Showing posts with label Canada (Quebec). Show all posts
Showing posts with label Canada (Quebec). Show all posts

2013/09/05

L'Étoile Bleue de Saint-Rémi


 Olivier Ducharme de la Fromagerie Du Charme

L'Étoile Bleue de Saint-Rémi is an artisanal sheep-milk blue cheese fabricated by Fromagerie Du Charme located in Saint-Rémi-de-Tingwick in the Appalachian mountain area in the Centre-du-Québec region. Young entrepreneur Olivier Ducharme has recently acquired the Fromagerie from what was formerly Bergerie Jeannine 
L'Étoile Bleue de Saint-Rémi during affinage
L'Étoile Bleue de Saint-Rémi is a lovely blue-veined cheese made from thermized sheep-milk cheese. It is produced in a small cylindrical 1.5 KG wheel that is distinguished by its blue aluminum foil covering.
L'Étoile Bleue de Saint-Rémi

L'Étoile Bleue de Saint-Rémi has a white, crumbly yet creamy texture, with lovely veins of blue-green mold. The overall flavour sensation starts off slightly mild, then a sweet fruity taste, ending with a moderately sharp tang. 

What I like about L'Étoile Bleue is that even though it is made from sheep milk like the world renowned Roquefort blue cheeses, it is not as salty.

L'Étoile Bleue could be a great addition to any salad. It pairs nicely with a dry white Jurançon.

Fromagerie Du Charme is currently producing two excellent cheeses made from ewes milk, from recipes that he has retained from the former owners; L'Étoile Bleue de Saint-Rémi and Le Friesian. They also produce two new cow-milk cheeses; Hermann and La Tablée.

Photo sources:
www.lanouvelle.net
virtuel.lesactualites.canoe.ca

2013/08/28

Pionnier

What happens when two of Quebec's finest cheesemakers collaborate to fabricate a new cheese? You get, what I believe to be one of Canada's greatest cheese; Pionnier.

Pionnier

Pionnier is a firm, washed rind, cooked paste cheese, made from a blend of raw cow and sheep milks. The large 40 KG wheels which are aged for 10 to 12 months are branded with a muslin label integrated in the crust.
The history of the Pionnier is explained on the muslin label; "C’EST ELLE, C’EST LUI, C’EST EUX", which translates to "It's Her, It's Him, It's THEM". She is Marie-Chantal Houde from Fromagerie Nouvelle-France (maker of Zacharie Cloutier winner of the 2011 Sélection Caseus Gold & 2013 Bronze), he is Jean Morin from Fromagerie du Presbytère (maker of Louis-D'Or winner of the 2012 Sélection Caseus Émérite and Bleu d'Elizabeth winner of the 2013 Sélection Caseus Gold and 2013 Émérite award). They have put their hands and heads together to create the Pionnier another award winning cheese (2013 Sélection Caseus Bronze & a special award for Best Raw Milk Cheese).

Pionnier cheese wheel

The Pionnier has a lovely honey coloured paste that is rich and creamy. Pionnier has a strong fruity, buttery and hazelnut flavor, with a perfect balance of acidity and sweetness, followed by a complex lasting aftertaste. This artisanal mountain style cheese reminds me of the French Savoie cheeses; Abondance and Beaufort d'Alpage.
Remember, Pionnier is an artisanal cheese and is produced in limited editions. If you get your hands on a piece, savour it.  The Pionnier pairs nicely with a white Chardonnay de Chablis or a Merlot de Savoie.

2013/06/26

Fromagerie La Station De Compton

It seems like I have been away for a long time. My apologies for the delay in updating my blog but it is gardening season and I can't help but take every free time I can to work outdoors and attend to my garden.
I've also been on a lovely road trip with my sister Pauline and my mom through very scenic regions of Quebec; the Centre du Quebec and the lovely Eastern Townships in the southeast of Quebec.
One of the most memorable stops of my holiday was a visit at one of Quebec's finest cheesemakers the Fromagerie La Station located in the quaint village of Compton near Lake Massawippi in Memphrémagog County.
Fromagerie La Station De Compton
Fromagerie La Station de Compton make excellent farmstead cheeses, all made of raw milk from a heard of dairy cows raised in an organic farming environment. The family farm and cheese factory is owned and operated by Pierre Bolduc and his wife Carole and their three sons; Simon-Pierre, Vincent and Martin who all play important roles in the management and fabrication of their award winning artisanal cheeses.

Holstein cows at the Fromagerie La Station farm

Driving up to the farm we are greeted by a herd of Holstein cows that seem very happy to be out grazing on the fresh green grass in this beautiful scenic countryside.

At the Fromagerie's cheese shop we are warmly greeted by co-proprietor Carole Routhier who graciously accepted to give us a wonderful guided tour of their family operation.

Cheese making at the Fromagerie La Station
One of the first steps of cheese making; the warm morning organic cow milk is brought in and then coagulated and stirred.


The curded milk is then pumped out of the vat into cheesecloth where the whey can continue to drain before the cheese is placed into their molds.
Wheels of cheese soaking in brine
Here the cheeses have been removed from their molds (forms) and are soaking in brine.
Spruce boards used during affinage of the cheese
Spruce boards drying before heading to the salle d'affinage. It's the spruce boards that give the cheese that distinctive rustic woodsy aroma.
During affinage cheese wheels are being brushed

In the affinage room, the cheese wheels are brushed with salt and the wheels are turned.


The longest process of cheese-making is the affinage, where the wheels are left to age to achieve that specific distinctive flavour. The affinage time varies for each of the Fromagerie La Station cheeses; La Raclette de Compton and Comtomme take 90 days, Chemin Hatley is aged 3 months, Comtomme Signature is aged for 4 to 5 months and Alfred Le Fermier is aged 8 months and some wheels up to 24 months.
It's lunch time and at the Fromagerie La Station cheese shop people line up to feast on their delicious grilled cheese sandwiches.
Fromagerie La Station de Compton cheese shop
If you are at all in the Eastern Townships region this summer I strongly recommend a trip to Compton to visit one of Quebec's finest cheesemakers the Fromagerie La Station.

Call ahead if you would like to book a guided tour.

Fromagerie La Station
440 Hatley Road (route 208)
Compton, QC J0B 1L0
Tél.: 819 835-5301

2013/04/26

Chemin Hatley

Chemin Hatley is a firm organic cheese made by Fromagerie La Station de Compton located in Québec's Eastern Townships.

Chemin Hatley

Chemin Hatley is named after the road that stagecoaches used to travel on between Québec and Boston. La Station's farm and cheese factory are located along this Hatley Road located in Compton in Southeastern Québec.

This farmstead cheese comes in a 4 KG wheel which is ripened for 3 months and made with organic thermised cow-milk. The pressed semi-cooked paste is cream-coloured with a rather smooth elastic texture that features small crevices. Chemin Hatley has an orangey coloured rind and a distinct floral aroma.

Chemin Hatley has a creamy buttery texture with a moderate fruity aftertaste. Chemin Hatley pairs well with a fresh aromatic white wine from Bordeaux.
 
Holstein cattle from La Station de Compton

Fromagerie La Station de Compton is operated by Pierre Bolduc with his wife Carole and their sons. Their certified organic farm produces award winning farmstead cheeses such as Alfred Le Fermier, one of my favourite Quebec raw milk firm cheese, their popular Raclette de Compton as well as Comtomme.

2013/03/22

Valbert

Valbert

Valbert is one of Québec's finest artisanal cheeses produced by La Fromagerie Lehmann located in Hébertville in the Saguenay-Lac-St-Jean region of Québec.

Valbert is a non-pasteurized cow-milk cheese with a firm, semi-cooked, pressed paste. Valbert is a large mountain style 6 KG cylindrical wheel that is aged a minimum of 6 months. The brushed rind has a golden-pink hue with the name Valbert embedded in its rind. The firm, cream coloured paste has small crevices that develop as it ages.

Valbert cheese getting brushed

The Valbert I selected is aged 12 months. It has a chewy texture with a wonderful nutty, buttery flavour and quite a pronounced lingering fruity taste. It paired nicely with a white Riesling.

Valbert, received its name in homage of the Swiss hamlet the Lehmann family is originally from, located in the foothills of the Jura mountains.

Jacob and Marie Lehmann and their children arrived in Lac-St-Jean and started farming in 1983. The area's cool climate, the high quality grasslands due to the fertile soil and the Lehmann's passion for the love of the land all play an important role in the distinguished cheeses produced at La Fromagerie Lehmann.

The Lehmann's selected the Brown Swiss cow for their farm, as this breed is distinguished for its ability to transform grass and hay in one of the richest milk. For generations, the Brown Swiss has also made its mark in the production of high quality cheese.

From when they young and even today, the Lehmann children Sem, Isaban and Léa have all been involved. Whether it's caring for the animals and pastures, helping with the milk and cheese production to the marketing duties, every member of the family plays an important role to achieve a delicious and acclaimed product. 
Kénogami (a soft washed rind cheese), Pikauba (a semi-firm pressed paste cheese) and Valbert are all award winning artisanal cheeses produced by La Fromagerie Lehmann.
Fromagerie Lehmann

 According to Jacob Lehmann;
“Since the land is so precious, we must take care of it. We do not use GMOs, pesticides or chemical fertilizer. We count on a large variety of forage plants to provide a healthy diet of hay for our animals in the summer and grains in the winter.”

“At “Fromagerie Lehmann”, our entirely artisan production is based on a balance between the plants, the animals and the humans in creating a natural-flavoured, durable product.”

“Artisan products …. a philosophy, a way of life.”

Jacob Lehmann of Fromagerie Lehmann was the laureate of Le Renaud Cyr 2012. A recognition of his savoir-faire and contribution to Quebec's artisanal produce and cuisine.

Source:

2013/02/22

Le Cornebique


Le Cornebique is a soft delicate little farmer’s goat-milk cheese produced by La Chèvrerie Mathurin located in Ste-Sophie d'Halifax in the Centre-du-Québec region overlooking the Appalachians.

Le Cornebique
Le Cornebique is shaped in the form of a small log (8 cm long and 4.5 cm wide) with a cream coloured natural rind. The white coloured paste is chalky in the centre but extremely creamy along the inner rim.

Le Cornebique is a young pasteurised chèvre, matured for only 14 days. It has a mild to medium goat milk flavour with a more intense creamy nutty finish. Delectable!

Goats at the Chevrerie Mathurin farm
La Chèvrerie Mathurin is operated by Chantal Mathieu and her partner Raphaël Morin. The Mathurin farm is comprised of a herd of over 100 goats which most are Alpine breeds and a few are mixed with Nubian or LaMancha breeds. La Chèvrerie Mathurin also produces bottled non-homogenised pasteurised goat milk, yogurt, and fresh goat-milk & feta cheeses.


2013/02/14

L'Hercule de Charlevoix

L'Hercule de Charlevoix is a firm, washed rind, non-pasteurized cow-milk cheese. This large artisanal mountain-style 12 kg (26.5 lbs) wheel is produced by La Laiterie Charlevoix, located in Baie-St.-Paul in Québec's Charlevoix region.


L'Hercule de Charlevoix

L'Hercule de Charlevoix has a firm, cooked paste and is aged anywhere from 8 to 24 months.  The washed rind has a golden pinkish hue and the smooth paste is dark yellow. The texture is firm and slightly granular and becomes creamy in the mouth. L'Hercule is very flavourful with notes of nuts and butter then developing into a more fruity finish on the tongue.

Opt for the older 24 months aged L'Hercule, its sharper taste and more complex flavours are quite a delight. L'Hercule pairs nicely with a white French Chablis or Riesling.

L'Hercule de Charlevoix was named after Baie-St.-Paul native Jean-Baptiste Grenon. In 1759, Grenon had been captured by General Wolfe's troops and was quickly released due to the fact that they were unable to overcome the powerful physical strength of this man, who was known as Hercule du Nord.

Laiterie Charlevoix

The milk used to produce L'Hercule de Charlevoix comes from the milk of a herd of Jersey cows from the neighbouring Stessi Farm located less than a kilometer from the dairy.

La Laiterie Charlevoix was founded in 1948, it has been owned and operated by the Labbé family for four generations. The successful Charlevoix dairy recently won an award in sustainable development for two major environmental projects they have incorporated on their premises; an innovative water treatment process and the conversion of whey into energy.

Laiterie Charlevoix
La Laiterie Charlevoix also produces cheddars, a fondue, Le Fleurmier de Charlevoix and now they produce 2 cheeses made exclusively with the milk of the Canadienne breed of cows; L'Origine de Charlevoix and Le 1608. Le 1608 of La Laiterie Charlevoix will be one of Quebec's first cheese to receive Quebec's AS (Appellation de Spécificité), a Designation of Specificity - for cheese made with the milk of the Canadienne breed of cow.

2013/01/31

Clandestin

Le Clandestin is an exquisite soft, washed rind cheese made with the pasteurised whole milks of both cow and sheep.

Clandestin
 
Le Clandestin has a lovely soft orange hued washed rind lightly specked with white. The sumptuous rich white coloured paste becomes very creamy after an affinage of five weeks.

Le Clandestin has a rustic farmer’s aroma. The cheese has a somewhat marked lactic flavour slightly acidic yet without being too aggressive.

Le Clandestin is produced by Fromagerie LeDétour located in Notre-Dame-du-Lac in Québec's Lower St-Laurence region in the Lake Témiscouata area near the New-Brunswick and the USA's Maine borders.

Fromagerie Le Detour is run by husband and wife team Ginette Bégin and Mario Quirion. They have been making artisanal cheeses since 1999. They produce a variety of milk products; butter, cream and hard, soft & semi-soft cheeses among them Magie de Madawaska and the lovely chèvre Grey Owl.

Le Clandestin pairs well with a classic Italian Chianti from Toscany. La Fromagerie Détour suggests pairing it with an Irish Malt Whiskey from Islay. Splendid!



2013/01/08

Saint-Clément

Le Saint-Clément is a welcomed new addition to the Québec artisanal chèvre family. 

Le Saint-Clément

Le Saint-Clément is a small 8 cm (3”) round pasteurised goat-milk cheese weighing approximately 120 g (4.5 oz). It has a lovely wheat coloured thin natural rind with a tender, smooth uncooked, unpressed, white pâte that melts in the mouth.  It has a mild “caprin” aroma with a balanced sweet and sour flavour.
Fromagerie Pampille & Barbichette, Sainte-Perpétue, Quebec

Le Saint-Clément is produced by La Fromagerie Pampille et Barbichette located in Sainte-Perpétue in Québec’s Centre region near Drummondville.  The farm and goat-milk cheese production is operated by François and Maryse Clément and family where they transform the farms goat milk into yogurts and lovely farmhouse cheeses such as; Edelweiss, Le Savoureux de Biquette and Délice de Fiora.
Le Saint-Clément pairs well with a nice South African Chenin blanc.

2012/12/06

Zacharie Cloutier

Zacharie Cloutier is an award winning raw sheep-milk cheese from Quebec's Eastern Township region.

Zacharie Cloutier

Zacharie Cloutier has a firm, semi-cooked, pressed paste that has a pleasant sweet floral aroma with hints of coconut and caramel. The 3.3 KG wheel has a golden-orange coloured washed rind that bears a distinguished zigzag basket weave pattern. Zacharie Cloutier is ripened from 4 to 6 months. The butter coloured paste has a mild, soft and creamy texture.
Fromagerie Nouvelle France's Zacharie Cloutier label

Zacharie Cloutier produced by Fromagerie Nouvelle France, is the brainchild of experienced cheese consultant and cheesemaker Marie-Chantal Houde.  The farm's herd of East Friesian sheep is run by Marie-Chantal's brother, Jean-Paul Houde on the family's 250 hectare spread in Racine, Quebec.

East Friesian sheep

Zacharie Cloutier was named as a tribute to the Cloutier-Houde family ancestor.

Fromagerie Nouvelle France and Fromagerie du Prosbytère have recently collaborated to make a unique mixed milk (sheep and cow) cheese called Le Pionnier

Photo source: Wikipedia

2012/11/16

Le D'Iberville

Le D'Iberville is a beautiful raw organic cow-milk, semi-soft, washed rind cheese from Québec's Montérégie region.

Le D'Iberville 

This farmstead cheese which has been ripened for 60 days has a lovely herbal aroma. The exquisite pale ochre washed rind covers a rather soft pale-yellow paste punctuated with small openings due to its molding method. Le D'Iberville has an herbaceous floral flavour with lingering notes of creamy mushrooms.

Le D'Iberville pairs well with a California Zinfandel.

Le D'Iberville is produced by La Fromagerie Au Gré Des Champs who are located in Saint-Jean-sur Richelieu.


Meet the Gosselin family, Québec's first certified organic cheese-makers and passionate organic farmers from La Fromagerie Au Gré Des Champs.


 

2012/11/08

Jersey du Fjord

Jersey du Fjord is a firm cow-milk cheese produced by Les Bergeries du Fjord located in Quebec's Saguenay area.

Jersey du Fjord

Jersey du Fjord gets its name 'Jersey' for the breed of cow-milk and 'Du Fjord' from the geological fjords formed along the deep, cold waters of the Saguenay River that links Lac St. Jean to the Saint Lawrence. 

Jersey du Fjord is inspired by the traditional English Cheshire cheese, a dense semi-hard cheese produced in the English county of Cheshire. Cheshire is made in the form of a cylindrical wheel that is as high as it is wide. It distinguishes itself by its moist, crumbly texture with small crevices punctuated through the paste. This feature is related to its manufacturing process where the curd is milled and therefore lacks consistency.

Jersey du Fjord is produced in a 20 kg (44 lbs.) wheel that is aged 10 months. The natural rind is golden coloured speckled with gray mildew and the crumbly paste has a butter coloured hue. It has a mild, salty taste with a slight marine aroma with a hint of orange zest and a lingering slightly sharp aftertaste.

Jersey Cattle

The Jersey breed of cows is a small, docile breed of dairy cattle that is popular for the high butterfat content and high percentage of protein in its milk.

Les Bergeries du Fjord produces the award winning Jersey du Fjord along other farmstead cheeses, such as La Blanche Du Fjord and La Belle de Jersey. The dairy is located in La Baie, Quebec.


2012/10/31

Ermite

Ermite is a pasteurized cow-milk blue cheese produced by the monks at the Benedictine Abbey of Saint-Benoît-du-Lac located in Québec's Eastern Townships.

Ermite

Blue Ermite has a semi-soft cream-coloured paste with a blue-green mould and natural rind. The paste is crumbly yet creamy in the mouth with some granular bits. Ermite is a relatively mild blue cheese, with tangy slightly salty after tones and has a pleasant mushroom aroma.

Ermite, is fabricated in a 2 kg. (4.5 lbs.) wheel which is treated with Roquefort penicillium. The wheels are aged for five weeks, then removed from the ripening rooms and are then washed to remove the natural molds that have formed on the rinds.

Cheese fabrication at l'Abbaye Saint-Benoît was launched in 1943, at this time the Benedictine monks only made the Ermite blue cheese. Through the years they have added other quality cheeses to the range of products they produce such as the award winning Bleu Benedictin, Frère Jacques and Le Moutier.

l'Abbaye Saint-Benoit

Ermite blue cheese is a perfect addition to any cheese platter; it is great for cooking or in salads.

Ermite pairs well with Ambre de Pommes (a Michel Jodoin blend of eau-de-vie and apple juice aged 18 months in oak barrels), or a late bottled vintage porto, or a red Tempranillo Rioja wine.


2012/10/26

Le Tire-Lune

Tire-Lune

Le Tire-Lune is a raw goat-milk cheese from Québec’s first certified organic goat farm Cassis et Mélisse located in the Chaudière-Appalaches region. This 4 kg mountain style semi-cooked firm paste tomme has been aged between 3 to 6 months on pin boards. Le Tire-Lune has a brown coloured natural rind that is spotted with pinkish flecks. It has a fruity taste with hints of butter and hazelnuts and a delicious lingering hint of goat in the mouth.

Hand-ladled chesse

The certified organic farm Cassis et Mélisse is run by Aagje Denys, a Belgium agronomist who started up the goat farm in Saint-Damien-De-Buckland, Québec over twelve years ago with her partner Gary Cooper. Cassis et Mélisse produce a variety of hand-ladled fresh goat milk cheeses as well as the lovely refined semi-firm washed rind Le Galarneau.

Cassis et Melisse Farm

Located less than an hour's drive south of Quebec city, situated between a forest and lake, the Cassis et Mélisse farm also rent out a 2 bedroom suite "L'Appentis de la fromagère" for overnight stays on the twenty hectares organic goat farm.


Photo source: http://sofadeco.com

2012/10/12

Extra Old Île-aux-Grues Cheddar

This 2 year old cheddar is a firm non-pasteurised, pale yellow, sharp-tasting, cow's milk cheese from Île-aux-Grues, Quebec.

Extra Old Île-aux-Grues Cheddar

Cheddar cheese is named after the village of Cheddar in Somerset, located in South West England where it was originally made. The name "Cheddar cheese" is widely used around the world and has no Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) within the European Union.

Cheddar cheese has been produced since the 12th century, however in Canada it was first made in the 19th century. The manufacture of Cheddar cheese includes the process of 'cheddaring' which makes this cheese unique.
Cheddaring refers to an additional step in the production of Cheddar-style cheese where, after heating, the curd is kneaded with salt, cut into cubes to drain the whey then stacked and turned. Strong, extra-old Cheddar, needs to be matured for up to 15 months.
The Fromagerie Île-aux-Grues located in the heart of Quebec's majestic St. Lawrence River, have been making cheese for over 35 years. The history of the dairy is closely linked to agricultural production, the main economic activity of the island. In 1976 the island's dairy farmers formed a cooperative to protect their agriculture and their terroir. Today, their farms produce quality milk exclusively for the production of cheese on the island.

As well as producing mild, medium, sharp and extra-sharp cheddars the Fromagerie Île-aux-Grues have developed an extraordinary line of fine artisanal cheeses including; Le Riopelle de l'Isle, Le Mi-Carême, La Tomme de Grosse-Île and Le Canotier de l’Isle.

This extra sharp Cheddar from L'Île-aux-Grues has matured for two years. It is off-white in colour and has a firm dry and granular paste and a pronounced lingering nutty flavour.

L'Île-aux-Grues 2 year old Cheddar can compliment any cheese platter. Try it in your favourite grilled-cheese sandwich, with Apple Pie, Apple Cheddar Soup, Zucchini Bread or this delicious Tomato Cheddar Pie.


For more information on the manufacture of Cheddar cheese check out:

2012/08/24

Le Pizy

Le Pizy is a soft ripened pasteurised cow-milk cheese from the Lanaudière region of Quebec.

Le Pizy cheese
Le Pizy has a soft, mild, salty butter flavoured paste and an ivory coloured bloomy rind that emits hints of whey with a slight mushroom aroma. Le Pizy is a small circular 200 g. (7 oz.) flattened cheese wheel.

Le Pizy is produced by Fromagerie La Suisse-Normande located in St-Roch de l'Achigan, Québec. La Suisse-Normande operate a lovely goat farm and this gives them greater control over the quality of the raw cheese.  The fresh cow milk used for Le Pizy is supplied by their neighbors’ herd. La Suisse Normande are familiar with food, health and care given to the animals and the neighboring cow farm has the same values and the way it conducts its farm.


Making of Le Pizy at Fromagerie Suisse-Normande


La Suisse-Normande produce several artisanal type cheeses among them Le Sabot De Blanchette and Le Barbu two of my favourite Quebec chèvres.


2012/08/17

Le Barbu


Fromagerie La Suisse-Normande

Last week, I had the opportunity to go to the Lanaudière region of Quèbec with my sister Pauline and our maman. Our first stop on our journey to discover Lanaudière, was in St. Roch de L'Achigan to visit the Fromagerie La Suisse-Normande. This artisanal cheese producer is the maker of one of my favourite Quebec goat-milk cheese Le Sabot De Blanchette.

Goats from the Suisse-Normande farm

The farm and cheese production is owned and operated by husband and wife team Frédéric & Fabienne Guitel. Fabienne is a Swiss native and her spouse is from Normandie, hence the name "Fromagerie La Suisse Normande". The cheese production is done on the premises directly across the street from their goat farm. Visitors can view the artisans making the cheese from the glass windows inside the cheese shop.  It was a wonderful visit, where we were welcomed by a lovely friendly lady who introduced us to several Fromagerie La Suisse Normande cheeses.

Le Barbu

Le Barbu is a delicious artisanal pasteurised goat-milk cheese with a soft paste and a white bloomy rind. Le Barbu has a fresh mushroom aroma with a lingering floral and woodsy flavour. The texture is slightly chalky but creamy on the tongue with a fairly pronounced nutty goat-milk taste. This chèvre comes in a small 90 g. conical form.

Le Barbu pairs well with a Sauvignon Blanc or California Chardonnay.