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Artisan vs. Industrial
Cheese With the arrival of the industrial revolution, many
of the cheese makers moved to the factories where their products
had pasteurized milk and were made in an assembly line. For
most of the 20th century, this was the way of production,
until many farm produced cheeses became in use again. Although
these two production methods make the same cheeses, in some
particular cheeses, where the production method is more intricate
and complex, there is a difference in both taste and texture.
Traditionally Produced Cheese or ‘artisanal’
cheese: Many prefer their cheese made from farmhouses
due to the delicate and precious craftsmanship that goes into
its production. The process tends to be lengthy and involved,
and carefully monitored. The production is also more limited
due to workmanship, so these artisan cheeses are harder to
find…but well worth it. The farms or fromagerie tend
to be very small, producing small quantities of high quality
cheese, which are typically molded by hand. Typically, the
cheese in unpasteurized, which preserved more of the original
flavor of the milk. However, unpasteurized or “raw milk”
cheeses are difficult to import due to FDA regulations in
the United States, which require that such cheese be matured
for 60 days to reduce the risk of contamination. (A great
producer of raw milk cheese is Chantal Plasse who produces
delicious products like Brie and Brillat Savarin).*
Industrially Produced Cheese or “Industriel”
Cheese: The mechanization of the cheese industry
created a market for mass-produced cheese, which made them
easier to make and more available to the public. Contrary
to popular opinion, industriel cheeses are not inferior to
the artisan fromages; it basically depends on the producer
itself, and the quality of their manufacturing process. Delice
de Bourgogne*, an incredibly popular French cheese, is
an industriel fromage that is remarkably creamy and smooth,
and superior to many artisan cheeses. Industrially-produced
cheeses are always pasteurized, therefore making them more
readily available in the US.
One of our favorites! Creamy Brillat Savarin with sweet candied Papaya.
