Top artisan cheesemaker to appear at festival

Fresh from appearing on the reality television show Gordon Ramsay’s Food Stars and the Melbourne Food and Wine Show, Karen Lindsay from Little White Goat Cheese will once again be selling her handmade feta to cheese aficionados at this year’s Moreton Bay Food + Wine Festival.

The passionate goat farmer and artisan cheesemaker from Wamuran will be one of more than 100 vendors selling their products during the three-day festival, which returns to the Woody Point foreshore from August 23-25.

“If you want to meet the farmers and producers in your region, the Moreton Bay Food + Wine Festival is a must do event,” Karen says.

“It’s a great showcase of local products, and the chefs love using our produce in their demos.

“I have always attended the festival – I love having a chat to people, seeing repeat customers, and sharing my cheese with new customers.

“I’m very happy for people to sample my fresh Persian Goat Feta and Freeze-Dried Goat Feta, and this year I hope to also have some freeze-dried fruit and vegie powders too.”

The former schoolteacher began her cheesemaking journey more than 17 years ago and has never looked back.

“I was disgusted at the “one size fits all” approach to teaching our children,” Karen says.

“I bought two girls and then a buck, did a cheesemaking course and boom, off I went.

“I feed and milk the girls twice a day and look after their health – I just adore all my animals.”

Karen’s idea to manufacture the world’s first freeze-dried feta came about during the pandemic, when she was forced to change how she made her products.

“COVID made the decision for me to freeze dry as all my regular restaurants that I supplied to shut down,” Karen explains.

“The girls were still milking, and I was making cheese.

“A friend of mine had a freeze dry facility so we tried it and voila, it was perfect.

“It still has a fabulous creamy taste, is full of the same nutrients as fresh feta, contains the same vitamins and minerals, doesn’t spoil, and has an 18-month shelf life.

“My freeze-dried feta can be used in multiple dishes like soups, salads, pastas, breads, pizza, pastries, and even desserts.

“I have recently reduced the number of goats in my herd, so every fortnight I drive to Clifton, which has the largest goat diary in Queensland, to buy more milk to make my cheese.

“It’s a nine hour round trip, which I love doing.”

Mark your diaries

If you would like to taste test and purchase Karen’s feta, as well as many other delicious products from across the region, be sure to keep the weekend of August 23-25 free.

This will be your opportunity to see several celebrity chefs and presenters in action, learn some delicious new recipes and handy kitchen skills, try an array of mouthwatering cuisines and flavours, stock up on amazing local produce, and enjoy live music across multiple stages.

Tickets to the Moreton Bay Food + Wine Festival are on sale now.

A full festival program as well as general information, tickets and more can be found on the Moreton Bay Food + Wine Festival website.