Rocamadour cheese

Rocamadour is a French cheese from the southwest part of the country. It is produced in the regions of Périgord and Quercy and takes its name from the village of Rocamadour in the département of the Lot.

History
The name of the cheese was first recorded in writing in 1451, in agreement between the Bishop of Evreux and a Lord and his vassals, where the cheese was used for paying taxes.

Description
Rocamadour belongs to a family of goat cheeses called Cabécous and has benefited from being accorded an AOC (appellation d'origine contrôlée) designation since 16 March 1996. Raw milk is supplied from Alpine or Saanen goats. It is a very small soft creamy white cheese (average weight 35 g) with a flat round shape, around 4 to 5cm wide and a thickness of between 1 and 1.5cm (see illustration) and a thin, soft rind

Rocamadour is usually sold very young after just 12–15 days of aging and is customarily consumed on hot toast or in salads. Rocamadour can be aged further. After several months it takes on a more intense flavour and is typically eaten on its own with a red wine toward the end of the meal.

Production: 546 tonnes in 1998 (+24.1% since 1996), 100% with raw, unpasteurized goat milk (50% on farms).