Sweet Cheese

Smile! In the Auvergne region of central France, it may mean any one of five great cheeses to be awarded the status (AOC AOC) and a guarantee of quality. In fact, no other region of France can claim as many quality cheeses AOC.

The cheeses are key: Bleu d'Auvergne, Cantal, Saint-Nectaire, Fourme d'Ambert and Salers.

Each of these five cheeses has acquired a PDO (Protected Designation of Origin) certification, ensuring products of the highest quality. PDO identifies products whose character is tied to a particular region and each product is tested regularly to ensure they continue to meet the required standards. PDO since 1992 has been recognized at European level.

Bleu d'Auvergne is probably one of the great blue cheeses of the world. Sweeter than the most famous Roquefort, it has been done since the mid-1900s in the traditional manner from cow's milk. The blue veins have traditionally been formed by the addition of the mold cracked rye bread. Today, the veins are created by the addition of Roquefort penicillin and later pierced with wire. The cheese is then placed at the entrance of one of the many caves in the area for maturation. Today, production is limited to six and one dairy farm, which produce over 6,000 tons per year. To eat a salad or by itself, a good Bleu d'Auvergne is a firm but creamy texture and should spread easily on bread or crackers. Other great dishes using Bleu d'Auvergne is "Potatoes Blue Cheese Gratin" and "pear and blue cheese tart, best washed down with sweet wine, Sauternes or Monbazillac, for example, to counteract the rear taste a little salty.

Cantal is defined in terms of age, young Cantal (young - mature in 30-60 days), Cantal Entre Deux (middle - aged for 90 to 210 days) and Cantal old (adults - matured for more than 240 days) . Cantal Young has a slight buttery flavor while more mature versions were compared Cheddar, Cantal has a much softer texture. The cheese (and region) named after the earlier peak in the area, "the Plomb du Cantal" in more than 6,000 feet, and was produced for over 2000 years. Two types of Cantal are produced. Cantal farmer, is made from unpasteurized milk and agricultural products. Dairy Cantal is made from pasteurized milk and milk products is the main commercial version of mass production. Both types use the milk of Salers breed of cow. To produce the flavor of Cantal cows are supplied only with hay (for food) in the summer months. The cheese is versatile and can be used for example in omelets, salads, soups, truffles (a traditional dish made from Auvergne sliced potatoes) and melted cheese.

The production of Saint-Nectaire is restricted to 70 cities located in the volcanic region of the Monts Dore. Ferme Saint-Nectaire is labeled with green oval label, and dairy products produced version with a sticker green square. The Salers breed is once again the cow of choice for both traditional and commercial milk production, with farms with unpasteurized milk, as opposed to commercial use of pasteurized milk. Saint-Nectaire farm is firmer than the mass production version. Another difference between the farm and factory versions is that the use of milk from farms in one herd of cows, but the dairies can use milk from several different herds of cows. This can have a great effect on the taste. Dinner herds on the rich mountain flora found at altitudes over 1000 meters. Happy St. Nectaire has a nutty, fruity flavor and is best accompanied by a rich Bordeaux finish to complement the sauce.

Fourme d'Ambert blue cheese is a soft, less well known than Roquefort or Bleu d'Auvergne, but is nevertheless a fine all round cheeses. According to legend, this cheese has been in production at TI.