Sleeping Giant (Sheep Hard Cheese)
Named for Te Mata Peak which towers 399 metres above the Heretaunga Plains, Sleeping Giant is a sheep cheddar-style cheese.
Made in large wheels (15-18kg each) from pure Hawke’s Bay sheep milk it is aged for 16-24 months which means that crystals have started to form – a sign of a well-aged cheese. It has a firm texture, with notes of sweet pineapple when it first hits the palate, that progresses to a delicate nutty flavour. This cheese is reminiscent of Spanish Manchego.
Try shaving Sleeping Giant across a salad or add slices to a sandwich with tomato and salad greens. Make a sensational pizza of Sleeping Giant, fresh tomatoes and olives.
Try Sleeping Giant with the following foods: almonds; dates; fresh figs, grapes; green olives; quince paste or jelly.
Try Sleeping Giant with the following beverages: aromatic whites such as Sauvignon Blanc; full-bodied red wines such as Tempranillo; fortified wines; dry sherry; dry cider.
NZ Champions of Cheese Awards – Bronze Medal 2016, Bronze Medal 2015
Recipes using Origin Earth Sleeping Giant.
Nutritional Information (calculated)
Ingredients: Hawke’s Bay sheep milk, culture, coagulant, salt
Serving size: 28g
Average per serving:
Energy 325kJ
Protein 8.8g
Fat 6.3g
- saturated 4.2g
Carbohydrates 0.05g
Sodium 309mg
Calcium 138mg
Nutritional values vary seasonally
