There are some seasonal summer cheeses that go perfectly with the higher temperatures that have been produced in France for generations.
This is because, similar to fruits and vegetables, cheeses follow their own seasonal rotation depending on the conditions and natural maturation process.
Online cheesemonger boite du fromager provides an overview of the best cheeses, which we review each month.
Blue is the colour
July, as one of the warmest months, does see the number of recommended cheeses drop to two (the lowest of all months) however those highlighted offer some major flavours.
Both are produced in the south of France, so are suitable to eat during the scorching heat.
Other cheeses are available in supermarkets, however the two below are the most ‘in-season’ and at the peak of their taste.
They are both blue cheeses, which means if you are not a lover of the sharp, tangy flavours you may prefer sticking with cheeses recommended either earlier or later in the year.
If you enjoy these bolder flavours however, it is sure to be a good month.
Bleu d’Auvergne
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The first of the two cheeses recommended is Bleu d’Auvergne, one of France’s most famous blues. It hails from south-central France, hence its name (Auvergne is a historical region where several of the country’s most famous cheeses are produced).
A relatively young cheese in France, first produced in the 1850s, it is made by poking holes into the cheese to aerate the inside and allow mould veins to form.
It is matured for four weeks, short for a blue cheese, and this in part contributes to a creamier and more mild taste.
Some producers also use a less powerful vein of penicillium mould for the cheese, further softening the taste.
Made either from pasteurised or unpasteurised milk, it is often used as the ‘blue’ cheese of a variety platter, or in salad dressings.
The vast majority of current producers are industrial makers.
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Bleu de Causses
This second cheese has the privilege of being the only one recommended twice across the year by the cheesemongers.
Recommended as one of May’s cheeses, it appears again on the list in July as its maturation period ends.
The cheese is similar to Bleu d’Auvergne in that it is less strong than other French blues such as Roquefort, however the versions found in July will tend to be stronger.
This is because it will have been matured for several months longer in the Gorges du Tarn caves before appearing on shop shelves.
Less than 500 tonnes of the cheese are produced annually.
