MICHELIN Guide Malta: “Living room cheeses” and farmhouse cheeses in Malta

"A smallholding in Siggiewi where cheesemaker Anthony Farrugia tends about 250 sheep yielding just over 100 litres of milk a day, this farm feeds its flock on oats, barley, sweet corn and dried Alpine wild grasses from Italy to produce characterful sheep’s milk. A retired chef and professional cheesemaker, Farrugia sells an impressive range on the farm and to a few MICHELIN-starred restaurants, from traditional Ġbejna, pecorino and ricotta to some 18 varieties including cheeses matured four months in Alpine hay for a sophisticated flavour. To refine taste he uses saffron, powdered fennel pollen, truffles, fig leaves, peppercorns, and sun-dried tomatoes and chilli powder from his own produce, while seasonal cheeses during the olive and grape harvests are rubbed with olive pulp or wine pomace for a unique profile; he also supplies sheep’s milk to David Mifsud and Mark Xerri for their artisanal, small-scale creations." - Guide MICHELIN