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Cheesemaking
1 Day One — Milk Receiving
Our fresh, quality milk is collected three times a week and delivered to the creamery. It is tested to make sure that there are not any antibiotic residues prior to being unloaded. The milk is then pumped and stored in a silo for 24 hours at 35° F to keep it fresh.
2 Day Two — Pasteurization
The milk is pumped from the silo into a vat where it is pasteurized at 147° F for 30 minutes. Pasteurization assures that the milk is free from harmful bacteria and is required in the United States for all cheeses aged less than 60 days. Once pasteurized, the milk is cooled to the optimum temperature where our starter cultures will work most efficiently.
3 Starter Addition — Coagulation
Selected strains of bacteria (known as starter culture) are added to the warm milk. The bacteria in the culture will eat (metabolize) the lactose (milk sugar) and produce lactic acid and flavor. Lactic acid is the natural coagulant that turns the liquid milk into a firm mass. A few drops of non-bovine rennet are added to the milk to help the curd formation. Then, half of the milk is pumped into tubs for the Bonne-Bouche process and half stays in the vat for the Bijou and Coupole process. Now the complex, but natural process of maturation starts and will take between 18 to 24 hours.
4 Day Three — Moulding
After approximately 20 hours of maturation/coagulation, the curd formed in the tubs is carefully ladled by hand into moulds to ensure that the delicate curd is not broken. The moulds sit on mats for 20 to 24 hours to encourage the whey to slowly drain out of the curd. The mould will determine the size and shape of the Bonne-Bouche.
5 Dip-off
The curd that has been matured overnight in the vat is transferred into cheese cloth. Bags are stacked on top of each other to let the whey drain naturally. This draining process will take about 20 to 24 hours. During this period the bags are flipped over two times in order to have the same moisture in each one.
6 Bijou & Coupole Shaping
After draining overnight in cheese cloth, the bags of curd are emptied into a small stuffer to shape the Coupole and Bijou. These cheeses are stacked on aging racks. The Coupole are lightly ashed on the top and salted on the bottom.
7 Unmoulding
After draining overnight the Bonne-Bouche are removed from the moulds and are flipped onto aging racks. Carefully, they are ashed with vegetable carbon ash, from poplar trees, which helps to neutralize the acidity of the surface of the cheese. This enables the mold that was added to the milk to grow and form the rind during the aging process.
8 Drying
Drying is a crucial step to aging. All of the cheese is moved into the drying room. This room is highly ventilated with low temperature and humidity. This controlled environment allows the surface of each cheese to dry without changing the inside moisture that makes the delicate and creamy texture of our products.
9 Day Five — Flipping
After a day in the drying room, the Bonne-Bouche are carefully flipped and ashed on the other side. The Bijou are flipped as well to allow the cheeses to dry evenly.
10 Day Six — Aging
In the aging room, the three different cheeses develop their individual character. Aging of cheeses with a natural rind requires a carefully controlled environment. It is essential to create the right conditions to develop the cheeses’ full flavor potential. The fat, protein, salt and moisture all contribute to flavor development. The individual cheeses are wrapped in wooden crates with a perforated film to allow the cheese to breathe and age during distribution.
Great cheese requires real care and patience; it involves using the highest quality milk, developing the right technology and leaving nature to do the rest.
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