Flavors of Haute-Garonne

Suggestion of the wine waiter
Wine suggestions A sweet white (Bergerac, Montbazillac, Sauternes). It could also be paired with a red wine: Bordeaux, Cahors or Madiran.

Bleu des Causses cheese is made along the border of the Lozère and Aveyron départements of southeastern France. For centuries, artisanal dairies and cheesemakers have existed here, dotted throughout the region. It was in this land of rocky heaths with its climate of harsh contrasts that Bleu des Causses was born. The milk takes on the scent of the wild plants that grow here.

Bleu des Causses has had its own AOC (protected geographical designation) since 1975, a guarantee of its origin, quality and traditional production methods. It is aged for 2-4 months in the little village of Peyrelade, in the heart of the Tarn Gorge.

Description
Bleu des Causses is made from unpasteurized cow’s milk; it is a blue-veined cheese with a natural rind. It is similar in size and color to Roquefort (which is made from sheep’s milk), which is why Bleu des Causses was once known as “the poor man’s Roquefort.”

The whole milk is pressurized under heat. The curd is then cut, mixed and placed in perforated molds. After being cultured with penicillium and drained, the cheese is salted, brushed and pricked with needles so that the penicillium can develop under the effect of the cool humid air of the natural caves. Ripening lasts from three to six months (70 days minimum).

Buying
Bleu des Causses comes in a flat cylinder weighing 2-3 kg and with a minimum 45% fat content.

Appearance: it should have a moderately blue-veined curd; in the summer, it should be yellowish-ivory and shiny; in winter, whiter and less moist.

Texture: firm, creamy, fatty curd

Scent: a pleasant balanced aroma

Taste: full-bodied, with a more assertive taste in winter.

Enjoying
Bleu des Causses is best served at the end of a meal.

It can also be melted in an omelet or crêpe, mixed into pasta, potatoes and sauces, or served as an enhancement to grilled meats.