Alexis, Maître-Fromager, starts his working day at 5 am. The production work will last at least the whole morning.
Alexis heats the milk in the copper cisterns, adds the rennet to get it curdle, heats again up to 54° the curd during 30 to 40 minutes to get the proper consistency basis for the cheese, that will be pressed during 24 hours before being soaked in salted water.
The cheese prepared the previous day, is pressed during 24 hours before being soaked in salted water.
The curd, basis for the cheese
Alexis prepares the rennet used to have the warm milk curdled.
The curd - Le caillé et le sérum ou petit-lait.
An attention of every moment: the transformation process requests the experience and strong focus of the Maïtre-Fromager, who spends his morning with precise gestures and deep attention. No break is possible before the new cheese is under the press.
The magic moment when the liquid warmed milk turns into a solid and creamy curd.
The magic moment: the liquid warmed milk turns into a solid and creamy curd.
Relief and joy - The work has been well done.
Linen wrapping fabric
Finally, the new-born Beaufort weighting 50kg just after production and drying down to 40kg, will have to mature at least 5 months in a 10° humid cellar. It will be returned and salted every few days to get his typical golden rind and taste.
A label with production references including the date, name of the dairy and initials of the Maître-Fromager, is affixed on each of the new whole cheeses.
The cellar where cheeses mature during 5 months.
The vault: the more mature, the more golden and valuable the cheeses become, making the cellar look like a round ingots vault.
Thank you very much to Jean-Charles, Xavier, Simon, Alexis, Jean-Luc and Clément for their warm welcome and for sharing with us the attachment they have to their work.