Chinese artisanal cheese

Marc de Ruiter is slowly increasing China’s dairy intake one Gouda Chinese artisanal cheese wheel at a time. Some call him a madman, producing cheese in a country still recovering from an infamous milk scandal and one’s that’s notoriously lactose intolerant.

But you have to admire his determination. And if it means that fresh artisanal cheeses are finally available here in Shanghai without an exorbitant import price tag, we’re only too happy to join the wagon.

Milky madness

Ruiter’s reasons for starting up his Shanxi-based, Gouda cheese company were simple: “There were no true natural or Chinese artisanal cheeses here.”

In addition, even before last year’s melamine milk scandal, Ruiter says that “small-scale farmers were dumping their milk as there was no good market in China for milk in 2003.”

With significant experience in agriculture, Ruiter understood the best way to help local farmers deal with an oversupply of milk was to produce cheese. Being a Dutchman, his first choice when it came to picking a type of cheese was, naturally, Gouda.

“Gouda is a cheese that ages well over time and doesn’t overpower when used with other ingredients. It’s an affordable substitute for grated parmesan,” he says.

As a table cheese, Gouda pairs well with several varieties of wines, from a bold glass of Shiraz to a lighter, more buttery Chardonnay.

Sustainable cheese

Ruiter holds his Chinese artisanal cheese company to strict fair-trade principles, focusing on supporting small-scale farmers and environmental protection.

Yellow Valley uses milk that is free of antibiotics, growth hormones and pesticides. To encourage farmers to stick to better and safer farming practices, they are paid 10-30 percent above the market price.

The company does not call itself organic -- an ambiguous term in China -- preferring instead to be known as natural. Ruiter adds that the “procedure [to gain organic certification] is too expensive to be worthwhile” -- an unfortunate dilemma that most organic-inclined farmers and suppliers find themselves facing today.

Ruiter is proud of the fact that Yellow Valley is “a unique company and may be the only company making artisanal, natural fair trade cheeses in the world.”

Getting your own Chinese artisanal cheese wheel

Ruiter does not foresee a bright future for specialist cheese stalls in China, hence the reason for not owning an outlet. Instead his cheese can be purchased through several different bakeries and select supermarkets.

Yellow Valley produces a variety of flavored Gouda cheeses that includes cumin, onion and garlic, Herb de Provence (thyme, basil, rosemary and tarragon) and spicy Italian. There are also plans to add truffle to the line-up very soon.

However, cheese connoisseurs should not forego the original variety. Made from full cream milk and a secret recipe that has been passed down for many generations, it should satisfy any cheese craving.

contact

Yellow Valley Farmhouse Cheese
info@cheeseinchina.com
tel +86 351 556 5491
www.cheeseinchina.com