The difference between a regular sandwich and a fine one that feels like it came straight from a neighbouring deli you see on TLC is some good cheese. Being born in India cheese is looked upon as a condiment, a garnish that street food vendors top your food off with. But a well-crafted cheese that is produced with intention and care can become the source ingredient of your dish. The best example would be a charcuterie board where it's the main character. If you're being pulled towards a more elevated culinary practice and a more refined palette, here's a list of artisanal cheeses across India that you can get your hands on:
Eleftheria Cheese sources local ingredients of the highest quality to form their delectable, artisanal cheeses inspired by European flavours. The milk, their primary ingredient, comes from the finest organic farms. Founded by Mausam Jotwani, Eleftheria Cheese was inspired when Mausam's travels to Germany and having experienced the world of cheeses beyond the ones used in India. What sets Eleftheria apart is that they craft only fresh, cow’s milk cheeses, and they are inspired by French, Greek and Italian styles.
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Based in Kashmir, Himalayan Cheese was founded by Dutch entrepreneur Chris Zandee. With fresh mountain milk, lip-smacking delights of Gouda, Cheddar, Mozzarella, Kalari and the likes are the top-notch creations of Himalayan Artisan Cheese. Their light flavours caress your taste buds with each bite of their locally-crafted cheeses that are made from freshly grown ingredients and infused with flavours like chilli, cumin, fenugreek, black pepper, walnut, mustard, basil garlic and more.
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Combining Indian, Dutch and French techniques, this joint based in Auroville produces almost 10 different varieties of gourmet cheeses. Giving utmost importance to high hygiene standards, each product is free of preservatives, artificial flavouring or colours. La Ferme even offers site visits, so you can watch these delicious cheeses being crafted right before your eyes. Some of their products are the farm cheese, lofabu, jeera cheese, swissly, cheddar, blue d’auroville, gruyere, and gorgonzola among others.
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From fresh homemade chèvre and labneh to camembert and aged gruyere, The Cheese Collective hosts a wide range of hand-crafted delectable flavoured cheese fit for every occasion be it an elaborate party, a corporate event, or even for a quaint dinner for two. Started by Mansi Jasani in 2013, the brand fuses various ingredients that complement each other's flavours, creating a unique culinary experience in every gooey, bloomy, smooth or blue-veined bite. Apart from producing their own cheese as well as hosting cheeses produced by other makers, The Cheese Collective also organizes cheese education sessions and workshops.
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Gooey and deliciously flavoured exotic artisanal cheeses with an intoxicating aroma wafting from a basement in Dahisar might sound bizarre, but The Spotted Cow Fromagerie makes it happen. Brothers Prateeksh and Agnay Mehra started out by brewing delicious hand-crafted beers, and more recently have moved into exotic cheese-making. Imagine a temperature-controlled basement in the city’s suburbs plastered with printed notes on various artisanal cheeses, crowded with large vats of milk and even larger refrigerators - that’s the dream being lived by the Mehra duo.
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Named after the German word for cheese, Käse brings you delicious cheese with a side of social empowerment. Conceptualised by Namrata Sundaresan after she took a cheesemaking course at the Acres Wild cheese farm in Conoor, the focus of this company is to make cheese that is fresh, affordable, healthy, and clean. Käse’ employs people with disability who are trained by Anuradha Krishnamoorthy, the founder of CAN DO, a BPO that empowers people with disabilities. The cheesemaker is founded on the concept of clean eating and only uses grass-fed cow’s milk from local farms in their production. Käse produces 20 varieties of cheese, from Creamy Gouda and Soft Cream Cheese to Mint Halloumi and Smoked Mozzarella. They also offer delectable dips, relish, salads and bread.
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Run by an Indo- French couple, François and Debarati Laederich who took a life changing decision to move to the Himalayas from the coast of South India, Amiksa Cheese islocated in Mashobra valley, a small village nestled amongst the majestic views of the Shimla Hills where grass-fed cows are hand-milked every morning by villagers, collected and brought to the unit where the cheese making process starts immediately. Amiksa offers Feta cheese, a four month aged Cheddar, a gentle and buttery Fontina, a Cumin Gouda especially suited for the Indian palatte, Borsalino, a spreadable, tangy cheese with fresh herbs and pepper and much more.
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"India is such a huge milk-producing country and yet, we find people bringing back cheese from their international holidays", thought Shruti Golchha and chef Manu Chandra before starting Begum Victoria that produces cheese using the A2 cows in India. Their best sellers are the Havarti, a semi soft danish cheese that goes well with figs and raisins Manchego is firm buttery Spanish cheese, Gruyere is full body with fruity tones that journeys towards nutty and earthy and their Chilli Gouda is embellished with chilli flakes for some spice.
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If you enjoyed reading this, here's more from Homegrown:
A Brief History of Bandel: The Bengali Cheese With A Colonial Past
From Himalayan Kalari To Bengal’s Bandel – 7 Traditional Cheeses Worth Trying
From Peynir To Paneer: The History Of India’s Beloved Cheese