Auvergne Cheeses | Artisanal cheeses archive | Cheese Atlas

Salers

Cheese Atlas — Sat, 11 Feb 2023 23:05:43 +0000

Salers cheese is a delicious and flavourful cheese that has been enjoyed for generations. Made from the milk of Salers cows, the cheese has a rich and nutty flavor, with hints of grass and hay. Read on to learn more about this historic French cheese.

What is Salers?

Salers cheese is a type of pressed uncooked cheese that originated in the Auvergne region of France. It is made from the milk of Salers cows, which are a breed of cattle that are known for their high-quality milk. Undoubtedly, the cheese is renowned for its rich and nutty flavour. And it has been enjoyed for generations by cheese lovers all over the world.

How is Salers made?

Salers cheese is made from raw, unpasteurized milk that has been collected from Salers cows. The cheesemaker starts by gently warming up their milk and mixing in rennet. Consequently, the rennet curdles the milk and separates it into solids (curds) and liquids (whey). Then, they place the curds into moulds to drain and solidify.

Once the curds have formed into a solid cheese, they are placed into a saltwater brine, which helps to preserve the cheese and give it its characteristic salty flavour. After a few days in the brine, the cheese is removed and left to dry. Afterwards, an affineur will age each wheel for several months. During this time, they regularly turn and wipe the cheeses to ensure that it develops a uniform texture and flavour.

Flavour profile

When it comes to taste, Salers cheese has a rich and nutty flavour, with hints of grass and hay. The cheese is slightly salty, with a firm texture that crumbles easily. While some people describe the flavour of Salers cheese as being similar to that of a mature Cheddar. However, this cheese is much drier and has a more distinct flavour than its British counterpart.

Serving guide

As for pairings, you will want to enjoy Salers cheese with a full-bodied red wine, such as a robust Syrah or a bold Cabernet Sauvignon. Furthermore, the cheese is great with beers such as a Dark Ale or a Stout. Additionally, Salers cheese can be paired with nuts and fruit, such as walnuts, figs, and dried apricots. Finally, this French classic cheese is also delicious when used in cooking, and can be grated over pasta dishes, soups, and stews.

Alternatives to Salers

While Salers is definitely a unique cheese, it can be tricky to source outside of its native France. If you’re looking for a similar experience, Comté, Beaufort or Abondance are three great options that are a bit more accessible.

Thank you for reading

Thank you for reading this post about yet another amazing artisanal cheese. Have you tried this cheese before? Drop us a comment below with your thoughts.

If you enjoy learning about new cheeses, you can subscribe to our newsletter below. You will hear from us about once a week as we share new cheese profiles with you.

Finally, keep scrolling to find some more cheeses and recipes that have been recommended for you. Keep it cheesy!

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Bleu d’Auvergne

Cheese Atlas — Wed, 25 Jan 2023 05:48:07 +0000

France is renowned for its blue cheeses. And few of them are as famous as the AOP stamped Bleu d’Auvergne. Read on to learn about this cow’s milk blue cheese. And find out how best to serve it.

Where does Bleu d'Auvergne come from?

Bleu d’Auvergne is a blue cheese that is made from cow’s milk in the Auvergne region of central France. It has a semi-soft paste with a crumbly texture and a characteristic blue-green mould that is present throughout the interior of the cheese.

The production of Bleu d’Auvergne is regulated by the Appellation d’Origine Protégée (AOP), which ensures that the cheese is made using traditional methods and that it meets certain quality standards. This means that local producer must use milk that comes from specific breeds of cow. And every step of production and maturation takes place within the Auvergne region.

How is Bleu d'Auvergne made?

To make this blue cheese, the cheesemaker first heats their milk to a temperature of about 32-35°C (90-95 °F). Afterwards, they add a combination of Penicillium roqueforti and Penicillium glaucum mould spores, which will eventually form the blue veins. The curds are then separated from the whey, and are pressed into moulds to form the cheese. Finally, an affineur will age each wheel of blue cheese for a minimum of four weeks.

Overall, Bleu d’Auvergne has a strong, pungent aroma and a sharp, tangy flavour. The blue-green mould that is present throughout the interior of the cheese gives it a distinct, spicy taste that is often described as “peppery” or “nutty.”

How to serve Bleu d'Auvergne

As always, you will want to serve your cheese at room temperature. Since its flavour is so complex, Bleu d’Auvergne can be eaten on its own as a table cheese. Or you can pair it with a variety of foods and drinks. Some great options here include pear, apple and figs. As well as nuts such as walnut and hazelnut. Finally, pour yourself a class of Syrah or Pinot Noir, or a pint of Stout or Porter.

Bleu d’Auvergne is a great addition to salads, sandwiches, and pasta dishes, and it can also be melted and used as a topping for pizza or a filling for omelettes.

Thank you for reading

Thank you for reading this post about yet another amazing artisanal cheese. Have you tried this cheese before? Drop us a comment below with your thoughts.

If you enjoy learning about new cheeses, you can subscribe to our newsletter below. You will hear from us about once a week as we share new cheese profiles with you.

Finally, keep scrolling to find some more cheeses and recipes that have been recommended for you. Keep it cheesy!

The post Bleu d’Auvergne appeared first on Cheese Atlas.

Saint Agur

Cheese Atlas — Thu, 02 Sep 2021 03:53:43 +0000

Shamelessly rich and creamy

Saint Agur is a rich and creamy blue cheese that originates from the Auvergne region in central France. In an area renowned for Bleu d’Auvergne and Fourme d’Ambert, this milder blue cheese can definitely hold its own.

Furthermore, Auvergne is also home to green-covered volcanic hills and a ancient volcanic basalt stone structures.

Actually, the Saint Agur wheel draws inspiration from the volcanic basalt and uses the same octagonal shape as a tribute to its home and origins.

Guardians of a unique recipe

Today, the cheesemakers in a small village in Auvergne called Beauzac are the guardians of this unique recipe that combines blue mould and a wonderful mushroomy flavour.

Indeed, they use local milk predominantly from Montbéliarde cows to make these octagonal wheels. Each cheese is salted by hand to help augment its celebrated aroma and flavour.

Subsequently, they repeatedly pierce each wheel with needles during the first weeks of the maturation process. The affineurs do this to allow oxygen to flow in and trigger the development of blue veins.

Finally, they ripen the cheese for ten weeks in a controlled environment. This allows the cheese to develop its complex taste and decadent texture.

How to serve Saint Agur

Enjoy this popular blue on its own or with a crusty French baguette. It also makes the perfect accompaniment to pears or figs.

Pair with a sweet, white wine such as a Sauternes or a glass of port at Christmas time.

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Paul Dischamp Saint-Nectaire

Cheese Atlas — Sun, 29 Aug 2021 07:29:46 +0000

The first cow’s milk AOP cheese

Paul Dischamp Saint-Nectaire is an historic washed rind cheese originating from the northern Auvergne region in France. According to its rich tradition, it is made using the raw milk of Salers cows. Moreover, their milk is rich in phosphorus, potassium and magnesium and is perfect for cheesemaking.

This washed rind was the first cow’s milk cheese in Europe to be protected by the AOP stamp. Actually, it is exclusively made in the Auvergne mountains, at an altitude of around 1000m, on volcanic lands (Puy de Dôme, Cantal, Massif du Sancy, etc.).

Taste of the glassland flora

Overall, the richness of the natural grassland flora at a high altitude makes for a milk with delicate aromas and gives the Saint-Nectaire its original taste.

The formed wheels are matured for a minimum of 28 days during which they develop a greyish-purple rind that is covered in white, yellow and red mould. The aroma is reminiscent of a ripe nectarine, even though the names are not related. In addition to this, it has a rich semi-soft texture and a unique sweet and fruity flavour.

Paul Dischamp is an affineur based in the township of St. Nectaire itself and they produce both a fermier (farmhouse) Saint-Nectaire made with raw milk and a laitier one made with pasteurised milk. Unfortunately, due to restrictions on raw milk soft cheeses in Australia, we only have access to the laitier version.

How to serve Saint-Nectaire

Serve at room temperature with stonefruit, raw vegetables, olive, bread and salami. Enjoy with a glass of a light or aromatic red wine like Beaujolais or Pinot Noir.

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Cantal

Cheese Atlas — Sun, 03 May 2020 05:42:13 +0000

When age does matter

Cantal is a semi-hard cow’s milk cheese from the Cantal region in the Auvergne Rhône-Alpes department.

Unlike the majority of AOC cheeses, its appellation is subdivided into 3 categories based on the maturity of the cheese: Jeune, Entre-Deux and Vieux.

Traditionally, cheesemakers use a cylindrical mould that is similar to the one for the famous blue cheese, Fourme d’Ambert.

From one month onwards

Between one and two months, it is called “Jeune” and has a mild, milky flavour sometimes nutty or with a taste of vanilla. Moreover, its rind is fine and the pâte is an ivory colour.

From 3 to 6 months, the cheese is classed as “Entre-Deux” and its characteristics are more pronounced. Indeed, its buttery and creamy aroma is intensified as is its earthy fragrance. Also, the rind starts to develop golden patches.

Finally, at 6 months, Cantal cheese becomes “Vieux“. At this age, its aromas are peppery and spicy, with a barnyard quality. Besides, its rind is thick, dotted with red and orange blooms, and the interior of the cheese is darker in colour. This cheese has an extraordinary and magical flavour which is left to ripen by time.

How to pair Cantal

Enjoy the Jeune with a dry white wine from Saint-Pourçain or a Chinon.

Pair with the Entre-Deux and Vieux with a Cabernet Sauvignon. The cassis and cedar notes will bounce brilliantly off the earthiness of the cheese.

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