chaource aop

A soft cheese made from whole cow milk with a fragrant rind, it is slightly salty, creamy and supple.  It boasts a chalky interior with a stronger, aged taste under the rind - in younger cheese, a lactic taste with the flavour of crème fraîche, but in cheese that has aged longer, a pleasantly funky taste, mixed with a buttery and nutty flavour.  As an ancestral recipe dating from the Middle Ages, the first written records of this cheese date from the 15th century, and the area has been recognised as an AOP since 1970.  This cheese owes its name to a village in Aube, in the heart of Chaource AOP.  It holds its own among other prestigious French cheeses, and is welcome on a slice of toast, paired with a glass of Porto or Champagne as an aperitif, or in a small portion as a snack.  The exceptional character comes from the cows who graze in the Champagne wetlands, time-honoured expertise and an unchanging recipe.