Valençay PDO Cheese

Description

Valençay PDO comes from the eponymous village in Centre Val-de-Loire, France. This region is famous for its goat cheeses. It has been a PDO cheese since 1998. Entirely moulded by hand, it is shaped like a truncated pyramid. The story goes that Napoleon returned from his failed wars in Egypt and was so cross when he saw the pyramid cheese that he drew out his sword and cut all the tops off!

The production of Valençay PDO cheese may seem simple, but it follows strict conditions. The PDO permits only milk from Alpine or Saanen goats, or a cross between the two. Their feed must primarily consist of grass from grazing and cereals produced on the farm. GMOs are prohibited, and the entire process is tightly regulated. Matured for at least 11 days, it has a thin and firm texture that becomes creamier around the edges which may be slightly crumbly. Like most goat cheeses from that region, the Valençay PDO is quite savoury, with fresh, tangy flavours that become nuttier as the cheese matures.

Geeky cheese fact: In the past, the ash for its rind came from vine stalk charcoal. This meant that this type of cheese was made exclusively in areas that also produced wine.

We love this cheese with a chilled glass of Sancerre.

Ingredients (Allergens are listed in capitals)

MILK, salt, starter cultures, rennet, mould cultures, ash