Bonne Bouche is an
outstanding goat milk cheese that is perfectly named as it translates to 'tasty
mouthful' in French.
Bonne Bouche, winner
of many awards since its introduction in 2001, is a soft, fresh-ripened, ash covered, pasteurized goat-milk cheese from Vermont Creamery located in Websterville, Vermont.
Bonne Bouche is made with fresh pasteurized goat-milk that is
coagulated with vegetarian microbial rennet. After 24 hours, then the curd is
carefully hand ladled into molds, then drained and lightly sprinkled with ash.
The cheese is then aged for about 10 days, long enough for the rind to start to
develop its wrinkly, brain-like creases which is 'Geotrichum', a mold used to
neutralize or de-acidify the cheese surface. Each Bonne Bouche is then carefully
packaged into its own individual little wooden crate where it can continue to
age for 1 to 2 months.
Bonne Bouche is a
small disc shaped wheel approximately 7 cm (2.5 in.) in diameter and 2 cm (3/4
in.) in height, weighing around 120 grams (4 oz.). What is striking about Bonne
Bouche at first glance is its distinctive soft charcoal-grey wrinkled rind. It
has a mild pungent aroma with hints of hay and wet caves. The rich and creamy white
coloured paste has a sweet lemony mild flavour with hints of mushrooms and
pepper. Bonne Bouche is characteristic of a true chèvre; it becomes softer and
more piquant as it ages.
Bonne Bouche pairs nicely with dark chocolate and a dry white wine
such as Sauvignon Blanc or Pinot Grigio or a California Riesling.
Vermont Creamery
(formerly known as Vermont Butter and
Cheese Company) was created in 1984 by Allison Hooper and Bob
Reese. Today with a staff of more than 40, the creamery produces a
variety of fresh and aged dairy products. For the Creamery's goat-milk
products, goats' milk is sourced from a network of approximately 20 family goat
farms who provide milk that have met the highest standards of purity. Vermont Creamery produces fresh goat cheese,
goat milk feta, fresh Crottin as well as other lovely chèvres like Bonne Bouche; Coupole, Bijou and the mixed-milk Cremont.
For Vermont Creamery’s cows-milk products; crème fraîche, cultured
butter, mascarpone, and quark the cows-milk is sourced from Vermont’s St. Albans Cooperative Creamery.
