absolutelyBangkok archive · Being farang
Originally published Feb. 8, 2010
There is a limit to what the human mind can absorb. Especially in Thai politics. Hearing the names of Abhisit, Thaksin and the likes just gives me a bad mood these days. The latest newsletter by the one sent into exile a year ago on Feb. 6 was a lonely bright light amid cheats and pretenders. But hey, I still feel good, and this is why:
Am eating nothing but bread and homemade cheese products made from pure natural ingredients only, with no preservatives or artificial additives, produced from fresh, straight-from-the-farm organic milk — and yes, made in the heart of Bangkok. I’m living on Thai cheese and yogurt these days. And it feels great.
Once in a while you just have to ignore these political clowns out here and enjoy the beautiful sides Thailand has to offer. One of them is fresh Thai cheese. Yes, I’m a cheese addict, and to know that from now on I can get natural homemade cheese at decent prices delivered to my doorsteps is kind of the best news of this year so far.
Well, it’s cheese made from fresh organic milk that’s delivered from the north, but the Homemade Cheese Co.
is actually managed by some perfectionist Israelis who know their trade. Manager Elad Bryn — yep, almost like the Google Brin! — gave me a nice intro into the making of cheese in the middle of Bangkok. Well, they have their own cheese chef and by now deliver Bangkok 5-star hotels and private customers with their prime milk products.
Make no mistake, we’re not talking about old aged cheese, but fresh cheese milk products — of a quality that even Western chefs at top hotels here in Bangkok want nothing else anymore than the yogurt, quark and fresh cheese of the Thai-Israeli company. Chefs, says Elad, love his sour yogurt, while I’d go for the plain yogurt at 80 baht half the liter — that’s right, the prices are more than fair.
My favorite? The beautifully refreshing Tzatziki Greek Yogurt & Cucumber Dip. You’ll get hooked, I promise. They got a firm and a soft feta cheese on offer — the soft one has a surprising creamy texture. And try the hearty cottage cheese. And the Garlic & Dill White Quark Cheese… with only 3% fat lighter, healthier and more natural than cream cheese.
Yogurt flavors range from blueberry to strawberry to mango to peach and and, while the fresh cheese is enriched with green onions, olives, smoked salmon, chili (!) and and. Or care for mascarpone? The menu with contact and ordering details is available here — and again, prices are more than fair given the exorbitant price you have to pay for imported cheese here in Thailand. And milk’s not cheap here at some 30 baht for the pasteurized liter…
This “inequality” was one of the reasons why the Israelis set up this venture. Cheese is very expensive here — even the worst quality from Australia. And well, it’s a green business bringing jobs and makes sense. Still, lots of determination was needed tells me an Israeli partner — just to mention to get the FDA approval.
Elad’s happy with the response to their dairy products — they can see it in sales growth and customer satisfaction. Homemade Cheese doesn’t want to grow too quickly to ensure utmost quality. It’s a family business, with a cheese dairy in the heart of Bangkok. And yes, my bet is you can order a cheese with any ingredient — they’ll try to satisfy any customer. Reads the brochure: “Our chefs keep an open mind and are ready to work with you to create a whole new product to suit a certain taste or match the requirements of any cuisine.”
That’s why they’re working in close cooperation with chefs of major hotels, getting their feedback and adapting production. Once a product is on the level of their expectation, they market it.
Interesting as well to have regional delicacies such as Lebanese Hummus and Haloumi on the menu, a traditional cypriot cheese not too different from a soya product you can buy here locally. Haloumi is a eaten fried or barbecued like a steak and usually marinated with olive oil. It is is Cyprus’ national dish — also called the king of cheese.
Lebanon, Greece, Cyprus, Israel… Homemade Cheese is a Thai-Israeli-Mediterranean cheesery so to say, right here in the kingdom where cheese is still considered a ridiculously priced luxury product.
No longer, thanks to this determined family business producing dairy products of quality, texture and naturalness you’ll hardly find back home. You won’t find their products in supermarkets. Reason being with the exception of Foodlands they all switch off their aircons during the night. You won’t recognize a yogurt the next day when it’s not full of preservatives and such.
It’s premium quality dairy products they make at Homemade Cheese — always keeping your health in mind. And I’m living proof for that. Haven’t felt that good in a long time after being on a dairy diet.
By the way, Thailand just had a Milk Festival with a celebrity dressed up as a bunny cow… Who says milk’s no fun.
+++ Download the price list here. For details call 02 439 45 10 or order by email.
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