"Tasting like a cheese. Lactic ferments, cheese specificity and the making of the dairy industry", Dr Elise Tancoigne (University of Geneva)

Egenis seminar series. There are just a few dairy breeds, yet there are hundreds of different cheeses. Then what makes the specificity of a cheese? In addition to dairy breeds, pasture, environmental conditions, cheesemakers’ practices, and lactic ferments have been among the most frequently cited sources of cheese specificity. Here I will explore how lactic ferments came to be considered as an essential determinant of cheese specificity and terroir in France, and its relationship with the making of the dairy industry.