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Lise Bouffard's goat cheese

Published:Thursday | September 8, 2011 | 12:00 AM
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Samples of Lise Bouffard's goat milk cheese, including jerk and thyme flavours. - photos by Christopher Serju
Care is taken to ensure that the additives are evenly distributed.
Striking the right balance is important as 'culture' and rennet are added to the milk after it is heated to about 32C.
After 'quailing' banana leaves, Lise uses them to package the goat milk cheese and has found it to be very effective in enhancing the ageing and flavour of the cheese.
Straining the goat milk is in keeping with Lise's ongoing efforts to ensure that impurities are kept at a minimum.
Lise Bouffard has made Jamaica her home and invested her time in learning about the local history and culture.
Lise has invested in the proper equipment, with the thermometer being an important tool.
Lise Bouffard shows off a pot of goat milk which is setting and almost ready for draining.
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Christopher Serju, Gleaner Writer

When Lise Bouffard relocated to Jamaica with her husband Jean Pierre in 2000, she immediately fell in love with the people and the place. Pierre had accepted a job in the bauxite industry. Eleven years later, they have settled in Bethabara, Manchester, where Bouffard is engaged in a number of civic and voluntary activities, but nothing compares with the time she spends in the kitchen planning new culinary adventures or pursuing the one at which she is most adept - making cheese from goat's milk.

After arriving in Jamaica from Canada, she had difficulty finding goat cheese. So she began her research and found the process was quite simple. Soon she was seeking out goat farmers to supply her with the precious commodity and has even invested in a few goats of her own.

Using two books, one of which she considers her 'Bible', the French Canadian has moved to become an expert at making goat cheese and is not afraid to experiment, having used jerk seasoning and thyme to develop two definitely Jamaican flavours.

Her experimentation with local products has extended to her use of banana leaves which she 'quails' before using it to package the cheese, and she reports that it helps the ageing and flavour of the product.

After heating the fresh milk to about 30C and then ensuring that all the ingredients are well mixed in, Bouffard allows the mixture to settle for about eight hours, until the "curd is floating in the whey". This is then portioned into smaller containers with holes to allow the liquid to drain for another six hours. She explains that the time for settling and draining can vary, depending on the desired texture of the cheese.

Bouffard is able to sell all the goat cheese she can make, with production hampered largely by the inconsistency in the supply of fresh goats milk. She is looking to increase production and market her produce to hotels and supermarkets.

While the Food team sat in her kitchen last Sunday, Bouffard served up a major treat - a goat-meat patty. Yes goat-meat patty and it was delicious. That was before we sampled various batches of her cheese, with a glass of smooth Angaro merlot.

I'm looking forward to our next meeting when I will give her enough time to stock up on value-added goat products - patties and cheese!

christopher.serju@gleanerjm.com