Abbaye de Tamié, Monastic cheese production at Tamié Abbey, Savoie, France
Tamié is a pressed uncooked cheese made from cow's milk in an abbey located in the Savoie region. The cheese develops a golden-yellow rind that becomes covered with white mold as it ages in the monastery's cool cellars.
Monastic cheesemaking began at this abbey in 1132 and has continued without interruption. The practice has remained central to the monastery's life and has helped establish a respected French cheese tradition.
The cheese takes its name from the monastery where it originates in the Alpine foothills. Visitors can understand how monastic communities shaped local food traditions and continue to practice traditional cheesemaking as part of their daily life.
The cheese requires several weeks to mature in the monastery's aging rooms before becoming available. Visitors interested in traditional cheesemaking can learn about the process directly from the monastic community.
The monastery converts whey left over from cheesemaking into methane gas to heat its water systems. This recycling approach demonstrates how the monastic community finds practical uses for every part of production.
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