Chaource cheese
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| Chaource | |
|---|---|
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| Country of origin | France |
| Region, town | Aube, Yonne |
| Source of milk | Cows |
| Pasteurised | Depends on variety |
| Texture | Soft-ripened |
| Fat content | ~50% |
| Aging time | 2–4 weeks |
| Certification | French AOC 1977 |
| Named after | Chaource |
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Chaource (French pronunciation: [ʃa.uʁs] ) is a French cheese, originally manufactured in the village of Chaource in the Champagne-Ardenne region.
Chaource is a cow's milk cheese, cylindrical in shape at around 10 cm (3.9 in) in diameter and 6 cm (2.4 in) in height, weighing either 250 g (8.8 oz) or 450 g (16 oz). The central pâte is soft, creamy in colour, and slightly crumbly, and is surrounded by a white Penicillium candidum rind.
History
[edit]The cheese has been made in its namesake village since at least the Middle Ages. Cheese is still manufactured there, ranging from small cheese makers to industrial-scale production further away. It is only made in a tightly controlled area in the départements of Aube and Yonne.
Manufacture
[edit]It was recognised as an Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée (AOC) cheese in 1970 and has been fully regulated since 1977.
The AOC regulations state that:
- Coagulation must be principally lactic and last for at least 12 hours.
- Drainage of the cheese must be slow and spontaneous.
Made using a similar recipe to that of Brie, affinage is usually between two and four weeks and the cheese is generally eaten young. The gently-salted central pâte has a light taste and a characteristic 'melt-in-the-mouth' texture. The fat content is a minimum of 50%.
Regulations currently allow both pasteurised or unpasteurised milk to be used during manufacture.
Style
[edit]In her 2010 book Cheese: Exploring Taste and Tradition, Patricia Michelson says: "Chaource has a bitter nutshell-like flavor, with an earthiness reminiscent of the style of the wine here, and you would think it would be a perfect match for the cheese. You should be careful to find the perfect flavor partner, however, because the cheese is also on the salty side."[1]
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ Michelson, Patricia (2010). Cheese: Exploring Taste and Tradition. Gibbs M. Smith Inc. p. 59. ISBN 978-1423606512.