A Cheesy Profession

     I don't recall any of my childhood friends saying that when they grew up they wanted to become an affineur.  And even now I can't say that I know anyone personally who has followed that career track.  In fact, until just recently I didn't even know what an affineur was.

     Affinage is the process of aging cheese.  It is both an art and a skill.  And it takes years of apprenticeship and training to become a successful affineur.  While some cheese makers choose to age and purvey their own cheeses, many would rather have the critical work conducted and supervised by someone more skilled before the cheese is marketed and sold by a cheese monger.  So an affineur is a midwife of sorts, caring for something that is not his/her own and then delivering it to another.

     Consider all that is involved.  An affineur must be knowledgeable of the characteristics of different styles and types of cheese, know how they are made and their ideal flavor profiles, aromas and textures.  And with that knowledge then creating the proper environment for aging different types of cheese, blending humidity and temperature, and caring for the cheese by brushing, turning and bathing it to coax it to the peak of ripeness.  Then there are also the verbal and social skills involved in being able to express and communicate the flavors and textures with precision and accuracy.  And last but not least being able to work well in the "food chain" between the cheesemaker and the cheesemonger.

     Maybe in retirement I will take on a new career and watch cheese age as I do the same.