(15) From Auvergne, the Lavors, an ewe’s milk delicacy with attitude.

This cheese was created in 1988 in collaboration with Mr Pierre Troisgros, of the famous Troisgros Restaurant, a 3* Michelin rated restaurant for over 60 years. I had the chance to work in this marvellous restaurant, quite a few years ago, and believe me this is an unforgettable experience.

The old Restaurant Toisgros in Roanne, now in Ouche, not far away, but not here.

Anyway, this cheese is made near Thiers, a town in the Livradois between Roanne and Clermont-Ferrand which is famous for quality knife production. Sheep of the Lacaune breed were progressively reaching northwards in the Auvergne by the late 1980’s, and producers were starting to be interested. The first tries were made by 1988 with the mould found just before. This is what makes this cheese striking: its shape. It is an old Portuguese cannonball that gave the shape of the cheese.

When young the cheese is silky smooth, pale white and delicate with sweetness. It gives a hint of herbal quality, more pronounced with maturation. At this time of the year, new milk is just available for the cheesemakers and the new cheese will be ready in about three months. The small version will be available sooner as it is more than twice as small.

Please find below some technical information about this cheese.

Area of production

The place where Lavors is made is located north of Thiers, a town located between Roanne and Clemont-Ferrand in central France, famous for its knife production. The climate is continental with cold winters and reasonably hot summers, as it is in the mountain. The area is hilly and generally made of forest and agricultural land with a good wild flora diversity, but good quality grass.

Production technical data

The Lacaune milk is brought to the dairy and is matured before it is warmed up to body temperature for coagulation with traditional rennet. The resulting curd mass is cut into small cubes, kneaded, moulded with a cloth around, and then pressed. It is then transferred to the maturing cellar where it stays on fir planks for a minimum of 100 days in a very high humidity atmosphere. The cheese is turned frequently, and the rind thickens depending on the length of the maturation which averages 4 months. Spores appear on the rind and gives a fabulous velvety quality to the rind as well.

Taste information

This cheese needs to be seen, if only for its shape. It cuts well and reveal a superb white milky paste with a delicate nutty aroma. The taste is lightly sweet with a grassy feel, a rustic quality from the rind that I qualify as damp earth, typical of Auvergne products. The aftertaste is marked by a very pleasant complexity with hint of caramel and meatiness, almost nutty, with trace of wood influence. It is racy, delicate, and rustic at the same time.

Safe keeping: to be consumed within a week when cut, wrap in cheese paper or cling film and keep in refrigerator.

www.fromagerie-lartisanalederis.fr

Other cheeses from this producer: Maxitomme, Le Chinois, Lou Pialas, P’tiot de Ris, La Rousse, Blanc de Ris, Le brie de Ris, Le Coeur de Ris, Gaperon d’Auvergne, Gaperon au lait de brebis, Le Brebichette, La Roue de Ris, Le petit Lavort, Le Fumaison de Lavort, Le brebichou, Vache / Brebis, Le Terre Dieu, Gaperon de Chèvre.

So, give life to your taste buds, and above all, enjoy real cheese.