From the moment I tried Salers cheese, I was intrigued by its meaty flavor, peppery taste, and zest of dried fruit and nuts. Salers is part of a family of cheeses, from the Auvergne region of France, that includes Cantal and Laguiole. I think of them as the "French cheddars," because of their cheddar-like consistency and nuttiness. As far as taste is concerned, I have never tasted any other cheese that has the same animal taste as Salers.

The history of Salers dates back at least 2,000 years. Its popularity was at its peak during the 17th century, at the court of Louis XIV. Traditionally, Salers was aged in burons, stone huts, in the mountains where the farmers sought refuge. The cheese provided a source of food and a form of currency for exchange. Today there are just 100 farmers producing the cheese. The name of the cheese comes from the name of the breed of cows that produce the milk that creates this cheese. The Salers cows are brought up to the high mountain pastures during the summer to graze on wild flowers and grass.

It's their rich summer diet that produces the cheese's complex aroma and taste. Salers is aged for approximately 10 months and is made from 100 percent raw milk. You can bring out the sweetness of Salers and subdue its meatiness with a full body red wine. It also pairs well with dried nuts. Recommendations on where to purchase this cheese can be found after the jump.
Where can one purchase Salers cheese?

Since there are not too many producers left in France, it will not be an easy cheese to find in the United States. The most common cheese in the same family of cheeses is Cantal. Periodically, you can find Salers at Murray's or Formaggio Essex in NY and Formaggio Kitchen in Cambridge.