affineurn.
/ˌafᵻˈnəː/, U.S. /ˌæfnˈər/ Cheese-making.
A person responsible for maturing cheese in a cellar, climate-controlled room, etc. Cf. affinage n. 2.
ΚΠ
1963 N. Barry Paris Personal 192 Henri Androuët started in 1914 as a maître fromager affineur, which means that he ripened cheeses in his vaulted cellars until they reached the point of perfection and then sold them in the shop on the ground floor.]
1976 Times 6 July 12/2 The house camembert, on which Olivier puts his own name as affineur, cost 6.40 fr.
1991 Wine & Spirits Apr. 23/2 His cheeses are ‘raised’ for him by an affineur in Paris so that one does not consume a too-young Brie.
2007 Atlantic Monthly Nov. 164/2 Hodgson and William Oglethorpe, the master affineur of Neal's Yard, relentlessly think of ways to improve even already-great cheese, like Montgomery cheddar.
This is a new entry (OED Third Edition, September 2012; most recently modified version published online December 2021).
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n.1976