Le Fromage au village

In 1990, Christian Barrette and Hélène Lessard acquired the “Barrette Farm” that belonged to the family for four generations. After evaluating a few different projects, they decided to transform the farm into an artisan cheese dairy. The company began operations on September 26, 1996.

“In the beginning, we produced only curd cheese that we would sell locally. Then in 1998, after more than a year of experimenting and testing we were finally ready to market the Cru du Clocher, cheddar that we first distributed through the Abitibi-Témiscamingue region. A few months later, we partnered with Plaisirs Gourmets to make it available to all the specialized shops across Quebec.”

”Then, tragedy struck on December 18th 1999 when a fire destroyed the barn and killed part of the herd. We needed to acquire milk to continue producing the Cru du Clocher so we selected milk from some of our neighbours who met our requirements with respect to the cow’s food and the microbial quality of the milk. After waiting the necessary time to validate the quality of the milk, we started once again producing the Cru du Clocher.”

“The Cru du Clocher is made from selected raw cow’s milk which is neither pasteurized or heat treated. Only small amounts of lactic ferment are added to the selected milk to allow a larger place for the milk’s natural flora. We only add what is really necessary”

Hélène Lessard et Christian Barrette

Cru du Clocher

The cheese maker suggests 2 types of aging for her marvellous cheddar. After 6 months, the cheese is medium-strong with a very smooth texture. When aged for more than 2 years, it preserves its creaminess but has a more pronounced flavour. Whether it is aged for 6 months or over 2 years, the Cru du Clocher tastes wonderful, reminding us of the old cheddar from 50 years ago, when every town had a cheese dairy.

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Fleurs d'Ail

This cow's milk cheese is firm and unripened. The lighter, milder side of garlic flower is added for extra flavour. Perfect as a snack or appetizer, it can also be added to certain dishes, especially as a topping for browning.

This cheese was a finalist in the 2006 Canadian Cheese Grand Prix.

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Information and address of the cheese dairy

45, rue Notre-Dame ouest, C.P. 309
Lorrainville, (Québec)
J0Z 2R0
Tel : (819) 625-2255
Fax : (819) 625-2479
Email : fromage.village@cablevision.qc.ca