Chevrotin cheese . French cheese that has been recognized as a designation of origin at European level under Regulation ( EC ) No 1357/2005 of the Commission of 18 of August of 2005 , despite opposition from Italy , which could be considered generic. It can also be found written as Cheverottin des Aravis or Chevrotin des Aravis . It is a cheese made in the Rhône-Alpes region, Haute-Savoie and Savoie department .
Summary
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- 1 History
- 2 Elaboration
- 3 Features
- 4 Tasting Period
- 5 Sources
History
The first references to Chevrotin date back to the 18th century , although the existence of this cheese in Savoy and Haute Savoy is surely much earlier. It is made in the pre-alpine massifs of Chablais , Bauges and Aravis , in which difficult natural circumstances are found: steep relief, humid climate, calcareous soil with specific vegetation from which only Savoyard goats can feed, since they are so comfortable like chamois on steep slopes.
The most pertinent documents are the lease contracts , in which the farmer had to deliver in payment of the leased pastures a certain number of cheeses, among which Chevrotin is usually cited. Although the goat cabin was not very important, the Chevrotin was manufactured after weaning the kid, that is, when it was raised on the mountain pastures.
Elaboration
It is made with raw and whole goat milk from the Alpine and Saanen breeds . It is different from the typical chèvre of the Loire Valley . It is manufactured in a similar way to reblochon, for what is known as the “reblochon of the goats”. It matures over a period of between 3 and 6 weeks. Cheeses of the controlled designation of origin ‘Chevrotin’ are marketed with an individual label bearing the name of the designation of origin. The logo of the cheese of this denomination must have the logo, with the initials «INAO», the indication «Denomination of controlled origin» and the name of the denomination. The name of the controlled designation of origin must appear in characters of a dimension equivalent to 120% of any other characters that appear on the label.
features
It has 45% fat. It is shaped like a cylinder between 3 and 4.5 centimeters high and between 9 and 12 centimeters in diameter and weighs between 250 and 350 grams. It is sold in individual packages which, among other things, have a false bottom timber of fir . It contains a minimum of 45 grams of fat for every 100 grams of cheese after drying is complete and whose dry matter content must not be less than 45 grams per 100 grams of cheese. It is a pressed cheese, uncooked, with washed rind, totally or partially covered at the end of the maturation period by a fine white foam basically composed of geotrichum. The bark is rosy white. It has a flexible and consistent paste to subtle taste.
Tasting Period
Its optimal tasting period lasts from May to September after a 5-week maturation , but it is also excellent from April to November. It pairs well with a red wine from Savoy ( Mondeuse ) or Roussette from Seyssel , Apremont , Abymes .
