FROMAGERIE JACQUIN Bouch de Lucay 1/3 LB

FOR OVER A THOUSAND YEARS, THE LOIRE REGION OF FRANCE HAS SPECIALISED IN MAKING GOAT’S MILK CHEESES THANKS TO THE LUSH VEGETATION OF THE REGION AND THE KNOWLEDGE AND GOATS LEFT BEHIND BY VISITING SARACENS. MANY OF THE BEST EXAMPLES HAVE BEEN PRODUCED FOR CENTURIES AND TAKE THEIR NAME FROM THE VILLAGE WHERE THEY WERE FIRST CREATED. MANY HAVE THESE NAMES AND THEIR RECIPES ARE PROTECTED BY THE COUNTRY’S AOP SYSTEM – SOME EXAMPLES BEING ST MAURE DE TOURAINE, VALENCAY AND SELLE-SUR-CHER. IN 1947, THE JACQUIN FAMILY ESTABLISHED A SMALL DAIRY IN THE REGION FOCUSING ON MANY OF THESE LOCAL SPECIALITIES, WITH PRESENT DAY PRODUCTION NOW INCLUDING BOTH TRADITIONAL AND MODERN GOAT CHEESES, USING BOTH RAW AND PASTEURISED MILK. ONE OF THE GRANDER FORMATS THEY PRODUCE IS THIS TYPICAL, LOG-SHAPED CHEESE THAT TAKES ITS NAME FROM NEARBY LUÇAY-LE-MÂLE. FRESH, SALTED CURDS ARE COVERED WITH PENICILLIUM CANDIDUM AND RIPENED IN HUMID ROOMS TO ENCOURAGE THE MOULDS TO FORM A VELVETY WHITE COAT. TRANSPORTED IN A SPECIAL ‘CLOCHE’ TO ENSURE THE MOULD CONTINUES TO RIPEN, THIS CHEVRE HAS A DRY, CRUMBLY CENTRE SURROUNDED BY A RING OF SOFT RIPENED GOAT’S CHEESE, ALL BLANKETED IN A SOFT VELVET-LIKE RIND. THE FLAVOUR IS RICH AND CREAMY WITH A TRADITIONAL GOAT’S MILK TANG.