the cheese blog

Langres

September 18th, 2008 | by tb |

Langres had been on my list of cheese to try for quite a while after reading Steven Jenkins’ Cheese Primer. However, Langres is traditionally made with unpasteurized milk and is ready to consume after only 15 days, much less than the 60 days required by the FDA. While in New York at Murray’s in Grand Central Market, I noticed that they were selling a version made by Chalencay, but made with pasteurized milk. So, I took one home.

Langres is a French, cow’s milk cheese made in the Champagne region in the area of Langres. This one came in a wooden container to keep the cheese’s shape. The cheese is formed into a cylinder that is not pressed, which results in the formation of a concave top, which is traditionally filled with champagne, marc, brandy, or Chablis. This one was approximately 8oz in weight. Langres has a washed rind that is colored with rocou, to emphasize the redish-orange color.

Once opened and brought to room temp, the aroma really comes alive. It has a great barnyard smell, that is quite pungent. The interior has a light lemon color and the paste is dense and creamy, but not runny. The taste is wonderful. It is a powerful cheese that starts with a slight buttery taste that becomes a big, spicy and tangy flavor that lasts quite a while. This is one of those cheeses that you graduate to once you’ve experienced a lot of cheeses. I know this is the pasteurized version, so I can only imagine what a super fresh, unpasteurized version must taste like. Highly recommended (even this “safe for American consumption” version)!