Top 13 Auvergnese Pasteurized Milk Cheeses

Saint Agur is a French cheese originating from Auvergne, particularly the village of Beauzac. This rindless blue cheese is made with cow's milk, and it is typically left to ripen in cellars for 60 days. The flavors are sharp, spicy, and fruity, while the aroma is intense and milky. The texture of Saint Agur is very creamy and smooth, which is the reason why the cheese melts and spreads extremely well. It comes in an octagonal shape, reminiscent of basalt stones in Auvergne, so its shape acts as a tribute to its origin. Serve Saint Agur with figs, pears, and walnuts, or use it in dips and sauces.Expand

Saint-Nectaire is a semi-hard, double pressed farm cheese made in Auvergne from cow's milk and sold in the shape of a flat wheel. It must mature for at least six weeks on rye straw mats before being marketed. As the cows graze on pastures at high altitudes, the cheese has a unique sweet, hazelnut-like flavor and a smell reminiscent of mushrooms and hay. Its texture is silky and creamy, and it melts in the mouth. It can be recognized by the green label on its thick rind, which can be white, yellow or red, depending on the stage of maturation. It goes perfectly with crusty bread and a glass of red wine.Expand

Cantal is a double pressed, semi-hard cow's milk cheese made in the Cantal region in France. The curd is pressed, matured and ground, and the granules are then salted, placed in moulds and pressed again to mature for at least 30 days in cellars where it gets turned regularly. It is one of the oldest French cheeses. Depending on its age, its flavor can vary from fresh, sweet, vanilla-like in young Cantal to strong, peppery, hazelnut-like and spicy in well-matured Cantal (8 months). It is recommended to pair it with fruits such as apples and grapes, use it in soups, fondues and salads or drink a glass of bold red wine with it.Expand

Fourme d'Ambert is an unusually tall, round, blue cheese that is unpressed and uncooked, with a high fat content (50%). It's made from pasteurized or raw cow's milk and it is one of the oldest cheeses in France. On the exterior it has a dry gray moldy rind, while on the interior it is creamy white with green or blue veins dispersed throughout the body. Fourme d'Ambert is matured for up to 28 days in caves in the French regions of Puy-de-Dôme, Cantal, and Loire. During the maturation process, the cheese is injected with sweet white wine. The flavor is delicate and mild with a velvety mouthfeel, with earthy, mushroomy, sweet, and creamy notes. Serve it with port wine and sliced fresh pears, apples, walnuts, and raisins for a nice dessert, or crumble it on salads.Expand

Bleu de chèvre is a traditional cheese hailing from Auvergne. This blue cheese is made from pasteurized or raw goat's milk. The rind is covered with ash, and underneath it the texture is soft and supple, with pockets of blue mold that are distributed throughout the paste. The aromas are subtle, while the flavors are creamy, strong, and salty, with a subtle goaty tang on the finish. It's recommended to pair Bleu de chèvre with a glass of Sauvignon Blanc.Expand

Rochebaron is a French blue cheese made from cow’s or sheep’s milk. Its texture is soft and creamy, the aroma is strong, while the flavors are mild, mushroomy, and creamy. During the production process, the curd is injected with Penicillium glaucum in order to develop blue veins throughout the body. The cheese then matures for at least 30 days, during which it is regularly dusted with ash. When ready for consumption, it is recommended to pair the cheese with fresh fruits, crusty baguettes, or a glass of earthy Pinot Noir.Expand

Doux de montagne is a traditional cheese hailing from Auvergne. This semi-soft cheese is made from cow's milk and it's shaped like a cottage loaf of bread that's coated with mahogany wax. The texture is light, airy, and creamy, dotted with tiny holes. The cheese melts in your mouth and the flavors are soft, mild, fruity, buttery, and herbal. It's recommended to pair it with a glass of Champagne or Merlot. Serve it on a cheese platter with tropical fruit for the best experience.Expand

Named after a lake in the Auvergne region of France, where it originates from, Pavin is a semi-soft cheese made from pasteurized cow’s milk. It is aged for about 2 months in humid cellars, and during that period, it is regularly washed with a combination of annatto and brine in order to create a sticky, orange-colored rind that is dusted with fine white mold. Pavin’s light yellow body has a mushroomy aroma, while the flavors are best described as earthy and nutty. It is recommended to serve Pavin with full-bodied wines such as Pommard or Mercurey.Expand

Gaperon is a hard French cheese made from cow’s milk and flavorings – namely, pepper and garlic. In the past, it was hung from the kitchen beams, but nowadays it ripens in fresh air on rye straw. It also used to be made with leftovers from making butter, but that's not the case nowadays. When aged, the cheese is characterized by its dry, hard rind and a dome-like shape. The young gaperon has a tart flavor, but as it ages, it becomes intense and spicy.Expand

Bleu de Laqueuille is a French cheese hailing from the eponymous village of Laqueuille. The cheese was first produced by Antoine Roussel in 1850 and it was the original inspiration for the now-classic Bleu d'Auvergne. It's produced only in summer and autumn from pasteurized Saler cow's milk. Underneath the bloomy rind, the texture is smooth and creamy with blue veins running throughout the paste. The aroma is earthy, while the flavors are salty, tangy, and spicy. After the maturation period of 3 months, the cheese can be paired with dessert wines or robust red wines.Expand