Spring is special, mother earth is coming to life after a long and dark winter. For us living up north this is a special time of year. Nature provides for the seasons and we humans have adapted. If it is planned or just serendipity I don’t know, but with spring comes the spring cheeses. For me the spring cheeses are the many varieties of chèvre. I do know that some of them are made all year round, a fact I willingly ignore. I believe in seasons. Spring comes with spring onions, asparagus and of course the spring cheeses par excellence; chèvre. With a glass of Sauvignon blanc, French if I may be so arrogant. With chèvre from the Loire I think the French variant pairs the best. There is of course chèvre from other areas, in France and the rest of the world, not to mention, but when it comes to the spring cheeses I prefer the Loire cheeses. Could be there is a connection to the Sauvignon blanc which I find especially tempting in the spring. And as they say; what grows together goes together.
Read more about the various chèvres of France.
Spring cheeses – vibrant and full of life
What makes these spring cheeses so vibrant is their lactic appearance. Although characterised as such, this is not fully true. The milk is of course acidified, but most add a touch of rennet at the end to speed up the coagulation. That does not remove neither their freshness nor their acidity. I prefer them rather young, and they are so delicate with a milky palate, fine saltiness and as already mentioned the very attractive acidity. I leave the more mature chèvre till later in the year. And to this, as said, a fine Sancerre or Pouilly Fumé. On the terrace, in the sunshine. Happy springtime folks.