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| Salers. Photo: The Cheese Store of Beverly Hills |
Like drinking wine, tasting French cheese is like going on an exciting journey through different terroirs: The diet of the nation's goats, cows and sheep thoroughly permeates the cheese itself. About a year ago, we wrote about the history and production of Salers, a hard cheese with a cheddar-like texture and meaty, mineral-like flavor. Recently, we discovered a specific wheel of Salers aged by affineur André Bruel that was so intensely meaty we felt compelled to revisit the fromage's intriguing flavor.
Bruel's affinage powerfully highlights the rich flora of the Auvergne in southwestern France, where Salers hails from. Aging Salers in the region's renowned Duroux tunnels, he produces a cheese with a more complicated array of flavors -- from eggy and meaty to fruity and vegetal -- than traditional Salers.
The cheese's unusually pungent, bright taste of minerals can be attributed to the rich volcanic ash in the soil. Also, unlike similar regional cheeses such as Cantal, Salers is the only one that is produced from the milk of cows grazing on mountain pastures during the summer months. Though it can be aged for as long as 18 months, Salers is usually aged for nine months, so the best time to eat it is between September and March.
For the moment, Bruel's Salers is not easily available in the United States, but excellent versions of Salers, like those produced by Hervé Mons, are occasionally available at places like Murray's in New York. Still other versions of Salers can be purchased from cheese shops in the U.S., such as the Cheese Store of Beverly Hills.
These other Salers may not have the same level of animal and earthy intensity as Bruel's, which can be purchased at many fine cheese shops in Paris, they all share that quirky mix of luscious, creamy texture with intensely complex flavors. It's worth seeking out -- either on this terroir or overseas!
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7-28-2009 @1:58PM Half Assed Kitchen said... When I first looked at the shot I thought it was a giant slice of cheesecake. :) Still looks good though.
Angie (from over at www.HalfAssedKitchen.com)
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