{"id":857,"date":"2014-10-27T12:44:07","date_gmt":"2014-10-27T11:44:07","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.mountainpassions.com\/wordpress\/?p=857"},"modified":"2022-06-17T10:02:29","modified_gmt":"2022-06-17T08:02:29","slug":"alpine-regional-cheeses","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.mountainpassions.com\/summer\/mountain-living\/alpine-regional-cheeses\/","title":{"rendered":"Alpine Regional Cheeses"},"content":{"rendered":"
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P<\/span>rior to the 14th and 15th Centuries the landscapes around Mont Blanc looked very different. Then local lords and church authorities decided to encourage the deforestation of vast areas of mountainside, the intention being to convert the land to pasture. Before long dairy farming was thriving and the area became renowned for its mountain cheese production.<\/p>\n

Harsh weather and difficult terrain meant that agriculture developed according to the pattern of nature. This tradition is upheld in the region today where unique cheeses are produced according to the rhythms of the seasons and using methods passed down through generations of local farmers.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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\n…unique cheeses are produced according to the rhythms of the seasons and using methods passed down through generations of local farmers…\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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AOC Beaufort<\/h2>\n
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Award-winning Beaufort Chalet d'Alpage cheese producer Jean-Pierre Blanc<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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Beaufort-sur-Doron's Cooperative Laiti\u00e8re du Beaufortain <\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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The Beaufort AOC covers about 450,000 hectares in the Beaufortain, Tarentaise and Maurienne valleys, plus part of the Val d\u2019Arly. The area of production is characterised by vast areas of high mountain pasture known as alpages. About 11,000 Abondance and Tarine cows graze the pastures and produce the milk used to manufacture the cheese. About 10 litres of milk are required to produce a kilo of Beaufort cheese.<\/p>\n

Around mid-June the herds leave the warmth of their winter quarters in the valleys and begin a long journey into the mountains, following the retreating snow-line and grazing on the fresh growth which soon appears. Along the way they are milked twice a day at mobile milking parlours bytheir herdsmen, who live in the alpages throughout the summer. Cheese produced in the lush summer pastures is known as \u2018Beaufort d\u2019Alpage\u2019. \u2018Chalet d\u2019Alpage\u2019 is a summer cheese produced from a single herd which grazes above 1500m altitude.<\/p>\n

Between late September and mid-October all the herds descend to the valley once more and the \u2018Beaufort d\u2019Hiver\u2019 is produced during the winter season. \u2018Beaufort d\u2019Hiver\u2019 is paler in colour, almost white compared to the aromatic yellow cheese produced during the summer.<\/p>\n

A great place to learn about Beaufort cheese is the co-operative dairy situated in the heart of the town of Beaufort. Visitors are offered guided tours and a shop sells produce direct to visitors.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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