The Abbey of Notre-Dame de Scourmont is the home of some very happy monks. They are more famous for their line of beers called Chimay but they have also been making cheese since 1876. Grand Cru is the best of these cheeses, it is washed in brine and aged in the cellars of the abbey.
The ripening process takes six weeks and occurs in the traditional manner. This cheese is made from pasteurised milk, has a semi-firm texture with a taste that is both forthright and soft.
Chimay is one of only three cheese-makers in the entire world that can call their cheeses Trappist. To be a Trappist cheese, three rules must be followed:
1) The cheese must be made, 100%, within the Abbey walls.
2) The whole cheese making process must be overseen by the monks.
3) All profits must be reinvested in the Abbey's foundation that provides funding for community projects.
