A The Greek Kiss, a grape-leaf wrapped disc of Belle Chevre.

Belle Chevre is an artisanal goat cheese maker in rural Alabama. It was established in 1986 and is located in Limestone County, Alabama near Elkmont.

Company history

Belle Chevre was founded by Leone Jones Asbury, who later partnered with, then sold her share of the endeavor to, Liz Parnell who then sold to Tasia Malakasis in 2007. In April 2013 Belle Chevre opened their first cheese shop & tasting room in downtown Elkmont, AL offering free tastings of all of their products to any one who walks in the door. Tasia expanded the product line and focused on branding. Current owner of Belle Chevre is Foster McDonald of Arab, Alabama.

Product line

Belle Chevre's product line includes classic goat cheese and goat cheese spreads in five flavors (original, honey, garden veggie, roasted red pepper, fig, and pumpkin spice).They also offer a slightly aged chevre that is hand-wrapped between two brined grape leaves called "the greek kiss".

Recognition and awards

President Tasia Malakasis outside of the Elkmont, AL creamery.

Belle Chevre has produced six different cheese types that have been honored by the American Cheese Society.[1] The cheese was selected by a James Beard Award winning chef as a runner up for Garden & Gun magazine's 2011 Made in the South award.[2] They were voted a Taste Test Award Winner by Cooking Light magazine in 2010, which declares the cheese "has earned the kind of cult status that puts small artisans on the map."[3] Steven Jenkins, one of the world's foremost authorities on cheeses of the world, said “Alabama's FBC cheeses and fromage blanc taste as fine as the best of the Loire Valley, Perigord and Provence, and that's a mouthful."[4]

See also

References

  1. ↑ Marti Buckley Kilpatrick Down-home Blue-Ribbon Cheese Who knew?; Belle Chèvre creamery near Elkmont produces fine goat cheese] February 2008 issue of Alabama Living: People & Places (a section of Southern Living)
  2. ↑ Elkmont creamery recognized in Garden & Gun magazine November 17, 2011 Deborah Storey, AL.com
  3. ↑ Cindy Hatcher 2010 Taste Test Awards; Best of the Rest: Alabama] October 2010 issue of Cooking Light.
  4. ↑ Jenkins, Steven (1996). Cheese Primer. Workman Publishing Company. pp. 64, 65. ISBN 978-0-89480-762-6.
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