Description
This goat cheese - aged for about 3 weeks, making it a young, fresh cheese - has a bloomy, moldy rind covered with vegetable ash. The inside is soft, creamy and delicious and the flavor is mild and nutty. Note the truncated pyramid shape, which dates back to when Napoleon came to the Loire after his defeat in Egypt. As to not offend him, cheesemakers truncated their pyramid-shaped cheeses and Valençay was born!
Located in the Centre-Val de Loire, Fromagerie Pascal Jacquin et Fils has specialized in making and aging the region’s traditional and exemplary goat’s milk cheeses since 1947. This fairy tale region is a land known for its majestic castles, wildlife, fishing, Sauvignon and Chenin Blanc-rich vineyards, and, of course, goat’s milk delicacies.
Fromagerie Jacquin is currently managed by two generations of the Jacquin family. Working on the manufacturing side is Pascal and his brother Christian. Pascal’s son, Romain, handles the sales department. Their cheeses are based on centuries-old recipes and production knowledge passed down throughout generations in the Loire Valley. Their expertise is in hand-ladled molding and traditional affinage. Fresh milk is collected daily within a 30-mile radius of Fromagerie Jacquin from fifty local farms whose average herd is about 150 goats. All of the cheeses made for the US market use the same milk, recipe, and craft as used for the French market, but are pasteurized to appease governmental regulations.