La Ferme Cheese
In 1988 LA FERME CHEESE started to develop a line of handmade farm cheeses for the residents of Auroville. For the cheese production, traditional methods were adapted to the conditions of the South Indian climate, taking into account strict hygienic standards and concerns for a clean and sustainable environment. Our pasteurization, for instance, is done with biogas, our water is pumped by a windmill and our wastewater is recycled.
The milk is supplied by farms in Auroville (including our own dairy) as well as by farmers from surrounding villages. It is monitored daily by La Ferme Cheese for quality control.
All our cheeses contain only natural whole cow milk, salts, vegetarian enzymes, and seasoning cultures. We do not use preservatives, artificial flavors, or colors. Nor do we use emulsifiers - used in industrially produced cheeses to retain moisture and fat. Our approach keeps the authentic texture and taste of traditional farm cheese and guarantees the natural balance of vitamins, proteins, and fat which gives the cheese its unique characteristics.
At present, our team with professional cheese makers from Italy and Holland consists of twenty-five persons. Using natural ingredients only, we produce about 100 kg of handmade cheeses in over ten varieties daily.
Fresh Cheeses
Fresh cheeses need 6 to 72 hours of processing and are immediately dispatched.
Mozzarella
MOZZARELLA is a moist white cheese of Italian origin with a mild taste; recommended for melting on pizzas and other cheese-covered dishes and for raw salads.
Feta
FETA is a white, creamy though brittle, salty/sour Greek cheese; recommended for mixing in raw salads or cooking in salty pastry, vegetable dishes, and sauces.
Ricotta Cream Cheese
RICOTTA CREAM CHEESE is excellent when sweetened with honey; ideal for pastries, for spread preparations, and as a thickener in sauces.
Seasoned Cheeses
These cheeses are seasoned from a few weeks to several months at specific temperatures in a cool storage room. They are delicious when eaten in French fashion as an after-meal course (cheeseboard).
They should stand for a while at room temperature before being served and eaten. Only in this non-chilled condition will they have their full and characteristic flavors.
Seasoned cheeses also do very well on snacks and sandwiches, or when melted on pizzas, bread, chapattis, vegetable casseroles, and other oven-baked dishes. Do not bake these cheeses on top of dishes for more than a few minutes, but just enough to have them retain their appetizing melted consistency and wonderful aromas.
Although each of these cheeses has its specific taste and characteristics - unlike any other cheeses – in the descriptions below we make references to types of well-known cheeses, for the customer's convenience.
Slight variations in the taste and texture of La Ferme's cheeses are to be expected since La Ferme uses authentic Farm House methods and no mechanized technology.
Farm Cheese
FARM CHEESE is a young cheese and has a mild and fresh taste that almost sparkles on the tongue. It is especially loved by children! Delicious on bread and in salads and superb for melting over hot dishes. A truly “all-purpose cheese”.
Lofabu
LOFABU is a 2 to 3 months old cheese with a mild nutty flavor that pleases the palates from children to connoisseurs. Both Indians and Westerners love this cheese that can be used for a wide range of purposes: melted on pizzas or pastry, served with cocktails and salads, on sandwiches, or on a cheeseboard. (Lofabu can be compared to soft/creamy Dutch cheeses like Gouda and Edammer or to Raclette cheese.)
Jeera Cheese
JEERA CHEESE, truly a delicious appetizer, is Lofabu seasoned with cumin seeds. It is best used in cocktails, on a cheese board, or for melting on dishes.
Swissly
SWISSLY, which can be ordered young or matured, is a 1 to 4 months old cheese with a characteristic flavor and can be served in the same ways as Lofabu. (Swissly can be compared to Tilsit or a sharp Pyrenee.)
Cheddar
CHEDDAR is a 4 to 6 months old cheese with a firm texture and a full flavor - ideal for cheeseboards, salads, cocktails, and snacks.
Auroblochon
AUROBLOCHON is a more than 6 months old plastic-coated cheese with a strong and piquant taste that will be enjoyed by people who like a heady cheese. The coat of plastic film has to be peeled off before eating. It is best used for cheeseboards and for melting on dishes. This cheese can be compared to a soft/creamy young Parmesan/Grana type. It cannot be grated, only chopped or sliced.
Gorgonzola
GORGONZOLA is the famous white, blue-veined creamy cheese.
Gruyere
GRUYERE is a 3 to 4 months old sweet tasting cheese, like the French-Swiss cheeses from the Alps.
Parmesan
PARMESAN is the famous full-flavored, firm-textured cheese, at least 6 months old.
Grated Parmesan
GRATED PARMESAN is a strong, old, dry powdered cheese, which is used to sprinkle on ready to eat dishes like pasta or salads for extra flavor.
Goat cheese
GOAT' CHEESE in the French style, a unique product in South India, is made exclusively with goats' milk from our own flock.
Some molds and funguses give certain cheeses their distinct flavors. They are natural ferments in all cheeses, whether you see them or not.
If mold or fungus develops on cheese in the fridge it doesn't mean the cheese is spoiled. However, if you don't like the view of it, you can simply scrape it off, since it is merely a matter of taste and appetizing look.
- After they have been taken out of their vacuum packets, the cheese can be kept refrigerated (at +5 to +10) for a few weeks.
- Uncut wheels of cheese can be kept for months, provided that they are stored in a cool place.
- Cheese should under no condition be frozen; this changes the texture and taste of the cheese and as a result of this the shelf life may also be shortened.
- For breakfast, lunch or snacks cheese can be eaten on bread served with butter, milk, juice, tea, or coffee. It does well on toasts or biscuits and served with salads, eggs, or ham.
- Cheese can be served after lunch or dinner on a cheeseboard. For this purpose, it is served with bread and, traditionally, with wine.
- Cheese, (as Fondue), can be melted and as a sauce be served with slices of bread for dipping.
- Cheese can be grated and spread on baked dishes or melted overcooked cauliflower, sprouts, broccoli, and many other vegetables.
- Among its many uses cheese has been made famous on the Tosti, a crispy combination of toasted bread with ham or egg and cheese melted on top.
Our products are also directly available at the factory outlet - La Ferme Cheese is on Google Maps near Kuilapalayam, north of Pondicherry-
at factory outlet prices.
Opening times: 9 to 12 a.m. and 2 to 4 p.m.
Guided visits to the production and packing areas are possible in the afternoon.
For an appointment please send an email to lafermecheese@auroville.org.in
You can download our brochure below which includes the following:
- a brief history
- the catalog of our products
- information about placing orders at our factory outlet
- payment modalities
- the list of our retailers/distributors in India.
Get in Touch
Office Number
0413-2622212
(or) Whatsapp message
9943388557
Customer Care
See Also
