Red smear-ripened cheeses

Red smear-ripened cheeses are a speciality on the cheese market. After production these cheeses are washed with the Linens bacteria which gives them their characteristic colouring. This process is repeated for six weeks to produce a soft, easy cheese with a characteristic flavour and aroma. This is a very specific process which Jan Bastiaansen studied in depth. He spent a week in the Alsace observing the craftsmanship of local cheesemakers and went on to make a success of producing this variety of cheese in the Netherlands. These red smear-ripened cheeses have been produced by Bastiaansen Bio since 1994. At the moment there are plain varieties made from cow’s milk and goat’s milk, but varieties flavoured with herbs are also available; Charmeux Caramelised Onion, Trio Mixed Peppers, Porcini and Fenugreek, for example. And our product developers continue to work on new varieties and flavours.

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