Know your cheeses and their seasons: which to eat in France in August

The peak of summer is no reason to stop eating cheese in France, with several famous fromages coming into their own in August. 

Cheese, like many other foods, follows seasonal trends with certain products being better suited or freshest in specific periods. 

We review the monthly picks from online cheese-monger La boite du fromager which we cover in our ongoing series. 

Variation for summer month 

Following a July dominated by blue cheeses, August sees a variation of the freshest products on offer. 

While cows’ milk cheeses are still the best seasonal products, a mix of cheeses from regions across France and Italy provide a range of flavours, aromas, and textures. 

Four cheeses are recommended for this month. 

Morbier 

The first cheese on the list is Morbier, a semi-soft cows' milk cheese from eastern France that is matured for at least 45 days. 

It is made from the same milk that produces ever-popular Comté, and uses a unique preparation method leading to a distinctive black line in the cheese.

Historically, the cheese was made using the evening and morning curds from Comté production. 

Not having enough curds left to make a full wheel of cheese, artisans would place the remaining amounts into shape and then cover it with a layer of ash for protection.

In the morning, they would top this up with newly-acquired curds, providing slightly different tastes to each half of the cheese, and would keep the ash layer in the middle to distinguish them.

Versions sold today keep a line of ash, but have replaced this with vegetable ash that is safer to consume. 

Modern methods mean that for most Morbier, especially those made at a mass-produced level, the curds come from the same batch and there is no distinction on either side of the ash-line. 

The cheese benefits from both AOC and AOP status, with more than 10,000 tonnes being produced each year. 

Ricotta 

Next on the list is Ricotta, a whey cheese from Italy produced since the Bronze Age.

Made from several varieties of milk – cow, sheep, goat, and water buffalo milk can all be used – ricotta uses the leftover whey from making other cheeses.

Allowed to rest for up to 24 hours, this whey is taken and heated to form a curd, which is then cooled and strained to remove liquid.

The resulting product is a fresh cheese that is slightly sweet although exact flavour varies depending on the milk used. 

Popular as a pasta filling or pizza topping, the cheese is also a main ingredient for several Italian desserts. 

This is also the case in France, where it is used mostly as an ingredient as opposed to a cheese on a platter although it is not unheard of for cheeseboards to include ricotta. 

Variants of Ricotta are found across Europe, including the Corsican ‘Brocciu’ that is a speciality winter cheese. 

Due to the wide variety in the cheese, it does not benefit from an appellation designation, and can be produced around the world. 

Coulommiers

A cows’ milk cheese from Normandy, Coulommiers is a high-fat product with around 40% fat content. 

Made from pasteurised or unpasteurised milk, the cheese is similar to Brie and Camembert – and in fact predates its more famous cousins – and also has a circular shape with a penicillin-mould bloomy rind. 

Aged for between three and eight weeks, the cheese has a slightly more pronounced nutty taste than Brie and has an approximately 15cm diameter.

The cheese does not benefit from any protected appellation – despite several attempts for it to be classified – meaning it can be produced in several areas outside of Normandy, although most production still remains in the north. 

Pasteurised versions of the cheese are not traditional but this is the preferred method for industrial makers, which has the added advantage of allowing the cheese to be sold in the US and other countries where unpasteurised cheese can be restricted. 

It is often eaten after dinner as part of a cheese course.

Langres 

Rounding off the list is Langres, another cows’ milk cheese from north-eastern France. 

Notable for a pungent aroma but creamy texture and fruity taste, the cheese has benefitted from AOC status since 1991 and is sold in small cylinders with a distinctive ‘dome’ on top.

A five-week aging process means the cheese is best in the summer, particularly in August when the majority of the already-ripening cheese becomes available.

Cows that produce Langres must graze for at least six months of the year, and are limited to one of four breeds, with only a select few farms authorised to make the cheese. 

Only around 600 tonnes are produced per year, meaning you may need to head to a cheese shop (fromagerie) to find it.