All things cheese in France


Monday, 5 April 2010

Cheese Production Designations

People often ask me what the various classifications of cheese are when looking at cheeses in France. In the case of non-industrial cheeses, what's the difference between an artisanal cheese and a fermier? Or for instance in the case of Comté and other mountain cheeses, coopérative versus fruitière.  Here is a list of the most common distictions:

Fermier –  Someone who makes cheese either in a farmhouse, chalet d’alpapge, buron or other mountain hut, using raw milk from animals raised on their farm following traditional methods. 
Artisanal – An individual producer using milk from animals raised on their farm or that of bought in the region.
Coopératives or Fruitières – A single dairy that makes cheese using milk provided by members of a cooperative.

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