Frederic Melton
Vermont Creamery has been producing goat cheese since 1984, when Allison Hooper and Bob Reese founded the company. The company does not sell or ship products directly to consumers, but its products are available for purchase online through Murray's Cheese. Vermont Creamery's goat cheese is pasteurized, as required by law for all fresh cheeses aged less than 60 days. The company sources milk from a network of family farms throughout Vermont and Canada, which is then pasteurized and cultured for 20 hours with a blend of bacterial starter cultures.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Pasteurized | Yes |
| Flavour | Delightfully mild to adventurously complex |
| Texture | Smooth |
| Type | Chèvre, spreadable, fresh, aged, creamy, tangy, sweet |
| Age | Fresh, 2 weeks, 3 weeks |
| Weight | 4 oz, 5 oz, 6.5 oz |
| Price | $6.00, $13.60, $22.00 |
| Availability | Online through Murray's Cheese, at retailers across the U.S. |
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What You'll Learn
Vermont Creamery pasteurises all its goat's milk
Vermont Creamery has been crafting dairy products since 1984, when it was founded by Allison Hooper and Bob Reese. The company's story began with mild, fresh goat's milk cheese, and Vermont Creamery remains committed to creating high-quality goat cheese with distinct flavours and textures.
To achieve this, Vermont Creamery ensures that the goats from which they source their milk are healthy and well-cared for. The company sources its milk from a network of family farms throughout Vermont and Canada, where the animals are provided with fresh bedding and high-quality hay or carefully fermented silage. This attention to detail ensures that the milk produced is fresh-tasting, low in microbes, and high in protein.
Once the milk arrives at the creamery, it undergoes pasteurisation. This process, along with the addition of bacterial cultures, is crucial in developing the distinct flavour and texture of Vermont Creamery's goat cheese. The milk is cultured for an extended period, typically around 20 hours, allowing the bacterial cultures to fully impart their lemony flavours and create the bright, lively character of the cheese.
Pasteurisation is a critical step in cheese production, not only for developing flavour but also for food safety. In the United States, by law, all fresh cheeses aged less than 60 days must be made from pasteurized milk. This ensures that any harmful bacteria are eliminated, making the cheese safe for consumption.
Vermont Creamery's commitment to quality and safety is evident in their pasteurisation practices. By pasteurising all their goat's milk, they not only comply with legal requirements but also ensure the health and well-being of their consumers. This step is essential in the company's cheese-making process, contributing to the distinctive taste and texture that has made Vermont Creamery a beloved brand in the United States.
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Pasteurisation is required by law for fresh cheeses under 60 days old
In the United States, fresh cheeses aged less than 60 days require pasteurized milk by law. This is because soft cheeses are more susceptible to harmful bacteria such as Listeria and Salmonella due to their higher moisture content. Pasteurization is the process of heat-treating milk to destroy these pathogens. The rule was determined by the FDA in 1949, which found that pathogens died off in cheese during 60 days of aging.
Vermont Creamery, a popular producer of goat cheese in the US, pasteurizes all the milk used in its products. The company sources its goat's milk from family farms, pasteurizes it, and then cultures it for 20 hours with bacterial starter cultures. Vermont Creamery's products include fresh and aged goat cheeses, as well as spreadable goat cheese, crème fraîche, quark, mascarpone, and fromage blanc, all of which are packaged in cups and served cold.
While the 60-day rule has been questioned and reviewed, with some suggesting an extension to 90 or 120 days, it remains the current regulation. This rule is not without its critics, who argue that the focus should be on safe production and storage practices, similar to regulations in countries like France, Germany, and England, where there is no minimum aging time for raw-milk cheese.
It is important to note that even pasteurized cheese can become contaminated with Listeria or other pathogens after production, so proper handling and storage throughout the supply chain are crucial to ensure food safety.
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Pasteurisation and culturing take 20 hours
Vermont Creamery has been making goat's cheese since 1984, when Allison Hooper and Bob Reese founded the company. The story goes that Hooper had just returned from a cheesemaking internship in France and was asked by Reese, who was working for the Vermont Department of Agriculture, to make some goat's cheese for a dinner that his French chef was preparing. Vermont Creamery was the first company to make fresh goat's cheese in the US, and it remains the country's most popular brand.
The company's goat's milk cheese is distinguished by its fresh milk taste, mild flavour, and smooth texture. The milk used to make it is sourced from a network of family farms throughout Vermont and Canada and is picked up by the company's own milk truck. Once the milk arrives in Websterville, it is pasteurized and cultured for 20 hours. This process involves adding bacterial cultures to the milk, which work overnight to produce flavour as the milk coagulates and thickens into curd.
The bacterial cultures used by Vermont Creamery are similar to those found in yogurt-making and produce lemony flavours that complement the bright, lively character of goat's cheese. As the milk cultures, proteins come together to form a mousse-like curd that is carefully drained through cheesecloth to extract the whey and preserve the velvety texture. Once the curd has been drained, it is ready to be shaped into logs and, if it is destined to become one of Vermont Creamery's flavoured goat cheeses, it is hand-rolled in sophisticated ingredient blends.
Pasteurization is a process that all cheese makers in the US must perform by law if their fresh cheeses are aged for less than 60 days.
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Vermont Creamery sources milk from family farms
Vermont Creamery has been crafting dairy products since 1984, when it was founded by Allison Hooper and Bob Reese. The company's first product was fresh goat's milk cheese, which remains its most popular offering. Vermont Creamery's products are sourced from milk provided by family farms, which is then pasteurized and cultured for 20 hours with a blend of bacterial starter cultures.
The company is committed to ensuring that the animals on the farms they work with are healthy and well-cared for. The goats are provided with fresh bedding and high-quality hay or carefully fermented silage, resulting in milk that is low in microbes and high in protein. This attention to detail in the farming process is essential to the fresh and mild flavor of Vermont Creamery's goat cheese.
The process of culturing the milk is an art and a science, according to Vermont Creamery president Adeline Druart, who says that the cheesemaking craft is a blend of both disciplines. As the milk cultures, proteins form a mousse-like curd that is carefully drained to extract the whey without disturbing its velvety texture. The curd is then shaped into logs and, if it is destined for one of Vermont Creamery's flavored goat cheeses, it is hand-rolled in sophisticated ingredient blends.
Vermont Creamery is selective about the ingredients they use, ensuring that nothing is added to their goat cheese that doesn't enhance or elevate its texture and flavor. The company is also committed to making a positive impact on the world, including their employees, customers, farmers, and communities. They only purchase milk and cream that is rBST-free and require supplying farms to provide an affidavit stating that they do not use growth hormones to boost milk production.
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Goat cheese can have a range of flavours and textures
Goat cheese, often called Chèvre, can vary in flavour and texture depending on the type of goat milk used and the cheesemaking process. The milk's flavour can be influenced by the environment and diet of the goats, while the texture can be affected by factors such as the presence of a rind and the ageing process.
Goat cheese can range from crumbly to creamy, with flavours that can be mild, earthy, tangy, or sweet. The texture of fresh goat cheese is often soft and spreadable, while aged variants may develop a rind and become firmer. The flavour of the cheese can also evolve with age, gaining hints of hazelnut and dried herbs.
The versatility of goat cheese allows it to be paired with various ingredients, such as honey, sliced pear, and walnuts, enhancing its flavour and texture. The process of culturing the milk with bacterial starter cultures also impacts the flavour, as it produces lemony flavours and celebrates the cheese's bright, lively character.
Vermont Creamery, a popular producer of goat cheese, pasteurizes all of its milk products, including goat cheese. They offer a range of fresh and aged goat cheeses with different flavours and textures, such as their spreadable goat cheese and their Bonne Bouche aged goat cheese with a distinctive "brain-like" wrinkled rind.
The cheesemaking craft at Vermont Creamery combines art and science, with a focus on taste and texture. Their mild, clean flavours have contributed to their popularity, making their products accessible even to those who may have had less favourable experiences with goat cheese in the past.
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, Vermont Creamery's goat cheese is made from pasteurized milk.
Allison Hooper and Bob Reese founded Vermont Creamery in 1984, when few others were making fresh goat cheese in the US. Allison had just returned from a cheesemaking internship in France and Bob was working for the Vermont Department of Agriculture.
Vermont Creamery does not sell or ship products directly to consumers, but some of their products are available for purchase online through Murray’s Cheese and at retailers across the U.S.
