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Consultants and advice on artisanal cheese-making

In the past, the purpose of turning raw milk into cheese was to preserve the milk and extract the water it contains. To evacuate this water, the milk simply coagulates, which involves flocculating the proteins.

4 elements play a major role in cheese processing:

  • Protein matter, made up largely of caseins which, under the effect of acidification and enzymatic action, agglomerate to form a structured network known as curd.
  • The lactose contained in the milk, which acts as a nutrient for the lactic bacteria to acidify the milk and help form the curds.
  • Calcium, which plays a key role in the consistency of the casein network.
  • The fat, which adds creaminess to the texture of the cheese and allows a range of aromas to be released during the maturing process. 

And in the production process, controlling acidity (via PH) will be a crucial point throughout the various cheese productions.

Water is extracted by lactic and/or enzymatic fermentation. By using one of these methods to a greater or lesser extent, we obtain different curds with more or less loose, dense or compact structures, which is why there are so many different types of cheese:

  • lactic paste, such as Saint Marcellin for cow's milk, and many goat's cheeses
  • soft cheeses, with bloomy or washed rinds, including Camembert, Brie, Livarot, Pont-l'Évêque, Munster and others...,
  • pressed, semi-cooked or cooked cheeses, including all kinds of Tommes, Abondance, Beaufort, Comté, Gruyère etc... 

These three broad categories are of course interspersed with as many nuances as possible.

The artisan cheesemaker must master all the technical elements, and have impeccable hygiene, to obtain a range of tasty cheeses and avoid manufacturing accidents.

Even experienced cheese-makers, cream-makers and dairy farmers may need support when it comes to diversifying their dairy processes (producing cheese from mare's milk, using whey to make sourdough bread, etc.).

We offer tailor-made support and advice for small-scale cheese-making and dairy processing, using organic and local milk

We support (future) artisan cheese-makers (farmers who transform their production, or professionals who buy milk locally to make cheese), upstream or downstream of a technical training course, or individuals who want to produce their own cheese at home. 

Our craftsmen/experts are dairy farmers or use milk from small-scale farms practising agriculture that respects the environment and the land. 

This activity is an essential link in the relocation of the economy. In a modernised environment, it restores "cheese" to its original role: providing a high-protein, long-lasting food source for local residents. 

Examples of questions about artisan cheese-making and dairy processing

  • Why won't my lactic ferments set?
  • At what temperature should I mature my cheese?
  • Why is my cheese brittle?
  • At what temperature should I rennet my milk?
  • What is the ripening period for a Tomme cheese? Gouda cheese? Comte cheese? Parmesan cheese?
  • Can I mature my cheese in my fridge?
  • What equipment should I buy to make my cheese?
  • Can I use natural ferments for my cheeses?
  • How should I set up my cheese-making laboratory?

Our expert craftsmen in cheese production and dairy processing

They can help you with your project to make cheese from cow's, ewe's or goat's milk, and with your dairy processing (yoghurts, creams, butter, etc.).