Selles-sur-Cher cheese

Selles-sur-Cher

Country of origin	France
Region, town	Sologne
Source of milk	Goats
Pasteurised	No
Texture	Soft cheese with natural mould rind
Aging time	10-30 days
Certification	French AOC 1975
Related media on Wikimedia Commons

Selles-sur-Cher is a French goats'-milk cheese made in the Centre region of France. Its name is derived from the commune of Selles-sur-Cher in the Loir-et-Cher department where it was first made in the 19th century.

The cheese is sold in small cylindrical units, around 8 cm in diameter at the base (reduced to around 7 cm at the top) and 2-3 cm in height, and weighing around 150 g.^[1] The central pâte is typical of goats cheese, rigid and heavy at first but moist and softening as it melts in the mouth. Its taste is lightly salty with a persistent aftertaste. The exterior is dry with a grey-blue mould covering its surface and has a musty odour. The mould is often eaten and has a considerably stronger flavour.

Manufacture

Around 1.3 litres (0.34 US gal) of unpasteurized milk are used to make a single 150 grams (5.3 oz) cheese. After the milk is soured using the ferment is heated to around 20 °C (68 °F). A small amount of rennet is added and left for 24 hours. Unlike most other types of cheese, the curd is ladled directly into its mould which contains tiny holes for the whey to run off naturally. The cheese is then left in a cool ventilated room at 80% humidity (dry compared to a typical cellar at 90-100% humidity) for between 10 and 30 days during which time it dries as the mould forms on its exterior. An initial coating of charcoal encourages the formation of its characteristic mould.

Selles-sur-Cher is made in fermier (36%), coopérative, and industriel production, with 747 tons produced in 2005.^[2] Although industriel production is now all year round, it is at its best between spring and autumn. The cheese was awarded AOC status in 1975.^[3] According to its AOC regulations, the cheese must be made within certain regions of the departments of Cher, Indre and Loir-et-Cher.

References

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Selles-sur-Cher (cheese).

↑ Masui, Kazuko; Tomoko Yamada (1996). French Cheeses. Dorling Kindersley. p. 83. ISBN 0-7513-0896-X.
↑ "Selles-sur-Cher". Maison du Lait.
↑ "AOC Selles-sur-Cher". INAO.

French cheeses

AOC	Abondance Banon Beaufort Bleu d'Auvergne Bleu des Causses Bleu de Gex Bleu du Vercors Brie de Meaux Brie de Melun Brocciu Camembert Cantal Chabichou du Poitou Chaource Chevrotin Comté Coulommiers Crottin de Chavignol Époisses Fourme d'Ambert Fourme de Montbrison Laguiole Langres Livarot Maconnais Maroilles Mont d'Or Morbier Munster Neufchâtel Ossau-Iraty Pélardon Picodon Pont-l'évêque Pouligny-Saint-Pierre Reblochon Rigotte de Condrieu Rocamadour Roquefort Saint-Nectaire Sainte-Maure de Touraine Salers Selles-sur-Cher Valençay

Unprotected varieties	Abbaye de Tamié Bleu de Bresse Brillat-Savarin Brie Cabécou Cancoillotte Carré de l'Est Chaumes Clochette Délice d'Argental Édel de Cléron Etorki Explorateur Gaperon Mont des Cats Mimolette Olivet cendré Port Salut Raclette Rochebaron Saint Agur Blue Saint-Félicien Saint-Marcellin Saint-Paulin Vacherin Vieux-Boulogne

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