Divine d’affinois
IN THE FOOTHILLS OF THE FRENCH ALPS, THE ELEMENTS ARE SUBLIMATED INTO SOME OF THE WORLD’S MOST DESIRABLE CHEESES.
In the world of dairy, there are cheeses, and there is Fromager d’affinois. For over forty years, this esteemed French cheese brand has been synonymous with sophisticated cheese of the finest flavour and texture, and for good reason. To learn why this is the case, we must wind back the clock, to trace the origins of its unique nature.
It is the early 1980s, and passionate cheese lover Jean Claude Guilloteau has resolved to explore a new approach to cheesemaking. He and his wife retreat to a farmhouse in the Auvergne Rhône Alpes region in southeast France, and set about reinventing the region’s esteemed dairy history through a spirit of delectable disruption.
Soon are created their first cheeses: unique in taste, with thin rinds capping the kind of creamy texture that beggars belief for its silkiness. Named after its original home of Dauphiné, the cheeses cause ripples among the dairy connoisseurs of surrounding regions.
Shortly after, Guilloteau opens a dairy along the Rhône river to meet demand, and then another in the foothills of the French Alps. Internationally, cheese lovers have begun to take note. And so, a legend emerges from the lush soils of France’s Rhône Valley: a union of inherited know-how, superior animal husbandry and good taste.
It is a legend that has only continued to grow, but one with the inarguable truth at the heart of all legends – for there is no disputing the final product, which in a relatively short span of time has elevated Fromager d’affinois to the upper ranks of world cheeses.
VIRTUOUS CIRCLES
Today, Fromager d’affinois cheese is still made exclusively in these original dairies. Its cheesemakers still employ Guilloteau’s savoir-faire, cultivating the same in-house ferments developed in those very first cheeses that so wowed the discerning dairy lovers of France, the cheese still ripened for ten days or so in dedicated cellars following its moulding phase.
Yet before that, there are the pastures: quality grazing conditions are non-negotiable. Land upkeep, rotational grazing, and the breeds of cow all play a role. Then, across the 60 farms that work with the dairies, strict surface-area-to-cow ratios are maintained in line with best practice, ensuring that the herds are healthy, and able to supply milk of uncompromised quality.
Such terroir – that combination of elements that permits transcendence to emerge – is how the flagship Le Fromager double cream cheese has come to such pre-eminence amongst lovers of soft cheeses. Luscious, soft-ripened: milky and buttery, yet light and smooth for that unmistakable melt-in-the-mouth signature Fromager d’affinois is renowned for.
Because true quality is the province of inspiration, labour, and dedication to the highest standards... something that that becomes resoundingly clear in that moment a morsel of Fromager d’affinois passes the lips.
Available at all good supermarkets and specialty stores. Discover the Fromager d’affinois story and its range at fromagerdaffinois.com