Beaufort is made at more than 800 meters above sea level, from Tarine cow’s milk. There is another variety, even more aromatic, made at more than 1500 meters above sea level.
This very old cheese born in the 17th century in the Beaufortain valley, when the inhabitants began to make wheels of about 40 kilos, similar to Gruyère. The “Grovire”, as it used to be called, keeps and travels particularly well. It has a peculiarity, a concave heel that facilitates transport on the back of a mule, and prevents it from collapsing during ripening. Its reputation is such that during the Revolution, the committee of public safety decides to bring 10,000 quintals of it to feed the Parisians!
He changed his namefrom “Grovire” to “Beaufort” because he is from Beaufortain, and for make a difference with Gruyère, its variety had to be well identified! It was in 1865 that the Beaufort was born a second time… Until the end of the Second World War, it allowed mountain dwellers a certain financial ease. His consecration, it is in 2011 that he obtains it, with the famous PDO, protected designation of origin…
If you are greedy you can grate it on Savoyard crozets. But the crozets are already very good on their own! This small square pasta, made with water, eggs, buckwheat flour and salt, appeared in the 17th century in the Tarentaise Valley. In fact, it’s about the same dough as lasagna!
Their funny name comes from the Savoyard patois! “Croé” means “small hollow”, the one that was made in the dough by pressing it with your finger. We used a rolling pin to make them and then cut the dough into small squares so that the mountaineers could carry them easily in their backpack.
Then they were dried in the sun. Today, the recipe has evolved and there are wheat flour crozets, flavored with mushrooms, tomato, chilli… The best thing is to cook them in salted boiling water, cover them with cheese, like our Beaufort, and to serve them with local sausages! A menu to book only if you want to end up in the back of the pack!