Beaufort is a creamy mountain cheese from France, made with raw milk from Tarentaise cows and matured for 8-12 months. It is often compared to Gruyere and Comte, but has a creamier flavor and lacks holes. Beaufort is popular on cheese platters, with white wine and salmon, and in quiches and fondues. It is made in large batches and has a protected appellation origin. Summer cheese is preferred for its stronger flavor and aroma, while winter cheese has a more subtle flavor.
Beaufort is a delicious mountain cheese from the Gruyere family made in France. It is sometimes called the “Prince of Gruyères” due to the sophisticated creamy flavour. Beaufort has earned a protected appellation origin, which means that only cheese made from Tarentaise cows that are grazed in the summer can be labeled Beaufort. The cheese is often compared to Gruyere and Comte, two other similar cheeses, even though Beaufort has a creamier flavor and lacks the characteristic holes these cheeses possess.
Beaufort has been made for centuries and is traditionally made with very large wheels weighing around 100 pounds (45 kilograms). The cheese was popular with royalty, and is still popular today with a diverse range of consumers seeking artisanal cheese. Giant cheeses are matured for 8-12 months before being marketed. The most sought-after Beaufort comes from the summer milk of cows, which has strong floral notes that develop as it matures. For this reason, Beaufort is always made with raw milk, as pasteurization will compromise the delicate flavors of the milk.
Beaufort is often found on cheese platters and served with desserts, although it complements white wine and salmon particularly well. It is also used to make traditional quiches and fondues, in which the slightly salty and heavily floral flavor of the cheese is quite distinctive. The cheese tends to be milder and butterier than other mountain cheeses such as gruyere, and is a semi-hard and fairly soft cheese. Beaufort can also be enjoyed in plain wedges and is also popular with breads and fruit.
Beaufort is made in large batches, with a single batch producing a wheel of cheese. The milk is fed into the rennet and starter cultures, and the resulting curds are pressed into giant moulds, pressed and salted. The cheese also has a band tied around it during the first squeezing, which leaves a recognizable impression in the finished cheese. The cheese is pressed to eliminate holes, allowed to rest, then released from the mold and aged in a cheese cave.
Winter Beaufort will be pale white in color and have a much more subtle flavor, although it still retains the rich butterfat creaminess of summer cheese. Summer cheese develops a much creamier-yellow color, and is tastier and more aromatic. For this reason, most consumers prefer summer cheese, even though the delicate notes of winter cheese are quite unique.
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