Caribbean Cheeses: Martinique and Guadeloupe

Fresh Cheeses of the Tropics

Fromage Pays - Type: Fresh cheese - Milk: Cow or goat, often mixed 🌱 - Characteristics: Light, often herb-infused - Cultural Note: Essential for traditional dishes

In Martinique and Guadeloupe, the tropical climate makes aged cheese production challenging, leading to a focus on fresh varieties. Local producers like Marie-José Selbonne have perfected techniques for making cheese in high humidity, using natural preservation methods including rum washing and tropical herb coatings.

Ti-Fromage Créole - Fresh cheese with scotch bonnet peppers - Created by Haitian-Martinican producers - Bridges Caribbean food cultures - 🌱 Vegetarian versions common

Modern Innovation: Young entrepreneur Kévin Martial combines his IT background with family farming traditions, using IoT sensors to monitor temperature and humidity in his Fort-de-France facility. His QR-coded products link to videos showing production, building transparency and trust.

Unique Adaptations

Coconut-Crusted Chèvre - Goat cheese rolled in fresh coconut - Created for tourist market but loved locally - Combines French technique with tropical flavors - Available at Marché de Fort-de-France

Passion Fruit Fromage Blanc - Fresh cheese with tropical fruit - Popular breakfast option - Lower lactose for tropical digestion - Sold in recyclable glass jars