Q Where is St. Martinville?
St. Martinville is located in south central Louisiana, in the heart of Cajun Country. We are about 60 miles east of Baton Rouge. Just about 10 miles south of Interstate 10 on Hwy 31.Q Are you open at the farm?
Yes, you are welcome to purchase cheese at our farm store on premises. However, farm visits/tours must be arranged in advance we do not encourage drop in visits. Due to our busy schedules, both on and off the farm, we do prefer you call to schedule a farm visit/tour. We can arrange a tour by special arrangement, for a small fee.Q How many goats do you have?
We currently have about 30 or so mature milkers, a few younger first time milkers,some yearling does, a few retired ladies, several Lamancha bucks 2 Nubian bucks and various bucklings. Our registered dairy herd consists of Lamanchas, Nubians, an old Sannan doe a various crosses of these breeds. We chose these breeds because of their adaptability to our climate, their docile nature. The high quality, flavorful milk these girls produce is excellent for cheese-making. We occasionally have goats for sale. bucks, bucklings, does & doelings.
Q Do you use any artificial hormones in your products?
Absolutely not! We do not use artificial hormones in the management of our dairy animals. Q Where can we purchase your goat cheese?
We are at the at the Baton Rouge Red Stick Farmers Market on 5th and Main Street every Saturday morning from 8;00 AM to 12:00 PM. our cheese is on the menu of local & area restaurants, Bella Fresca in Shereveport, Jolie's Louisiana Bistro in Lafayette,Village Cafe & Pours Restaurants in River Ranch, Lafayette. We also have some of our cheeses for sale here at our Farm Store.Q What types of goat cheese do you sell?
We sell fresh chèvre, soft mold-ripened goat cheese, feta (hand salted and also a feta in brine), and aged raw milk aged cheeses. We occasionally make ricotta, and other speciality cheese. Goat milk can be used as any other milk with any kind of cheese making techniques… The most common and best known is the lactic process. This product is creamy and can be eaten fresh or soft ripened. Belle Ècorce Farm offers natural and flavored fresh chèvre as well as soft ripened lactic chèvre.
Goat cheese can also be made from a quick-set, non lactic process. This method require aging from a few weeks to a few months depending on the product
Q Is goat cheese a reduced fat cheese?
No, it is a whole milk cheese, not a reduced fat cheese. The high moisture content of the fresh cheese makes it lower in calories than a pressed or aged cheese.Q What are the health benefits of goat cheese?
When compared to cow milk products like cream cheese, goat cheese is lower in fat, calories and cholesterol. It also provides more calcium and fewer carbohydrates than cream cheese. Even though goat cheese has fewer calories, it has a full, rich and creamy flavor. Belle Ècorce Farms goat cheeses are all- natural and contain no hormones, additives or preservatives.Per Oz. Goat Cheese Cow’s Cream Cheese
Goat Cheese Cow’s Cream CheeseCalories 80 100
80 100Proteins (grams) 5 5
5 5Fat (grams) 6 10
6 10Cholesterol (mg) 20 30
20 30Q Is animal rennet used in this cheese?
Yes, we do use animal rennet in the production of all our cheeses. As we are traditionalist we choose to follow old world methods of making cheese. Q What is the shelf life for goat cheese?
Chèvre is a fresh cheese and should be eaten within a couple of weeks for maximum enjoyment and taste. Chèvre can be frozen and enjoyed later. Chèvre in olive oil or pecan oil will keep longer -- the oil tends to preserve it. Goat cheese will continue to age in the refrigerator and the taste will become stronger and more complex. Feta will keep a long time stored in its brine or dried and marinated in oil.
Q Does goat cheese need to be refrigerated?
Yes. Cheese should be stored in the refrigerator and brought to room temperature for serving. Q Are your cheeses pasteurized?
Any of our cheeses that are aged less than 60 days are from pasteurized milk, as required by the state of Louisiana. All our chèvre, bloomy-rind cheeses and feta are from pasteurized milk. Our aged cheeses are from raw milk, and aged over 60 days.
Q Why does some goat milk and goat cheeses have a stronger flavor than others?
Goats produce less milk than cows and typically, goat herds are smaller than cow herds. Therefore, many producers pick up the milk at the farm every 5 to 7 days. Acidity develops in the milk and is often found in the finished product.
producers pick up the milk at the farm every 5 to 7 days. Acidity develops in the milk and is often found in the finished product. Belle Ècorce Farm pasteurizes and makes cheese every 2- 3 days. We are very strict on milk quality and therefore offer a very mild and consistent fresh and aged goat cheese. Some of our aged goat cheeses can be quite sharp due to the controlled ripening process but not because of uncontrolled milk quality.
According to Juliet Harbutt in "The World Encyclopedia of Cheese", "Goat milk is delicate, if handled improperly, without care, the microscopic globules of fat suspended in the milk will burst, releasing their contents. This is what can impart a bitter, nasty taste to goat milk. However if the milk is handled with care these same fat globules will gradually break down and will contribute to the delicious, herbaceous taste of he cheese. A good goats milk cheese tastes as though the milk has absorbed the oils and aromas of tarragon, thyme, or marjoram, set against a background of dry crisp white wine."
Q How much milk does milk does a cow give compared to a goat? Sheep?
---One cow can produce from 9--27.75 liters/16--40 pints of milk per day.---One goat can produce one to 1.13--2 liters/2--3 pints 3 times per day (however, usually milked twice a day so yield somewhat less than for 3 times a day).---One sheep can produce 4.5--5.7 liters/8--10 pints a dayQ What is the ratio of milk to the weight of cheese produced?
It takes 2.27 liters/4 pints of milk to make a 250g/9oz Camembert, compared with 10 gallons of milk that is 37.85 liters/80 pints of milk to make one 4 to 5 pound wheel of Gouda or Chedder.Très Belle Chèvre
Goat Dairy & Fromagerie
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Do you have a cheese or dairy question ?
Please include your name & email if you would like me to email you.
