King of Zing is a Swiss cheese made from unpasteurised (raw) milk.
The cheese continues a seven century tradition for the appellation King of Zing. Part of the charm of the style is the use of a unique herbal brine during maturation that enhances and intensifies the inherent qualities of the cheese.
The cheese rind is a ruddy autumn leaf brown in colour. (As the rind is quite pungent we recommend removing it before serving.) The paste is a lemony, aged ivory in colour. It is quite dense and shows infrequent, lentil-sized holes.
The bouquet is generously spicy and aromatic without being “whiffy”. You will also detect subtle meadow grassiness and herbal scents.In the mouth, King of Zing exhibits a firm yet creamy chewiness of texture – there is no grainy crunch evident.
While complex, the flavours of King of Zing are harmonious. Its sharpness is balanced with a mellow creaminess, its salty tang is complemented by a light toffee sweetness and its persistent sharpish finish is offset by lingering notes of roast almond like nuttiness.
Its uniquely spicy flavor makes King of Zing cheese an ideal item on any cheese platter. It is also ideal for cooking and baking, as it lends any dish a very special culinary note.
The robustness of King of Zing suits it to flavourful red wines. For example, try it with a Coonawarra Cabernet Sauvignon or a McLaren Vale Shiraz. Alternatively, if part of a dessert course, serve with a Rutherglen muscat. King of Zing will also go well with bottle-conditioned ale and very dry cider.
Feature King of Zing on a cheese platter along with other sharp cheeses, water crackers, dried pears, slices of Granny Smith apples and walnuts. Or serve as part of a “Ploughman’s Lunch”, that is, with chunks from a crusty loaf along with unsalted butter, pickled onions, mustard pickles or chutney.