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World Cheese Encyclopaedia - Each Sunday learn all about a cheese in season.

This week Livarot from France.

Country: France 🇫🇷

Region: Normandy, Livarot

Made from: Cow’s milk

Pasteurised: No

Texture: Smooth, springy, creamy

Taste: Spicy, citrusy, nutty

Certification: AOC, AOP

Ageing: 6 – 8 weeks

Livarot, also known as « The Colonel » is a French cheese from Normandy originating in the commune of Livarot. It is one of the oldest and most famous of Normandy cheeses and is one of only four AOP cheeses from the region, the others being Camembert, Neufchâtel and Pont-L’Évêque.

It is easily recognizable because of its washed yellow-orange rind which is wrapped with five strips of raffia - dried bullrush. These look similar to the stripes worn on a French army colonel's uniform – hence the nickname « Le Colonel ». Livarot can also be recognized by its pungent aroma. Historically, Livarot had a low-fat content, and so these strips prevented the cheese from sagging while it was ripening and helped keep its cylindrical shape.

Livarot is a soft cheese made from cow’s milk collected in the Pays d’Auge. Like all AOP (Appellation d’Origine Protégée – Protected Designation of Origin) cheeses, it can only be produced in a precisely defined territory, with specific ingredients and production methods. Each wheel is washed in brine, coloured, usually with annatto, and matured for up to two months in warm, humid cellars. The bacterium Brevibacterium linens is used in fermentation.

Livarot has a slightly sticky rind. Its paste is a creamy golden color with little holes in it and a springy texture that becomes runny at room temperature. The taste is nutty, melting and with lemon, citrusy flavors, spiciness and salt.

Livarot has four official shapes. It is generally sold in cylindrical form in rounds of 450g. There is also a three-quarter Livarot, a half Livarot - known as the “Petit-Lisieux”, and a quarter Livarot.

History

Livarot is probably one of the oldest Norman cheeses, dating back to the end of the middle ages. it comes from the countryside around the small village of Livarot (2700 inhabitants) in the Auge country.

By the end of the 19th century, Livarot cheese had the highest production of all Norman cheeses. 4.5 million of them were produced per year by more than 200 "caveurs". At the time, making and maturing the cheese was two different tasks. Farmers would produce the cheese and then sell it unripened to a "caveur" who would refine and mature the cheese before selling it.

Livarot in the past contained only 10 to 15% of fat, even so, it was called the "viande du pauvre" (the poor man's meat). It was only during the 20th century that its fat percentage increased to 40%.

In 1975 Livarot was granted AOC status and in 1996 was further protected by AOP certification.

How to enjoy it

The best time to taste Livarot is between May and September after it has been aged from 6 to 8 weeks, but it is also excellent from March to December.

Livarot’s strong flavor and aroma pair well with a glass of white Sancerre, a full-bodied red such as a Pauillac Bordeaux or a sparkling sweet wine such as a Montlouis Moelleux. It also goes well with local Normandy cider or a glass of the famous Normandy apple brandy Calvados.

Serve it with crusty bread, grapes, or other fruits. It is also delicious in salads, soups and other recipes.

Sources: Wikipedia, Cheese.com, Fromages AOP de Normandie, taste-camembert.com, Fromages de Normandie, Graindorge.fr, McCarus Beverage Company

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