Langres

Unfortunately, only one farmhouse or fermier producer is still making the cheese, though there a quite a few very good larger-scale producers. Although the rind is washed to encourage the growth of a light covering of B. linens, the colourant annatto is also added to give the impression of a stronger rind. A gentle candidum bloom grows over the washed rind later in maturation. Most cheeses are turned frequently during maturation to avoid the danger of the cheese collapsing in on itself. By contrast, Langres is purposely left unturned during its affinage, which takes place on oat straw. This allows the formation of the ‘fountain’ or dip on the topside of the cheese. Some people like to pour a drop of Champagne or Marc de Bourgogne into this natural indentation before sampling the cheese. The aroma can be quite pungent but the flavour is very gentle. The paste remains quite firm, though creamy and moist.