Sainte-Maure de Touraine
French goat cheese
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Sainte-Maure de Touraine (French pronunciation: [sɛ̃t mɔʁ də tuʁɛn] ⓘ) is a French cheese produced in the province of Touraine, mainly in the department of Indre-et-Loire. It is named after the small town of Sainte-Maure-de-Touraine, in the department of Indre-et-Loire, at equal distance from westerly Chinon and easterly Loches.
| Sainte-Maure de Touraine | |
|---|---|
 | |
Country of origin | France |
| Region | Touraine |
Source of milk | Goat |
| Pasteurised | Traditionally no |
| Texture | Soft-ripened |
| Aging time | at least 10 days, 10-28 days[1] |
| Certification | French AOC[1] 1990 |
| Named after | Sainte-Maure-de-Touraine |
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Sainte-Maure de Touraine is an unpasteurized cheese made from full fat goat's milk.[2] It has the form of a small log,[2] around 16–17 cm (6.3–6.7 in) in length, and weighs at least 250 g (8.8 oz). It is white and soft under a greyish moldy rind and is rolled in wood ash.[3] It has a straw through its centre, marked by the AOC seal and a number indicating the producer. The straw is used, in the making, to keep the roll together. The finished cheese has 45% milk fat.
Quality control
Protected since 1990 by the AOC Seal, Sainte-Maure de Touraine is made with traditional methods. It should not be confused with "Sainte-Maure", also produced in Touraine, but without meeting the stringent AOC production criteria. "Sainte-Maure" is the industrial counterpart of the high-quality, traditionally made, Sainte-Maure de Touraine. Their straw is not marked by a seal, thus differentiating them from AOC cheeses.
Production
1,065 tons of Sainte-Maure de Touraine was produced in 2003,[4] 58% on dairies and 42% on farms. Since it became an AOC in 1990, its production has strongly increased, from 275 tons (a nearly 300% increase). It is now the second-largest produced goat's cheese AOC in France, just behind Crottin de Chavignol.