Sainte-Maure de Touraine

The Sainte -Maure de Touraine is made ​​from goat's milk soft French cheese. He comes from the area around Sainte -Maure de Touraine in the former historic province of Touraine in the Loire Valley. It is today at the department of Indre -et -Loire, and adjacent cantons of the departments of Indre and some neighboring municipalities of the department of Vienne.

Through the Sainte -Maure de Touraine a straw running through the middle on which the information AOC Saint -Maure de Touraine and name of operation and number of the manufacturer and are additionally ensures hold together the fragile cheese. This characteristic makes him fast thereby distinguished from other goats cheese.

The form roller has a diameter from 4.8 to 6.5 centimeters and a length of 28 centimeters. The bark is covered with a light white mold. , And the cheese usually wears an ash mantle. The dough is white and has a paste -like consistency.

The Sainte -Maure de Touraine is made by adding little rennet from goat's milk. The clotting occurs within 24 hours. The curd is then filled into elongated shapes and may be as little as possible break. The cheese is then formed, lightly salted and depending sprinkled with vegetable ash. The maturation is minimum 10 days.

The Sainte -Maure de Touraine has a mild, mushroom-like flavor with the characteristic goat flavor that intensifies with age. The smell is defined slightly to the goat. Its fat content is 23-43 % fat in dry matter.

It can be served sliced ​​ideal as an aperitif. For the gratin cheese is also very good and can be present with a salad or fruit.

Sainte -Maure is a goat cheese from the Touraine region, but only the " Sainte -Maure de Touraine " carries the AOC label.

Historical

There is evidence that the goat farm and cheese production dates back to Sainte -Maure to the Carolingian period. The Sainte -Maure has even found its way into French literature; in the book " The Touraine at the time of Balzac " by Marie Laurencin, the cheese is described.