Wegmans, a popular Northeastern supermarket chain, unveiled their very own cheese “cave” in early April. This 12,300-square-foot facility will provide optimal conditions for aging cheese through the art of affinage, the French term for ripening soft and washed rind cheeses such as Epoisses. The company has hired a full-time affineur trained in France to oversee half a dozen full time staff dedicated to washing, brushing, and turning cheeses. For an even more detailed look at the Wegmans cheese caves, be sure to pick up a copy of our summer issue, which hits stands June 17th!

The wheels are partially ripened in their country of origin, then chilled to arrest development during shipping. The new cheese cave will allow Wegmans to finish the process and sell these cheeses when they are at their peak of perfection. [Specialty Cheese Directory Cathy] Gaffney likened the affinage process to bananas, which are shipped green then ripened at the store.

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Molly Farrar

Molly is a web editorial intern who hails from Virginia, also known as the place with some of best ham in the world, in her humble opinion. She has yet to meet a cheese she does not like. Other interests include drinking craft beer and running, sometimes at the same time.