Cheese library

Welcome to our on-line LA FROMAGERIE cheeseroom showcasing our farmhouse & artisanal cheeses. Due to seasonality of cheeses, and working with smaller producers, some of these cheeses are available in our shop only during certain times of the year, so please CONTACT us if you are looking for a particular cheese.

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ABBAYE DE CITEAUX

Cow , France

£0.00

ABBAYE DE CITEAUX

BURGUNDY, THERMISED, TRADITIONAL RENNET

A very small production monastic cheese still made within the walls of the Citeaux Abbey. The majority of the three hundred cheeses made every Monday and Tuesday are sold in the abbey shop. Like all monastery cheeses the rind is brine-washed, giving a pungent aroma and an ivory pate rich and smooth with fresh hazelnut earthiness. Made with milk from the Montbeliarde breed – perfect for this style of cheesemaking – the result is a deeply satisfying and quite moreish cheese, perfect on a cheese board.

Cow , France

More About French Cheese

The story of LA FROMAGERIE begins with a wheel of BEAUFORT CHALET D'ALPAGE; 27 years later and with over 100 French cheeses in our library, France is still an excellent place to start exploring cheese. In France, more so than possibly anywhere else, the variety of terroir - that magical combination of local terrain, altitude, soil and climate - accounts for the great diversity of the cheese. Some French cheeses are only sold locally, and many have their own distinctive characteristics; for instance, some are wrapped in leaves, while others are thickly coated in herbs, or washed in brine or alcohol. The names of many cheeses tie them to and can indicate the village or particular hill or mountain where they are made. From the caves of Combalou to the Mountains of Savoie, learn about the connection between place and product as you explore our selection of cheese from this fantastic country.

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ABBAYE DE TROISVAUX

Cow , France

£0.00

ABBAYE DE TROISVAUX

HAUT-ARTOIS, PASTEURISED, TRADITIONAL RENNET

A handmade cheese from the nuns at the Abbey, who work alongside the Trappiste monks at the neighbouring monastery at Mont des Cats. The dark red-brown rind has been washed in local beer and the tender supple texture of the cheese is neither overwhelming nor bitter. The taste is peanutty and savoury and delightful as a lunchtime snack with crusty bread. With a little maturing the cheese becomes more earthy with the hoppy beer notes coming forward. Beer is the best partner, although a dry, not overly tannic, red wine would work as well.

Cow , France

More About French Cheese

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ABONDANCE FERMIER

Cow , France

£0.00

ABONDANCE FERMIER

SAVOIE, UNPASTEURISED, TRADITIONAL RENNET

High mountain cheese with a creamy rich texture and a melting fruity flavour. The smooth hard rind has a lovely russet colour from the light brine washing it receives during maturation. Eaten young, the hazelnut sweetness comes through, but with more aged cheeses – around 7 - 9 months – there is a slight bitterness, and a sort of palate-tingling sensation, which is a good foil for the richness. The Montbeliarde, Abondance and Tarine breeds produce the milk for this cheese.

Cow , France

More About French Cheese

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ADELEGGER URBERGER

Cow , Germany

£0.00

ADELEGGER URBERGER

BADEN WÜRTTEMBERG/ ALLGÄU, THERMISED, TRADITIONAL RENNET

A small-production, certified-organic cheese which we age for an extra few months after its arrival. The extra ageing gives the cheese a slight tingle on the palate. The long maturing process means that the thermised milk has time to develop its flavours and dissipate any bacteria lurking after the heat treatment, which is just shy of pasteurisation, temperature-wise. The benefits of rubbing the rind in wine and brine are integral, giving the pate full-bodied flavours – from charred beef to brown butter to mocha to Brazil nuts.

Cow , Germany

More About German Cheese

From the north to the south, Germany is a cheese country. A third of the production is exported and influences from neighbouring countries have resulted in a diversity of cheese styles that have associations with nearby countries. For instance, LIMBURGER is related to both the Netherlands and the Belgian Herve and BAVARIAN BLUE, the most wonderfully indulgent blue, is similar to Italian Gorgonzola. Monasteries were instrumental in creating the cheese recipes, as well as the beers, and cheeses with a washed rind are typical.

ALEX

Cheese , Cow , Germany , Hard

From £10.40

ALEX

ALLGAU, GERMANY, UNPASTEURISED COW’S MILK, TRADITIONAL RENNET

Albert Kraus makes this semi-hard table cheese from his brother and neighbor's herd of traditional Brown Swiss cows. The cooked and pressed curd has its rind washed in a brine infused with local herbs at 5 months giving the bosky aroma on the rind and intensity to the taste of the cheese. A perfect cheese for Beer and dry white wine.

Cheese , Cow , Germany , Hard

More About German Cheese

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ALP BERGKAESE

Austria , Cow ,

£0.00

ALP BERGKAESE

SENNALPE LOCH, UNPASTEURISED, TRADITIONAL RENNET

The Lingenauer family's dairy is at high altitude and not accessible by car; they supply milk to the Fuchs, a family of cheesemakers situated nearby. Once we buy the cheeses they are immediately set aside for another nine to thirteen months of affinage in our cellars. We solely buy cheeses made from summer milk pastures, which are absolutely superb. The buttery, salty and beefy flavours have hard, almost caramel edges. Younger cheeses have a hint of pineapple, which is indicative of the cattle feeding on untouched pastures.

Austria , Cow ,

More About Austrian Cheese

Austria's location amongst the Alps has long influenced their milk and cheese production with the practice of housing the dairy cows in the valleys in winter and then moving them up to higher plains during the spring and summer months. When compared to other Alpine countries, Austria's cheese-producing area is really focussed mainly in Vorarlberg, in the western-most part of the country adjacent to Switzerland. Bregenzerwald, a high mountain area in Vorarlberg and where we source our ALP BERGKAESE, is the most active cheese-producing area in Austria and its three-step-agriculture process has been submitted to UNESCO as a world heritage site.

ASIAGO

Cheese , Cow , Hard , Italy

From £8.40

ASIAGO

Venezia
Pasteurised Cow’s Milk
Traditional Rennet

The only Asiago with a DOP certification, it is rather like a younger, springier version of Emmental. The cheese has scattered holes through a pale creamy pate and a lovely light nutty, milky aroma. The taste is fresh and milky as well – rather like fresh cobnuts, and is a perfect foil for stronger tasting cheeses or served with crusty plain bread with a simple side salad.

Cheese , Cow , Hard , Italy

More About Italian Cheese

Though cheesemaking in Italy may date back to as early as 2800 BC, the unification of the country didn't occur until the 1860s and the individuality of the regions and the diversity among their cheese is still very strong in Italy today. With over four hundred distinct cheeses and thirty-one DOP (Protected Designation of Origin) zones, Italy is a fine example of the variety of time-honoured traditions in the cheesemaking process. Spanning from the foothills of the Alps in Piemonte to the alluvial soil of Etna in Sicily, we have over 50 Italian cheeses in our library. From MOZZARELLA DI BUFALA to RAGUSANO, from TALEGGIO DI VAL BREMBANA to GORGONZOLA NATURALE, there is much to offer in range of styles as well as textures and flavours.

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AZEITAO

Portugal , Sheep

£0.00

AZEITAO

SETUBAL, UNPASTEURISED, VEGETABLE RENNET

Coagulated with flowers from the Cardoon Thistle — which grows in the hills surrounding the dairies — this gives a distinct herbaceous flavour to the rich flowing curds, finishing with a wild, sharply sweet earthiness. Made by hand, the wheels are bathed in brine, then rubbed to give a smooth, almost waxy feel to the finished rind. Full-bodied dry red wines are an ideal match.

Portugal , Sheep

More About Portuguese Cheese

Portugal is split by its major river, the Tagus, which creates a clear demarcation of the landscape as the northern terrain is mountainous where rivers course through the valleys, and the south features a rolling landscape of plains and hills and a hotter, drier climate. The summer weather in the mountainous areas is very arid and blazingly hot with the animals huddling under what trees or bushy shelter there is for shade. The islands of Azores and Madeira, however have a cooler microclimate with their position in the Atlantic, and they produce fine cheeses as well as the famous dessert wine. Additionally, in volcanic areas the soil composition where grazing occurs is rich in minerals, giving a really interesting structure to the milk. From the nuttiness of SÃO JORGE to the spiciness of EVORA, the cheeses of Portugal have their own distinct flavours and textures and are certainly worth exploring alongside a glass of the area's fortified wine.

BANON

Cheese , France , Goat , Goat's cheese

£9.50

BANON

PROVENCE, UNPASTEURISED, TRADITIONAL RENNET

A plump cheese dipped in Eau de Vie and then wrapped in chestnut leaves. With age the flavour becomes more pronounced and stronger. As it matures the rind turns from white to creamy gold, eventually developing scattered patches of blue. The pate is melting and rich.

Cheese , France , Goat , Goat's cheese

More About French Cheese

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BARON BIGOD

Cow , Uk

£0.00

BARON BIGOD

BUNGAY, SUFFOLK, UNPASTEURISED, TRADITIONAL RENNET

Jonny Crickmore has come into the world of cheesemaking with the desire to make his family dairy farm more diverse. He has invested in a herd of alpine Montbeliarde cows from France, created pastures that have the right grazing conditions, and dedicated himself and his cheesemaking unit towards making what is, in our opinion, a very fine Brie. It takes the skill of an affineur to bring everything together – for the rind to have the right blooms, for the pate to be rich and not over-runny or -chalky, and for a combination of flavours to balance as you taste. This is a tricky test for a cheesemaker and we feel Jonny Crickmore has succeeded in developing the style he wanted for his cheese.

Cow , Uk

More About United Kingdom

In the 11th century the Norman Conquest had a major impact on life in Britain. It brought far-reaching changes, and it was during this period that the religious order of Jervalux monks came from Normandy and Flandres to Britain, bringing with them a tradition of sheep farming and cheesemaking (they are widely acknowledged as the original makers of Wensleydale cheese). Today there are hundreds of cheeses in the British Isles and we are in the midst of an exciting cheese movement that has not been seen since the Industrial Revolution. Britain may be small in comparison to other countries and continents, and we may not have the extremes in temperature to produce different styles of cheese, but we do have a vast amount of quality that is highly defined, and more and more in recent years, recognised as being worthy of greatness. From the earthy taste and fudgy texture of Innes Dairy's BOSWORTH ASH LOG to the buttery, nutty flavours of Welsh HAFOD, to newer cheeses such as BARON BIGOD and ROLLRIGHT, explore the wealth of cheeses from the British Isles.

BEAUFORT CHALET D'ALPAGE

Cheese , Cow , France , Hard

From £18.85

BEAUFORT CHALET D'ALPAGE

Savoie, Unpasteurised Cow Milk

The raison d'être of La Fromagerie. A classic high mountain cheese from small traditional producers selecting cheeses from the summer milk forms, made and matured at high altitudes in mountain chalets. The pate is a creamy, pale gold colour, smooth in texture, but as it ages cracks appear, ripening the cheese. The flavours are lovely – with an almost sweet almond nuttiness, the taste is never abrasive on the tongue, even with aged cheeses. The high mountain cheeses benefit from cattle grazing on supremely clean, unpolluted summer pastures studded with aromatic flowers and alpine flora, ultimately producing fragrant and elegant cheeses.

Cheese , Cow , France , Hard

More About French Cheese

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BEAUVALE

Blue , Blue cheese , Cheese , Cow , Uk

From £9.00

BEAUVALE

Nottinghamshire, Pasteurised

Matured for seven weeks, during which time it is turned and looked after in the cellars at Cropwell Bishop, the result is a well-balanced and supple blue, threaded with delicate blue moulds. Once we receive the cheeses we continue affinage in our own cellars, encouraging further breakdown of proteins and eventually deepening the flavours into savoury, almost meaty tones. A lovely way to finish a British cheese board without going directly for a Stilton.

Blue , Blue cheese , Cheese , Cow , Uk

More About United Kingdom

BEENLEIGH BLUE

Blue , Blue cheese , Cheese , Picnic , Sheep , Uk

From £11.15

BEENLEIGH BLUE

Devon, Pasteurised Sheep's Milk

While this cheese is produced year-round it is distinctly seasonal (it is in peak shape August - January), due to the changing pasture conditions for the sheep. Initially intended as Britain's answer to Roquefort, this blue – in a roundabout and ultimately accidental way – perfectly showcases the concept of terroir. The pate, which is solid, rich, and slightly crumbling, has a soft tanginess, bordering on yoghurt and fresh nuts, that balances well with the pale blue veining.

Blue , Blue cheese , Cheese , Picnic , Sheep , Uk

More About United Kingdom

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BERGFICHTE

Cow , Switzerland

£0.00

BERGFICHTE

TOGGENBURG, Thermised Cow’s Milk, Traditional Rennet

From the traditional Tilsiteer cheesemaking region, this cheesemaker, Willi Schmidt decided to work with the farmers in the area to create a new cheese. Rather like the Vacherin using a bark collar to hold the cheese together, the flavours are nutty & fruity with a rich almost clotted cream texture. A lovely ‘breakaway’ cheese.

half a unit, approx. 400 grams,

Cow , Switzerland

More About Swiss Cheese

Switzerland is a landlocked county surrounded by high mountains, but these craggy cliff faces allow for a temperate climate, which is probably the most satisfactory condition in which to make cheese. Mountains have pure water systems trickling down into the valleys and valuable minerals that feed the soil. This partially explains why cheeses like EMMENTHAL SUISSE are so delicious, especially when they are made high up in the hills during the summer months. From the 13th century onwards, grazing rights and animal rights-of-way have been complex and have led to the eventual privatisation of communal grazing land, driving many cheesemakers to other European plains and oversees to America and Australia. For many generations the right to use an Alp has been handed down within the family and is owned by a single family or two families of an Alp co-operative. All the Alps are 'geyser', meaning that only a certain number of cows or other animals are allowed to graze during the summer in order to protect the land.

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BESACE

France , Goat

£0.00

BESACE

SAVOIE, UNPASTEURISED, TRADITIONAL RENNET

Dome-shaped from placing the fresh curds in fine muslin and tying the ends together (resembling a small pochette or purse). A wonderful fresh tangy flowery taste and crumbly texture. The clean floral notes give this cheese a light gentle taste when young, almost frothy, becoming drier and mellow with maturing. Perfect with a chilled Chignin.

Due to seasonality we may not always have this cheese in stock.

France , Goat

More About French Cheese

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BIX

Cow , Uk

£9.20

BIX

OXFORDSHIRE, PASTEURISED, TRADITIONAL RENNET

Produced at Nettlebed Creamery by Rose Grimond. Made from certified organic milk taken from a herd of crossed Montbeliarde, Swedish Red & Holstein Friesians. A triple cream based on northern French cheeses like Brillat Savarin or Chaource, the pate is dense and rich with a mouthfeel not unlike butter. The flavours open with hints of yoghurt & grassy sweetness, deepening into toasty notes. The aromas are quite earthy. Light blooming moulds over the rind lend a hint of white mushroom, rounding out the edges of cream. Delicious with champagne.

Cow , Uk

More About United Kingdom

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