Caprifeuille

August 19, 2015

In Celles-sur-Belle in the Poitou-Charentes region of France, the goats graze on rolling hills that are covered in green grass and fragrant plants. The milk they produce is rich and elegant… and it is this which imparts exquisite flavor into the famous goat cheeses of this area.

Caprifeuille is a delightful example of this fame. It is traditionally hand rolled into a ‘buche’ or log, and has a beautiful wrinkled and almond-coloured rind. It has a varying flavor experience depending on what point in the maturation process one chooses to eat it. There is a lovely fresh lemony and slightly tart tang when young, and nuttier and warmer notes as it ages.  As with taste, the texture changes over time as well.  The rind starts soft and gives way to a pure white creamy interior. Later it becomes more firm and crumbly.

St. Maure Caprifeuille is a cylinder of 250grams which certainly stands alone as a show stopper on the cheese board, desert plate, or as a centerpiece to a light green salad. Serve the young version with fresh ripe fruits such as apricots of figs, and to bring out the richness of the mature Caprifeuille, try a tiny drizzle of honey. Both ways this cheese is complimented by fresh baguette. We suggest a complimentary regional white wine such as Sancerre or Sauvignon.