Inspired by Connie's post on our bad époisses, though inexplicably conducted under the Stanser Flada thread, we have been speculating about the production of raw milk époisses. I asked the Syndicat de défense de l'époisses, and they replied
2 out of 4 producers of Epoisses [AOC] cheese use raw milk, representing about 20 % of the whole production of Epoisses cheese. They are : Laiterie de la Côte (21220 Brochon) and Ferme des Marronniers (21510 Origny-sur-Seine).This is good news, considering that no one was making it after the listeria scare in the '90s (great quote from an AFP article I found: "C'est tres dur. On a beaucoup souffert", confie Philippe Blanc, dirigeant de cette societe [Berthaut].) But, as Ed Behr wrote to meRaw milk Epoisses are exported mainly to Germany, Belgium, Italy, Swisstherland, where people are very found of with such a production, and where regulations about importation of raw milk goods are OK.
Unfortunately, with many cheeses, Epoisses and others, the raw milk can be so clean that laboratory strains of microflora must be added and they dominate the taste. Of course, what matters is the taste, and even with laboratory creatures it can be very good.Just wanted to clear up the confusion.
Also came across this excellent headline from the Evening Standard in the course of my research:
TESCO TO STOCK CHEESE THAT'S TOO SMELLY EVEN FOR THE FRENCH
Posted by max at March 19, 2004 11:51 AM | TrackBack