Culture Magazine

T R AV E L 202 2 culturecheesemag.com 25 D R I N K S W I T H C H E E S E small 10.5-ounce wheels and large wheels weighing almost 4 pounds. The small wheels are aged for two weeks while the larger wheels are aged twice as long. The abbey's flagship product is a cheese washed in walnut wine. It was first made in 1998 by the clever Sister Jeanne d'Arc and is now one of the Dordogne's most sought-after cheeses. Trappe au vin de noix has a slightly moist, dark-brown rind and a smooth, creamy yellow paste. With comforting, smoky aromas that are reminiscent of bacon—and perhaps a crackling fire—it pairs well with an oak-aged white wine from the Montravel appellation, which is situated in the far west of the region and known for producing the finest whites. Since 2011, a Pyrenees sheep's milk cheese is also refined in the abbey's cellars. Aged for three months, Le Brebis is firm and cream-colored with a pale- yellow rind, mild saline notes, and hints of hazelnuts. A white Côtes de Duras with crisp minerality and a lively acidity would work well with this toothsome cheese. CABÉCOU DU PÉRIGORD The Dordogne is especially known for its young, raw goat's milk cheeses; It counts roughly 150 breeders and more than 20,000 goats that produce 14 million liters of milk annually. Though the first records of goat farming date back to the late sixteenth century, Cabécou, the region's most emblematic cheese, was trademarked in 1992. Authentic Cabécou—which means "little goat"— must be made with milk produced in the Dordogne. The puck-shaped cheese weighs between 1 and 1.5 ounces, making it perfect for single servings, such as on a warm goat cheese salad. There are some 40 farmstead Cabécou producers in the region—one of them is 26-year-old Robin Lachaize from Chèvrerie du Lac de Roudet in Sarlat-la- Canéda. When he was just 20 years old, Lachaize decided to follow his heart and become a cheesemaker. "I have the same character as a goat," he jokes. "I'm very curious and always in for some fun." With the help of his father and uncle, Lachaize built all the facilities necessary to house his herd of 50 goats and craft his exquisite cheeses. During July and August, the high season, he makes 1,000 Cabécous a day, which accounts for 70 percent of production. Logs, pyramids, blocks (ash-rinded or plain), yogurt, and a delicate fromage frais are also sold directly at his farm. Lachaize sells his Cabécou as young as two days old. The cheese's buttery, melt- in-the-mouth texture and milky, sweet aromas are properly paired with a fruity, dry white Bergerac. A slightly older, drier Cabécou would work well on toast, grilled and served with a drizzle of honey. In that Goat at Chèvrerie du Lac de Roudet Cabécous at Chèvrerie du Lac de Roudet

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