Thank you for your support
I have been brought to tears so many times in the past couple of weeks from the messages of support I have received.
Customers, chefs, suppliers, fellow cheesemakers, other artisan producers around the country, food writers, local and federal politicians have all sent through some very heartfelt messages. It has been quite overwhelming.
At this stage the way forward looks to be very difficult. I am not sure if I have the energy or the resources it will require. However, one thing I do know is that I do have the support and in the end that may be all I really need.
Although there have been a couple of people who have used this situation as an opportunity to kick us while we are down, for every negative comment there have been dozens of positives. The phone has not stopped with calls and text messages. Twitter and Rita’s blog the same. The responses to the Mercury article which started all this can be seen here: http://www.themercury.com.au/article/2009/08/27/93591_food-wine.html
Here is a handful of the messages which have been emailed through to us – I trust that the senders will not mind them being published.
August 30th, 2009 at 6:48 am
G’day Nick,
Just a quick email of support and an offer of any assistance you may require, despite our differences both Jess and I would hate to see a great artisan producer suffer, if you need any assistance please feel free to give us a call be it hands on labour or administration grunt work, chin up mate and I hope it all pans out in the end.
Regards
Lee & Jess Christmas
The Farm Gate Cafe
August 30th, 2009 at 6:49 am
Hi Nick,
Dadge Parker told me today what has happened to you re the listeria…..(excuse spelling if applicable) I missed the whole murdoch press hanging but shit man i gotta say one obvious thing- fromage ain’t allowed here if not pasturised and all aussie cheese must be pasturised… which country makes the great cheeses.. so no brainer… and i continue… life, passion, artisnal practice, it all comes down to the tightwalk of the fringe between acceptablility and exploring the parameters, man, mishka- my wife, and myself love your work- its the most affordable way to visit europe without leaving aus’, we gave my best customers at the shop i work in (vaucluse cellars) your cheese for christmas and the feedback was obviously tops, your cheese sir is top of the tree as far as we can see anyway. So sure you get a spanking, and dadge was telling me how down you were about it- but to me thats a badge of honour, sure a financial shocker, but a badge saying you are as authentique as they come…you believe in the true CHEESE, no not god, CHEESE, and that is why you got burnt. Shit i thought it was actually positive.. i judged once at a wine show and all these head judges were marking down these wines for being funky/feral.. but man you’ve had Beaucastel, you’ve had Pegau, you know funk when handled right is another string to the bow….. so what am i trying to say… maybe this, maybe, …..i think your cheeses are like life, art, the weather.. it’s it.. good days/ bad days whatever, integrity is the key, and integrity young man you have in tubs. You get it wrong but you gotta question, use this, tell your customers that if they want to taste the real deal, a taste on the edge there could be consequences, but this is it, the shit… look life here in the big city is so pedestrain that people will probably cue for the chance to taste the cheese that could end their incy wincy existence (if only it was true..),and never forget your ‘rebel’ side, probably so marketable too truth be told, cause you obviously got it, you got a story to be told, bout an outsider genius, shit you may one day be played by Al Pacino a la Dog Day Afternoon or his current equivalent (is there one apart from warren ellis 10 years ago in the dirty three..?) ,,but i digress, what i’m trying to say is that i just like how you’re trying to interpret an ancient tradition and transport it to sterile naive aus. So sir, please, chin up, you are ok, in fact not only you, but everyone who is there, who works with you, loves you, is great, even up in shiney sydney we can taste the passion, intellect, joy of your work/passion and that aint no small acievement let me tell you.., so you got a great team and hey, we all know notoriety adds to the mystique which might add to the hollywood blockbuster cheese of death, or the newly crowned 4th axis of evil…that said kim chi in a still fermenting state smashes your nancy anglo w.o.m’s
so i believe, keep going, it’s like a fire through an insured house, you’re alive and thats all that counts…
sympathies but excitements, you have now crossed the boundary.. and all i can ask is when is the ned kelly/ ben hall cheese coming out…?
your loyal follower when the strings are loose.
regards, wishes, care, etc, truely felt, yes true.
Sam Hughes.
August 30th, 2009 at 6:54 am
Hi there
I just want to let you know that as a past and future customer I am thinking of you in this time when the idiots and knockers feel free to spout stupid stuff.
Your cheese is beautiful, and I will order it again with pleasure, and encourage my friends to do so.
I imagine you’re having a pretty shitty time right now, but in the scheme of things – this too will pass.
Good luck, and looking forward to some good news of good eating,
Cheers
Zoe
August 30th, 2009 at 6:54 am
Hi Nick
We just wanted to let you know how saddened we were to hear about what has happened to you and that we will wait with bated breath for your cheese to become available again. Keep up the excellent work & don’t let these government fascist dickheads get you down.
See you soon
Cheers
Karen & Malcolm Mars (your early morning market punters)
August 30th, 2009 at 6:55 am
Hi Nick,
Very best of luck with getting back on production. We are pretty devastated, as no doubt everyone is, and we are looking forward to some more of our favourite Bruny Island Cheeses very very soon. We can assure you of our support , and hope to hear when you are back on track.
Sincerely, Lee and Alex Stanelos.
August 30th, 2009 at 6:58 am
Hi Nick,
Very best of luck with getting back on production. We are pretty devastated, as no doubt everyone is, and we are looking forward to some more of our favourite Bruny Island Cheeses very very soon. We can assure you of our support , and hope to hear when you are back on track.
Sincerely, Lee and Alex Stanelos.
August 30th, 2009 at 7:00 am
Hi Nick and team,
Hope things come under control quickly re what in my opinion is an outrageously exaggerated press release, along with the ensuing media sensationalism.
Just wanted to let you know that if we can assist in any way shape or form, please don’t hesitate to call, email or drop in.
Best regards,
Anton Gretschmann
August 30th, 2009 at 7:01 am
…and I’ll be ready and waiting to buy as soon as the softies are up and running again.
Lots of love
Cat
August 30th, 2009 at 7:02 am
Dear Nick,
Feeling sick to the pit of our stomachs on your behalf.
We might be free in this country to pursue the manufacture of Real Food, but I can’t help feeling very strongly at times that there is an un-bridgeable gulf of understanding & thus the reason why Kraft singles & flavourless fizzy shit beer will always predominate despite a yearning for things to be otherwise.
You are a true craftsman. You make an excellent, world class product and you will prevail.
Our thoughts & support to you all
Cheers
Ashley & Jane Huntington
The Two Metre Tall Company Pty Ltd
Farmers & Brewers of Real Ale
August 30th, 2009 at 7:03 am
Hi, just an email to say Best of British during your current issues. Ain’t gonna stop me buying your fantastic products.
Cheers, Scott PLimpton.
August 30th, 2009 at 7:04 am
Nick,
As fellow islanders, we just wanted to say how sorry we are that you have been hit such a hard blow and we hope your troubles will soon be over.
We love your cheese, we love your vision, your courage, your faith and commitment and are sure your will be back on top soon. We anticipate and look forward to that.
Good luck.
Robyn O’Connor and Jill Grimsey
Lunawanna
August 30th, 2009 at 7:04 am
Nick, sorry to see you in the media for the wrong reason, you have my best wishes and call if I can help.
James
August 30th, 2009 at 7:06 am
Hi Nick and family,
Just read in today’s Mercury about your food health scare and thought I’d write to you in support of your wonderful product.
I come from a family who produce small-scale Australian regional speciality food and can understand how horrifying it would be to see your good
name in a bad news story in the media.
I hope this is just a short disruption for your business. We will continue to rave about your beautiful cheeses and the great experience of visiting
your cheese door, and talk them up to everyone, as we have always done.
All the best,
Vanessa.
August 30th, 2009 at 7:08 am
N’abandonnez pas Nick.
Colette
August 31st, 2009 at 5:33 pm
Nick
Richard, Sandy & I are thinking about you and your team. If there is anything we can do to keep you in the game just give us a call.
Blessed are the cheesemaker(s)
all the best
Julie sandy & Richard
September 3rd, 2009 at 2:46 pm
Greetings Nic, My thoughts and regards to you. Commiserations on your bad luck; sometimes the price we pay for “living on the edge” making and moving things of another world seems too high, instead use the experience to toughen the resolve – mud in their eye, I say. Nil illegitimi carborundum. More cheese please? Cheers,Julian
September 5th, 2009 at 10:44 pm
Gidday Nick,
As a recently joined member of your cheese club, when I heard the news I must say I really felt for you guys and what you stand for and that is a quality old world product that us foodies and wine lovers long for. Your soft cheeses take me back to when I worked for Jacques Lurton in the Minervois in 2005, you only had to open our fridge for a millisecond and the whole gite stunk, beautiful stuff. I would like to offer you our full support and just would like to say, there are many producers out there in our industries who have overcome various hardships on the road to success, but you can do it I have no doubt. Give it heaps
Cheers
Tony
September 10th, 2009 at 7:22 pm
All the best from all at Sunnybrae.
When the going gets tough etc etc
George
September 12th, 2009 at 5:37 pm
Hi Nick
I love your chheses and can’t wait for the day real-cheese is allowed to be entreed and made in Australia.
But
Why was the cheese released with the bacteria in it in the first place? (considering the rules/guidlines are sooo over the top?) I guess an over-sight somewhere along the line which lead to getting back into production hopefully the cheese nazi’s will ease up
xx
September 15th, 2009 at 7:51 pm
Looking forward to buying some cheese Nick, all the best and hope things get sorted for you soon…
September 16th, 2009 at 8:34 pm
Dear Nick,
We live in an era of poor quality food and mass production. Anyone attempting to upset the norm, must be cut down!!
We all know it as the “tall poppy syndrome”.
The whole family is craving for some more of your fabulous cheese.
Howard Bowles, Lamb Island, Queensland.