Valençay () is a

cheese Cheese is a type of dairy product produced in a range of flavors, textures, and forms by coagulation of the milk protein casein. It comprises proteins and fat from milk (usually the milk of cows, buffalo, goats or sheep). During prod ...

made in the historic province of

Berry A berry is a small, pulpy, and often edible fruit. Typically, berries are juicy, rounded, brightly colored, sweet, sour or tart, and do not have a stone or pit although many pips or seeds may be present. Common examples of berries in the cul ...

in central

France France, officially the French Republic, is a country located primarily in Western Europe. Overseas France, Its overseas regions and territories include French Guiana in South America, Saint Pierre and Miquelon in the Atlantic Ocean#North Atlan ...

. Its name is derived from the town of

Valençay Valençay () is a commune in the Indre department in the administrative region of Centre-Val de Loire, France. Geography Valençay is situated in the Loire Valley. It sits at the end of a plateau. on a hillside overlooking the River Nahon. Va ...

in the

Indre Indre (); is a department in central France named after the river Indre. The inhabitants of the department are known as the ''Indriens'' (masculine; ) and ''Indriennes'' (feminine; ). Indre is part of the current administrative region of Cent ...

department. Distinctive in its truncated pyramidal shape, Valençay is an unpasteurised

goat The goat or domestic goat (''Capra hircus'') is a species of Caprinae, goat-antelope that is mostly kept as livestock. It was domesticated from the wild goat (''C. aegagrus'') of Southwest Asia and Eastern Europe. The goat is a member of the ...

-milk cheese weighing and around in height. Its rustic blue-grey colour is made by the natural moulds that form its rind, then darkened with a dusting of charcoal. The young cheese has a fresh, citric taste, with age giving it a nutty taste characteristic of goat cheeses. The cheese achieved AOC status in 1998 and in 2003, with AOC status for Valençay wine, it became the first region to achieve AOC status for both its cheese and its wine.

History

The historic province of Berry has been the home to many cheeses over the centuries, and produces

Selles-sur-Cher Selles-sur-Cher (, ) is a commune in the French department of Loir-et-Cher, administrative region of Centre-Val de Loire, France. The name of the commune is known internationally for its goat cheese, Selles-sur-Cher, which was first made in ...

Crottin de Chavignol Crottin de Chavignol () is a goat cheese produced in the Loire Valley. This cheese is the claim to fame for the village of Chavignol, France, which has only two hundred inhabitants. History The small cylindrical goat cheese from the area around ...

and Pouligny-Saint-Pierre amongst others. One apocryphal tale has it that

Napoleon Napoleon Bonaparte (born Napoleone di Buonaparte; 15 August 1769 – 5 May 1821), later known by his regnal name Napoleon I, was a French general and statesman who rose to prominence during the French Revolution and led Military career ...

, having returned from his disastrous campaigns in

Egypt Egypt ( , ), officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, is a country spanning the Northeast Africa, northeast corner of Africa and Western Asia, southwest corner of Asia via the Sinai Peninsula. It is bordered by the Mediterranean Sea to northe ...

, stopped at the castle at

. The local pyramidal cheese apparently aroused unpleasant memories as he allegedly then cut the top off in fury with his sword, leaving the shape that survives to the present day.

Manufacture

The

curd Curd is obtained by Denaturation (biochemistry), coagulating milk in a sequential process called curdling. It can be a final dairy product or the first stage in cheesemaking. The coagulation can be caused by adding rennet, a Kefir cheese, ...

is drained and placed in a mould. After being removed, it is covered with charcoal dust and left to ripen in a humid, ventilated room. Ripening lasts for three weeks during which time the characteristic external mould forms and the central pate—initially crumbly—softens. The cheese is available between March and December, with peak manufacture between April and August.

References

External links

Extraits de terroir, destinés au partage...
{{DEFAULTSORT:Valencay French cheeses French products with protected designation of origin Goat's-milk cheeses Berry, France

History

Manufacture

See also

References

External links