Chefs and food lovers alike are discovering a magical world of funky, tangy, sour and savoury transformation that can be applied to pretty much anything with an interesting flavour.

In kitchens around the world unremarkable vegetables are evolving into umami-laden lacto-fermented pickles and the humble cabbage is slowly becoming kimchi or sauerkraut.

Fermentation can be described in very basic terms as the process of controlled spoilage.

Living organisms take something ripe and make it better with bold new flavours, preservation for longer shelf life, and health-giving probiotics.

Our region's winemakers and brewers, not to mention bakers, will be among the first to tell you that fermentation is no recently conceived fad.

It is the ancient process that turns grape juice into wine and causes the rise in loaves of bread.

By fermenting milk to make cheese, humans have for millennia been able to preserve a precious resource and provide people with rich animal fats and protein without killing the beast that provides it.

Despite all of our rapid advancements in technology, a nice piece of cheese is an artform and a luxury that is created and exists in pretty much the same way it always has.

We're very fortunate to have here in Orange our very own handmade artisanal cheese producer.

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Second Mouse Cheese Company was established in 2013 by Kai Woltman who combined an education in chemistry from his native Germany with a passion for adventures in food.

He created a range of differing cheese styles from a luxurious Double Cream Brie to a beautifully balanced Roobie Blue.

A washed rind cheese, Freida, and an alpine style, Henri, were named after his mother and father.

In late 2018 the company was bought by SJ Pienaar, and with a few tweaks and some natural evolution the same cheeses continue to be produced.

"They all have a following of their own. There's unique little moments of joy I get to experience while working with each of these cheeses."

Pienaar found inspiration in a one-day cheesemaking course that led her to leave behind a background in engineering and pursue a new career.

A course of study in South Australia was soon completed and upon returning to Orange she worked for nearly three years at Second Mouse.

When the opportunity came to take up the reins herself, it was too good to pass up.

All of the Second Mouse range are made from milk produced in the district by Little Big Dairy and set with vegetarian rennet.

"Little Big Dairy's milk is extremely high quality and it's an intergenerational Australian owned business so I really value that connection," she tells me.

Second Mouse cheese can be tasted and purchased at farmers markets in Orange, Dubbo, Tarana, and Bathurst, as well as Ashcroft's IGA and Hillside Harvest.

Online ordering is the future as home delivery offerings kept them going during COVID lockdown.

"As we've emerged from that I've just been trying to keep up with orders for Francesco from Philip Shaw!"

It's hard to picture a great food and drink experience without involving cheese so SJ and Second Mouse make a terrific contribution to our region's food story with their top quality handcrafted creations.

As Jesus is heard to say in the classic documentary The Life of Brian, "blessed are the cheesemakers!"

Tomato Tart with Second Mouse Freida Cheese and Tarragon

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