The one with a thin straw
Bûche de Montrésor is a soft matured goat’s milk cheese made in the Loire Valley by Fromagerie Jacquin. It is inspired by the classic Sainte Maure de Touraine recipe but is made using pasteurised milk instead of raw milk.
The village of Sainte Maure lies south of Poitiers, in a region that is renowned for log-shaped cheeses.
However, a distinguishing characteristic of Bûche de Montrésor is the thin straw stick that runs through the centre of the cheese. This prevents the fragile curds from falling apart when the cheese is first removed from the long moulds and also provides ventilation for drying.
A coating of ash
The cheese is then covered with salted, powdered charcoal and laid on a board to completely drain. Affinage takes between ten days, and three to four weeks, during which the cheeses are turned every day in a well-ventilated, cool cellar at 10°-15°C with 90% humidity.
At 10 days, the logs have a light yellow rind with no mould development. At this stage, the pâte is still soft and has a pronounced tang. However, by the third week, a blue mould forms on the rind, which has now become drier. The pâte also changes to become drier, denser and smoother.
A young Bûche is fresh and acidic with citrus notes. As it ages, flavours intensify and become more nutty and salty. The mouthfeel is still surprisingly smooth.
How to pair Bûche de Montrésor
Serve with a chilled Sauvignon Blanc, Sancerre or, for something a bit more daring, a glass of Umeshu.
