Chabichou de Poitou is a traditional semi-soft, unpasteurised, natural-rinded goats cheese, made in the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region of France. Made in a small area in the Poitou, Berry and Perigord regions of France with whole fresh goat’s milk, the cheese won Appellation d’Origine Contrôlée (AOC) in 1990 guaranteeing the authenticity of the produce. The cheese is produced only by a few farmsteads and is generally sold locally.
This goat’s cheese has a dense texture and salty flavour. The cheese is smooth with a white, thin, wrinkly rind when young which turns yellow and develops a blue mould with maturity. When cut, the inside of the cheese reveals a firm, creamy “bright white” interior but not before a soft thin buttery layer next to the rind. Even though it smells typically “goaty”, the flavours are sweet with salty and tangy notes on the finish. As the cheese ages, it becomes savoury, piquant and nutty.
The cheese comes in the shape of a truncated cylinder called a “bonde” and is aged for around four weeks.
Each cheese weighs approx 160 grams.
