Officially recognised with a Protected Geographical Indication (IGP) in 2025, the ewe’s milk cheese Pérail has been made in the western part of the southern Massif Central (Aveyron and Tarn departments) since the late 19th Century.
A soft cheese with a thin, bloomy rind, it weighs approximately 150g and has a melt-in-the-mouth, creamy interior and an almost buttery taste.
It develops milky and sheep’s wool aromas, along with fresh and sweet aromatic notes.
Pérail pairs nicely with dry white wine from the Languedoc-Roussillon vineyards, such as a good white Corbières, or a Clairette du Languedoc Lieuran-Cabrière.
Local speciality: Coq au Riesling
Sergii Koval
Coq au Riesling is the Alsatian version of coq au vin, made with the eastern region’s Riesling white wine, as well as butter, shallots, mushrooms and crème fraîche, as well as flour, salt and pepper. The dish is flambéed with Alsatian marc, or eau-de-vie.
