Vermont Butter and Cheese Creamery was opened by Bob Reese and Allison Hooper in 1984, with a herd of 60 goats. The award-winning creamery now uses goat milk from 17 family farms to craft its goat cheeses and produces a number of cows’ milk cheeses and cultured butter as well, also with milk from farms in the Green Mountain area of Vermont.
Bonne Bouche is a unique, high-moisture goat cheese that derives its delicacy, in part, from being made without rennet. According to Vermont Creamery, after the milk has been pasteurized, it is inoculated with special bacterial cultures which produce acid and slowly thicken and curdle the milk. The moist curds are carefully hand ladled into small disk-shaped molds to drain without any added pressure.
After draining overnight, the 4-ounce cheeses are salted and coated with sanitary vegetable ash and aged for 10 days. They are turned and inspected every day until they are ready for shipping, and can safely age a further 80 days in their special tiny wooden crates.
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