Goat Cheese makes the world go round!

    I scream, you scream, we all scream for goat cheese! I love goat cheese (Chevre in French) with an undeniable  passion. Chevre is a great cheese that practically goes with everything. Just last night I put Chevre from Elodie Farms on my hamburger. Elodie Farms is a producer of goat cheese. I got to visit the farm during my stay at C’est Si Bon in North Carolina with the Teen Chefs. Elodie Farms is just one of a hundred goat cheese farms in America. There are over 37 goats, 2 dogs, one horse (Sadie) and is operated by the owner, Dave Artigues.

When at the farm, Dave explained the cheese making process. First the goat’s utters are wiped and checked for Mastidic (inflammation of the utters). Then the goats are milked. Once the milk is obtained it goes through a solidifying process. Once in the machine, Rennet (an enzyme which is found in the stomach of goats and humans) is added to the milk to make it solid.  The Chevre must be at a temperature between 80° and 90°F and takes up to 24 hours to make.

Elodie Farms produces 70 pounds of Chevre a week, that’s over 3,500 pounds of Chevre a year. Elodie Farms also makes a variety of other cheeses including Camembert and Cheddar. This is the Chevre making process in a nutshell but there’s way more to it.  One of my all time favorite snacks, maybe even a meal is goat cheese on a  French baguette, with a drizzle of honey (its HEAVENLY).  If you haven't tried Chevre yet I suggest you do, whether in a recipe, on a baguette, or the best way…by itself!