Cantal+Cheese

=Cantal Cheese=

Background Information
Cantal cheese is one of the oldest cheeses in France, dating back 2000 years, and it comes from France’s Cantal region. There are four different primary types of the cheese. Each cheese is prepared the same way, but given a different name and flavor based off of how long it has been aged(in chronological order): Tomee, Juene, Entre-Deux, and Vieux. The aging process ranges from absolutely fresh to 6+ months.

Before the aging process, Cantal cheese is first made from the milk from a Salers breed cow. The cows are fed pasture grass from April 15 to November 15, and then the milk is harvested from November 15 to April 15 when the cows are fed hay. After the milk is harvested, the cream from the milk is formed into cylinders, where the cheese is aged. No cooking is involved in the aging or preparation of the cheese.

The cheese itself is hard, firm, and slightly sweet in its first month but as it becomes older it becomes more crumbly, brittle, and can turn spicy after 6 months. Its premier flavor resembles cheddar cheese. Tomme, the fresh cheese with no age, is enjoyed with soup and cheese potatoes. Juene, the cheese aged 30-60 days, is enjoyed with rugged bread. Entre-Deux and Vieux, both aged 4 to 6+ months, are for the richer tastes and are enjoyed with fruits, nuts, and rich wines.