Gabarre

With its two kilos shaped like a barge and its mast proudly planted into its delicate paste, it is no exaggeration to say that the Gabarre immediately captures one’s attention. « It is a cheese which tells a great story, a true story, and what’s more it tastes good ! It has a bit of “ mâche ” or chewiness and it has a higher fat content than our other goat cheeses », explains Emmanuel Melet (Port-Aubry Farm, in the northwest part of the Burgundy-Nevers region, bordering the Loire River). Their new creation carries the name of a traditional flat-based vessel, previously used to get from island to island along the Loire River. Emmanuel digs deep into his memories with so much affection because his grandfather once envisioned buying one of these islands in the seventies in order to graze his herd of goats. « At the time, the goat was the poor man’s cow, most of the goat herders didn’t have any land, and they would therefore lead their herds to the banks of the Loire as well as to the numerous islets found along the river. They would take herds across on barges known as “ gabarre ”! They were allowed to use the islets because the goats are great at clearing land and this kept the islets from becoming overrun with brush and just by eating, they kept the river from overflowing. »

Made from raw milk, like the rest of the Port-Aubry production (crottin de Chavignol AOP, Cabri, Cosne du Port-Aubry, Chevr’ail, Tomette, Clochette...), Gabarre is a lactic cheese whose moulding process requires delicate handling « in order to hold it all together ». « However, without revealing my secrets, I can tell you that I am quite lucky : Mother Nature takes care of naturally shaping the borders of the “ boat ” », Emmanuel Melet states with a smile. The 400 goats from the farm, which are visited by some 70 000 visitors each year, are primarily grass-fed during the warmer months. « During the winter, we put so much emphasis on unrefined fodder that we barn-dry. And we un-season our herd (using light, and without hormonal devices) so that neither the cheese dairy’s flora nor the whey experience a “ break ” period. »

Raw milk

Gabarre is meant to be sold by the cut. On the back of the sail you can read all about the product’s history. The drawing of a « gabarre » filled with goats which appears on the front of the sail is very appealing. All of the necessary ingredients are united to make the Gabarre set sail… « Although it is a new cheese, it is not a modern cheese, qualifies Emmanuel Melet. It is a product for dairies who like History and memories... and of course who like a little novelty on their shelves. » For further information : the farm’s new web site, www.ferme-portaubry.fr.