French Dairy, La Cave a Fromage, Cantal Entre Deux Cheese AOP (raw milk)

French Dairy, La Cave a Fromage, Cantal Entre Deux AOP (raw milk)

Cantal is the oldest cheese from Auvergne. Pliny the Elder even mentioned it in his writings! “Cantal” or “Fourme de Cantal” enjoys a registered designation of origin (AOC) since 1956 and a protected designation of origin (AOP) 1996.
This large, dry-rind cheese is exclusively made with whole cow’s milk. Its paste is uncooked and has the specificity of being pressed twice. The curds are crushed between the two pressings and salted in the mass, giving this cheese a grainy, crumbly texture.The maturation of Cantal requires at least thirty days for a “Cantal jeune” and can be continued for over eight months for a “Cantal vieux”. For intermediary maturation periods, the Cantal is referred to as “entre-deux” (with a minimum of ninety day’s maturation).The rind of Cantal bears a rectangular label, of a green color for the Cantal made with raw milk.

Its flavour, which is somewhat reminiscent of Cheddar, is a strong, tangy butter taste and grows with age. A well ripened Cantal has a vigorous taste, while a young cheese has the sweetness of raw milk.