Alpine Cheeses - Abondance and Tomme

[Gadjobrinus]

Hey all,

Among my "lives," was a cheesemaker. I made traditional French Alpine-style cheeses, patterned after the Beauforts and Abondances of the summer alpage. For more immediate consumption, I also made tommes of various types. In their washed curd variants, in their attention to lowering acidity and preserving Ca, these tommes could show an affinity for Dutch goudas.

In fact, the brothers I get my milk from (Ayrshires), focus exclusively on gouda in their cheesemaking.

Just some pics from my experiences. All raw milk and a morge I've developed through research and experience.

Last 2 pics: "Tomme grise," or "Gray tommes." These are treated with mycodore, among other spp.

 

[Gadjobrinus]

Final, the creamery area, with pre-press, press and drain table.

 

[bernardsmith]

Your cheeses look incredible.

 

[Gadjobrinus]

Thanks Bernard. I was actually thinking of going commercial, but in our state, anyway, the dairy industry is extremely tight, very hard to come in as a craft maker. So, "eh." But really rewarding to be moving a "harp" (a stainless-stringed kind of "paddle") through the developing curds, draw it off through a 20 gallon vat all in one swoop with the cheesecloth spread with my hands and a corner in my mouth, etc.....just doing everything like it's done in the French Alps, with only natural curd and rind development. Amazing the similarities - acid and enzyme development in the curd, cutting the milk "mash" and cooking/stirring....

Many thanks!

 

[Yooper]

I'm so impressed! Your press is beautiful. I lost my raw milk source, so I haven't made cheese in a while, but if I find a picture of my press I'll have to show you. It's plywood, and my "weights" are bags of malt and sugar. Terribly redneck, and I'm embarrassed to admit how ugly it is!

Your cheeses sound fantastic.

 

[passedpawn]

Very nice. I love washed curd cheeses. They are light and white and fantastically edible.

The last one (only one?) I made was dragged off the counter by my dog. I thought it was gone, but she buried it. I later found it and actually ate some. It was good. Don't hate me.

 

[Gadjobrinus]

I'm so impressed! Your press is beautiful. I lost my raw milk source, so I haven't made cheese in a while, but if I find a picture of my press I'll have to show you. It's plywood, and my "weights" are bags of malt and sugar. Terribly redneck, and I'm embarrassed to admit how ugly it is!

Your cheeses sound fantastic.

Hey Yooper....you haven't seen a pic of "Ugly Betty," my former setup, brewed by yours truly.

Sorry you lost your raw milk source. Know that one. Tough to find, and tough to keep. I hope you do, soon.

I'd love to see any pics!

 

[Gadjobrinus]

Very nice. I love washed curd cheeses. They are light and white and fantastically edible.

The last one (only one?) I made was dragged off the counter by my dog. I thought it was gone, but she buried it. I later found it and actually ate some. It was good. Don't hate me.

Hate you? Because you did the right thing and wasteth not your beautiful wheel?

Agree with you on washed curds, completely. Interesting to speculate how the technique was born, and I don't have a good answer (I get alpine, mammoth cheeses. Why follow your cattle up miles to summer meadows, make cheese, and head back down every year - only to sell them in tiny wheels, by the 1000's?). But it would be cool to know more of their history.

Pliability is a key aspect I love, and cooked alpines share that so well with the washed curds, as you say - very nice cheeses.

Forgive a couple more. Myself and a pal, from the tiny herd of Ayrshires. And that bendy stuff....