Light travel: Cheese, Mustard, Honey And an Alpaca Shop

Long straight roads almost no other traffic, just put the car in cruise control, we will arrive.

Milawa North East Victoria.
We turned into the gravel car park to the Milawa cheese company a great looking building that has deli room a big restaurant area with out side eating, furniture is all in light wood, there is a bakery attached, selling hand crafted bread made from sourdoughs with English, French and Italian influences.

For the Cheese that's why we are here.

Life of Brian-"Blessed are the cheese-makers."

The Milawa cheese company was founded in 1988 by David and Anne Brown. All the cheeses are hand made using no preservatives and made with non animal rennet. Their aim is to bring full flavoured farmhouse cheese to everyone.

Once inside we were greeted by a nice lady who said that we could taste the cheese, they have a vast selection of goats and cows milk cheeses, fresh curds,white moulds to washed rinds and blue vein cheese....there is a cheese for every palate. I will keep away from the Blues!

We tasted a few (apart from the blue ones) and they were delicious the soft brie like cheeses were very mild and Jeannette's favourite was a goats cheese flavoured with chilli and herbs...tasty!!!!!
Mark's favourite is Milawa Gold type rich yellow cheese with gold to red rind with soft creamy taste.

In total we tasted 18 of the 22 cheese we left the blues alone 11 of the cheese are made form coats milk very tasty these are, I liked the Milawa Goat's Camembert.

They have award wining cheeses and have been given cups and medals.
The Tasting Notes opening statement says:-
"All cheeses are hand made at the historic Milawa Butter Factory using traditional methods, without preservatives and using non-animal rennet."

Milawa Mustards

Hand made Mustards using home grown ingredients.

The building is an old Inn, Called the "Old Emu Inn" The Crossroads. still keeping it's old world feel including old style shop fitting plus counter with all the different styles of mustards lay out ready for tastings, you will also find a range of 200 condiments.
We found the mustards laid out in the following way.

Mild Mustards = Honey, sage, rosemary, Tarragon, Garlic, Dill & Lemon and Green Peppercorn.
Warmish = Bourbon and Ginger & Orange.
Moderately Hot = Horseradish, chilli and Hot Honey.
Hot = Balsamic, French Style, Spicy Oriental and Three Seed.
Very Hot = Superfine Hot and Flaming Hot Chilli ( BEWARE )

All Mustards are made by David, we had a chance to talk to him, the mustard is grown by them they have kept the look and feel of a cottage industry.

Beechworth

A town with History, we headed for the Information building in the Town Hall/ Old Shire Offices, It's a sunny day the ladies behind the desk are all wrapped up for Arctic weather their heating went down. We picked up a booklet on the town and for the price of $1 A Self Guided Walking Tour.
It follows a route up Ford Street you will then find Williams Street, Camp Street, Church Street and the High Streets off it.
or the cost of $10 per Adult you can go on a walking tour.

Echoes of history
Ned Kelly

Our Highlights

Beechworth Honey we enjoyed tasting the 20 different honeys, they also have live bees in the shop.
Dropped into the sweet shop, no more said!
Lunch in the bakery shop they also have a video running on how to make bread, rolls & pies.
Alpaca shop, Jeannette fell in love with an Alpaca teddy bear, Note $275, made out of 1 baby alpaca, these baby alpaca's have died due to sickness or the freezing weather, the farmers sell them on to make money.There is was a shaw brilliant deep colours very soft it will keep you warm, have you got $750??
A drive around the Beachworth Historic Park that takes in the Gorge and Newtown bridge and falls.