Our Christmas orders are now closed. You can still buy our Cheese Subscriptions to start in January, as well as book our courses and tasting events. If you want to purchase vouchers you can do so until the 20th December but please note that it can take up to 48 hours for the vouchers to be emailed to you as we process these manually.
We have a full counter of cheese in our shop in Pangbourne so you can still come in and purchase items in store
£10.50
St Félicien has its own little spot in the world of French cheese. Its charm is all about balance. If you’re new to French soft cheeses, St Félicien is a great place to start. And if you’re already a fan, there’s plenty of depth here without anything too overpowering. It really is a celebration of texture and place. It comes from the rolling countryside of Ardèche and the Rhône-Alpes, and you can taste that farmhouse ingenuity and quiet elegance in every bite. With its delicate rind and velvety centre, it’s one of the most comforting French cheeses I know.
St Félicien (or Saint-Félicien to be precise!) is one of those French soft cheeses that feels like a real treat. It’s a small, creamy disk from the Rhône-Alpes, and if you’ve ever tried St Marcellin PGI, imagine something even silkier and more indulgent. The rind is delicate and bloomy, and the inside is so soft you could almost eat it with a spoon. It looks simple, but the flavour is anything but; there’s a lovely rustic elegance to it that always makes me smile.
As you might guess, St Félicien is named after a little town in the Ardèche, tucked away in southeastern France. Like so many good cheeses, it started out as a way for farmhouse cheesemakers to use up extra milk, nothing wasted! They made these small, soft cheeses that would ripen quickly and could be taken to the local markets.
St Félicien isn’t one of those cheeses with a medieval backstory, at least, not in the form we know today. Soft lactic cheeses have been made in the region for ages, but the St Félicien we recognise now really took shape in the 20th century. It’s often called the bigger, richer cousin of St Marcellin PGI, thanks to a bit of extra cream that gives it that gloriously voluptuous texture.
Originally, these cheeses were made with goat’s milk, goats being the hardy creatures they are, perfectly suited to the hilly, scrubby land. But as cows became more common in the Rhône-Alpes, the recipe changed. These days, St Félicien is usually made with cow’s milk, and sometimes a splash of cream for that extra silkiness.
It doesn’t have any fancy AOP or PGI status, but St Félicien is still very much a cheese of its place. Lots of small producers stick to the old ways, using gentle lactic methods that keep that farmhouse character alive.
Making St Félicien is a slow and gentle process. The milk is left to curdle very slowly, sometimes for almost a whole day, so the curds stay delicate. They’re ladled by hand into little moulds, which helps keep all that lovely creaminess inside.
After a light salting, the cheeses are aged for a week or two. A thin, bloomy rind forms, think Brie, but even more delicate. As it ripens, the inside softens from the edges in, and if you catch it at just the right moment, it’s almost spoonable.
St Félicien is a small cheese, usually about 180 to 200 grams, that ripens quickly. You have to keep an eye on it, though, because if you leave it too long, you might find the centre has turned to liquid (not always a bad thing, in my book).
What makes it special is its combination of a creamy texture and a gentle, balanced flavour. I really love its silky, creamy, nearly spoonable texture that oozes with richness. Flavour-wise, think fresh cream and sweet milk. I pick up subtle mushroom and earthy undertones with a light tanginess from its lactic fermentation. It is generally mild, never overpowering.
If you find some bloomy-rind cheeses a bit much, this cheese is a gentle introduction. It doesn’t have the strong aroma of washed-rind cheeses or the tang of something aged. Instead, it’s all about buttery, melt-in-the-mouth goodness with just enough complexity to keep things interesting. One of my favourite things about St Félicien is how it manages to be rich and creamy without ever feeling heavy. Even when it’s perfectly ripe, there’s a little tang that keeps it bright and lively.
It’s a delicate cheese, so don’t try to pre-slice it. Just scoop or gently portion it out as you go to keep it looking its best.
Jen’s note: In the Rhône-Alpes, Saint-Félicien is sometimes called a ‘fromage de dessert’. Instead of serving it before pudding, families would have it after the meal with fruit, almost like a savoury custard.
Sizes and Prices
Storage Advice
Delivery and Collection
Ingredients (Allergens are listed in capitals)
MILK, starter cultures, rennet, crème fraîche, salt
Normal opening Monday – Saturday 9am – 4pm until:
Sunday 22nd 9am – 4pm
Monday 23rd 9am – 4pm
Christmas Eve 9am – 12pm
Christmas Day Closed
Boxing Day Closed
Friday 27th Closed
Saturday 28th 9am – 4pm
Sunday 29th Closed
Monday 30th 9am – 2pm
Tuesday 31st 9am – 2pm
New Year’s Day Closed
Thursday 2nd January Closed
Friday 3rd 9am – 4pm then open as normal
After Christmas our courier delivery slots start from 8th January.
