Randy Chandler
Crottin de Chavignol is a goat's milk cheese produced in the Loire Valley, France. It is a small, cylindrical cheese with a unique rippled appearance and a subtle nutty flavour. The cheese has been produced since the 16th century, but the earliest written record of it is from 1829. As it ages, it dries out and turns brown. The name Crottin is likely derived from the French word crot, meaning turd, due to its resemblance to horse dung.
Explore related products
What You'll Learn
- Crottin de Chavignol is a renowned French cheese from the Loire region
- It is made from unpasteurized goat's milk and matures into small cylindrical buttons
- When young, it is moist with a light tangy goat's milk flavour?
- As it ages, it dries out and turns brown, resembling dung
- It is marketed and eaten at all three stages of maturity
Crottin de Chavignol is a renowned French cheese from the Loire region
The cheese has a subtle, nutty flavour and a unique rippled appearance. When young, it has a solid and compact dough and a white rind. As it ripens, it takes on a stronger flavour and a harder, bluish rind. When fully mature, the dough becomes crumbly. The cheese is marketed and eaten at all three stages of maturity and is often served baked on a green salad, paired with a Sancerre wine from its home region.
The etymology of the name "Crottin de Chavignol" is uncertain. One theory is that it comes from the French word "crot", meaning a small oil lamp made from burned clay, which resembles the mould used to prepare the cheese. Another explanation is that the name refers to the resemblance of old Crottin to horse dung—the French word for animal droppings being "crotte".
Crottin de Chavignol is traditionally made by first bringing goat's milk to room temperature (74°F or 23°C). Once the milk is at room temperature, the culture and geotrichum are added. The curds are then ladled and drained in cheesecloth for 6-18 hours at a temperature of 68-72°F. After this, the curds are packed into Crottin forms and hung in cloth to promote draining. The pre-drained curd is then transferred to Crottin moulds.
Goat Cheese: Vegan or Not?
You may want to see also
It is made from unpasteurized goat's milk and matures into small cylindrical buttons
Crottin de Chavignol is a goat's cheese made from unpasteurized milk. It is produced in the Loire Valley, France, and is the claim to fame of the village of Chavignol, which has just 200 inhabitants. The cheese has been made in the area since the 16th century, but the earliest written record of it is from 1829, when its name and details were recorded by a tax inspector.
Crottin de Chavignol is made from unpasteurized goat's milk and matures into small cylindrical buttons. The cheese is sold at all three stages of maturity, and its flavour and texture change as it ages. When young, the cheese is moist with a light, tangy goat's milk flavour and a white rind. As it matures, it becomes firmer and crumbly, and the rind turns blue. This does not mean the cheese has gone bad, but that a more complex flavour has developed. When fully mature, the cheese is best served warm with mesclun greens and pairs well with Sancerre and Sauvignon Blanc.
The name "Crottin" is thought to derive from the French word "crotte", meaning "turd", as old crottin tends to harden and brown, resembling dung. Another theory is that the name comes from the small oil lamps made from burned clay, which resemble the moulds used to prepare the cheese.
Crottin de Chavignol is produced using traditional methods and is protected by the AOC Seal. If a cheese is labelled "Crottin de Chavignol", it must be from the area around Chavignol and meet stringent AOC production criteria.
Goat Cheese: A Dairy Delicacy?
You may want to see also
When young, it is moist with a light tangy goat's milk flavour
When young, Crottin de Chavignol is moist and has a light tangy goat's milk flavour. This is a French cheese from the Loire Valley region, specifically the village of Chavignol, which has only 200 inhabitants. The cheese has been produced in the area since the 16th century, but the earliest extant written record dates from 1829.
Crottin de Chavignol is made from unpasteurized goat's milk and matures into small cylindrical buttons. The name refers to its shape, resembling horse dung. The cheese is first sold when it is young and has a moist texture and tangy flavour. As it ages, it dries out and becomes firmer in texture and fuller in flavour.
The young cheese has a subtle nutty flavour that shows off the quality of the goat's milk. As it ripens, it becomes crumbly and the rind becomes a bluish colour. The blue indicates that a more complex flavour has developed. The true flavour of this cheese appears when the rind is consumed with the cheese body.
Crottin de Chavignol is marketed and eaten at all three stages of maturity: when it is young (Chavignol jeune), and the dough is solid and compact with a white rind; when it has ripened (Chavignol bleuté) and has a stronger flavour and harder rind; and when it is fully mature (Chavignol affiné), and the dough becomes crumbly and mould on the rind has matured into a bluish colour.
Goat Cheese's Perfect Cracker Companion: Finding the Right Pair
You may want to see also
Explore related products
As it ages, it dries out and turns brown, resembling dung
As Crottin de Chavignol ages, the cheese dries out and turns brown, resembling dung. This is where its name comes from, as "crottin" is likely derived from the French word "crotte", meaning "turd". The French word for animal droppings is also "crotte". The cheese is produced in Chavignol, a village in the Loire Valley, France, and has been made since the 16th century.
Crottin is a small, cylindrical goat's milk cheese. When young, it is moist with a light, tangy goat's milk flavour. As it matures, the texture becomes firmer and the flavour more intense. The cheese is marketed and eaten at all stages of maturity, from its youth (Chavignol jeune) to its full maturity (Chavignol affiné).
The cheese is formed by ladling curds into cheesecloth, which are then hung to promote draining. The curds are then packed into Crottin moulds. As the rind develops, it takes on a rippled appearance, and the cheese inside becomes crumbly. The cheese is ready to eat when the mould on the rind has matured to a bluish colour.
Crottin de Chavignol is often served warm with mesclun greens, and pairs well with Sancerre wine and Sauvignon Blanc.
Goat Cheese: A Seasonal Delicacy?
You may want to see also
It is marketed and eaten at all three stages of maturity
Crottin de Chavignol is a goat's cheese produced in the Loire Valley, France. It is a small, cylindrical cheese made from goat's milk. The cheese has been produced since the 16th century, with the earliest written record dating back to 1829.
Crottin de Chavignol is marketed and eaten at all three stages of maturity. In its youth (Chavignol jeune), the cheese has a solid and compact dough, with a white rind. Its flavour is subtle and nutty, showcasing the quality of the goat's milk. At this stage, it is moist with a light tangy flavour.
As it ripens (Chavignol bleuté), the cheese takes on a stronger flavour and a harder rind. The dough becomes crumbly, and the rind develops a bluish colour. This colouration indicates that the cheese has developed a more complex flavour.
When it reaches full maturity (Chavignol affiné), the dough becomes even crumblier, and the mould on the rind matures into a bluish hue. The cheese becomes drier and denser, and the flavour becomes much stronger, revealing the true capric flavours of aged goat cheese.
A classic dish featuring Crottin de Chavignol is baked cheese served on a green salad, often paired with Sancerre wine from the cheese's home region.
Martha's Goat Cheese Frittata: What Went Wrong?
You may want to see also
Frequently asked questions
Crottin de Chavignol is a goat's milk cheese made in the Loire Valley, France. It has a subtle, nutty flavour and a unique rippled appearance.
The curds are ladled and left to drain in cheesecloth for 6-18 hours at 68-72°F. They are then packed into Crottin forms and hung in cloth to promote draining. The curd mass is mixed lightly halfway through for even drainage. The pre-drained curd is then transferred to Crottin moulds.
The word Crottin is likely derived from the French word for "turd", "crotte", due to its resemblance to horse dung.
Crottin de Chavignol is produced in the village of Chavignol, France, which has a population of only 200 people. It has been made there since the 16th century, with the earliest written record from 1829.
Crottin is often served warm with mesclun greens and pairs well with Sancerre and Sauvignon Blanc. It is also commonly baked and served on a green salad.
