Chester Cheese: From English Cheshire to a Quebec Sheep Village
Published
"Chester cheese" might bring to mind English Chester, also known as Cheshire, a crumbly cow's milk cheese. In Quebec, Chester refers instead to Sainte-Hélène-de-Chester, a sector of Centre-du-Québec where Fromagerie La Moutonnière…
"Chester cheese" might bring to mind English Chester, also known as Cheshire, a crumbly cow's milk cheese. In Quebec, Chester refers instead to Sainte-Hélène-de-Chester, a sector of Centre-du-Québec where Fromagerie La Moutonnière has been transforming sheep's milk for over thirty years, notably into firm-textured sheep's milk cheeses like the Fleurs des Monts.
Chester, one name, two stories
The word Chester carries two very different meanings depending on the context.
In England, Chester is the French name given to Cheshire, a traditional cheese made from cow's milk. It's generally described as dense, crumbly and lightly salted, available in white, red or blue versions. This cheese has no connection to sheep's milk whatsoever.
In Quebec, Chester instead identifies Sainte-Hélène-de-Chester, a municipality in Centre-du-Québec. It's in this area that Fromagerie La Moutonnière has been making its sheep's milk cheeses since the early 1990s. Talking about "Chester cheese" in a Quebec context most often means talking about this village and its sheep dairy production, not the English cheese.
Calling Sainte-Hélène-de-Chester the "sheep's milk cheese capital" remains an affectionate editorial way of describing it, not an official title. No organization grants this kind of designation: it's simply a way to describe a place where sheep's milk plays a major role in local cheesemaking activity.
The cheesemaker of Sainte-Hélène-de-Chester
Fromagerie La Moutonnière presents itself as the first in Quebec to have processed sheep's milk, operating since 1992. The company has built its catalogue around about ten sheep's milk cheeses, a yogourt (the Royogourt) and farm by-products like wool socks and sheepskins.
This description comes from the cheesemaker itself; it isn't an independent certification, but it does reflect the company's clear focus on sheep's milk rather than cow's milk.
Firm-textured sheep's milk cheese and the Fleurs des Monts
Within the firm-textured cheese family, the Fleurs des Monts holds a prime spot in the catalogue. A firm-textured sheep's milk cheese stands out for its denser texture compared to a soft cheese, which makes it easy to slice and work into a cheese board or a cooked dish.
Compared to English Chester made from cow's milk, firm-textured sheep's milk cheese offers a different flavour profile, often described as richer, without this making it an equivalent or interchangeable product. The two cheeses follow distinct traditions.
A catalogue that goes beyond firm-textured cheese
The cheesemaker's catalogue isn't limited to firm-textured cheeses. You'll also find soft cheeses, sheep's milk fetas and a ricotta. The Sein d'Hélène, for its part, combines sheep's milk and cow's milk; it shouldn't be presented as a pure sheep's milk cheese.
This variety makes it possible to put together a diverse cheese board while sticking to sheep's milk, except for mixed products clearly identified as such.
Putting together a cheese board or ordering online
For a host preparing a cheese board, sheep's milk cheese offers a good flavour compromise between mild and bold, to use the cheesemaker's own words. A few useful pointers:
- Vary the textures: a firm cheese, a soft cheese and a feta cover three different profiles.
- Plan for a simple accompaniment, like bread or dried fruit, to let the sheep's milk flavour come through.
- Check the exact composition of a mixed product like the Sein d'Hélène before presenting it as a pure sheep's milk cheese.
Orders can be placed directly online, with delivery across Quebec or pickup at one of the cheesemaker's two locations. To explore the full range of cheeses, yogourt and farm products, the online shop remains the simplest starting point.
To learn more about sheep's milk
Visitors curious about the history of the area, the production methods or tasting pairings can check out the articles in the cheesemaker's journal, which explores these topics in greater depth across its posts.
Related reading:
Frequently asked questions
- What is Chester cheese?
- According to La Moutonnière, Chester, also known as Cheshire, is a traditional English cheese made from cow's milk, with a dense, crumbly texture. It has no connection to the sheep's milk cheeses made in Sainte-Hélène-de-Chester, Quebec, despite sharing the name.
- What is Cheshire called in French?
- English Cheshire is commonly called Chester in French. It's a cow's milk cheese, distinct from the sheep's milk cheeses associated with the Quebec village of the same name.
- What is English cheddar?
- As La Moutonnière explains, cheddar and Chester (Cheshire) are two distinct English cheeses, each with its own texture and production tradition. Chester isn't simply a translation of cheddar, even though both are made from cow's milk.
- Is cheddar a real cheese?
- Yes, cheddar is a genuine cheese obtained through coagulation, draining and aging of milk. However, it belongs to a different tradition and cheese family than Chester or sheep's milk cheeses.
- Where can you find a firm-textured sheep's milk cheese like the Fleurs des Monts?
- The Fleurs des Monts, a firm-textured sheep's milk cheese, is made by Fromagerie La Moutonnière in Sainte-Hélène-de-Chester, Centre-du-Québec. It's available through the online shop with delivery across Quebec or pickup on-site.