
“It was pretty horrid …. but, we emptied our gum boots, dried out our work gear and thought about how we could keep moving forward.
“Then, it hit us, we simply ask our friends – two and four-legged!”
During the drought Towri Sheep Cheeses collaborated with the acclaimed Tommerup’s Dairy in the Kerry Valley on other side of Beaudesert to create Moo & Ewe, a jersey and sheep milk range, which continues to this day.
“We thought – let’s take this further. We live in the glorious Scenic Rim, a region of dairies, of inspiring producers, and of truly creative partnerships born of Eat Local Week, so let’s create a Collaboration Cheese.”
With this idea, Towri and Tommerup’s Dairy, together with Summer Land Camels and Naughty Little Kids near Boonah literally pooled their milk resources and Carolyn Davidson, Towri Company director and head cheesemaker with over 17 years’ experience, went to work.
After much trial and error, EWE+3 was born.
“To our knowledge, this is an Australian first, and could very well be a world first,” Dallas said.
Given the complexity of the different milks, EWE+3 is rich in taste. It is a cooked natural rind cheese, with earthy, buttery and pear undertones and a touch of sharpness from the sheep’s milk.
Already some of the top restaurants in Queensland use produce from the four suppliers involved, with The Paddock at Hazelwood Estate, ESSA and Elska in Brisbane, Blume Restaurant in Boonah and Mason Wines being the first to carry EWE+3, with inquiries already being received from interstate restaurants.
It is available at Towri’s 18 September Farmer’s Markets and at their monthly open farm days.
