Physical Description
Can come in rounds of 3 to 5 pounds. Usually, sliced into 8 oz. or 1 pound wedges and sold. Also available sliced down even further. Either way, the cheese is naturally aged and is shaved and scrubbed several times over the few week period it ages. The rind develops during this time and is a distinctly different color than the cheese and has a pretty distinct taste.
Colors: Pale yellow cheese with orange rind
Tasting Notes
Flavors: Mildly Rich
Mouthfeel: Soft
Food complements: Fruits, Vegetables, Pasta, Pizza
Wine complements: Cortese di gavi, Torrontes
Beverage complements: Sparkling apple juice
Substitutes: Munster, Emmenthal
Selecting and Buying
Seasonality: january, february, march, april, may, june, july, august, september, opctober, november, december
Choosing: Ask for the overall age of the cheese before ordering. It is to age for a four weeks and after that, it has a shelf life
Buying: The burgeoning online gourmet marketplace is a good starting point to purchase Chaumes. It is not only possible to find it easily, but one can compare and shop between French makers. Alternatively, go to Whole Foods or another gourmet item store and if you don't see it, ask them to purchase it from their distributor.
Procuring: Chaumes is only made in Southwest France. It's a relative newcomer as cheeses are concerned (1970s), but the French invented appellation and it's highly doubtful you'll see a cheese from outside that region bearing the name Chaumes.
Preparation and Use
To use Chaumes, simply choose to either remove the rind or keep the rind, it is edible, and then either grate it for pasta and vegetable dishes or slice it and add it to pizza or sandwiches etc.
Cleaning: If your Chaumes cheese starts to show signs of mold, cut the molded pieces away. Alternatively, if white mold, develops, it will be harmless, and likely to add to the flavor. Chaumes should not arrive at your home or restaurant with any mold present
Conserving and Storing
Always refrigerate Chaumes cheese after using.
Social/Political
Culturally in France, Chaumes is a starter cheese. It's not as bold as most other cheeses, which explains its large appeal to children. Americans are not all children, but many French would consider them novices about great cheese and coincidentally, perhaps, Chaumes is a great draw for them as well.
History: Chaumes cheese has been made since the 1970's by cheese makers representing at least 190 dairy suppliers in Southwest France. The process of making Chaumes approximates the way monasteries have traditionally made cheese for centuries. After the cheese is placed in a brine to help the rind start to develop, master cheesemakers are brought in to babysit the loaves and ensure that each one is treated according to its needs. At 17.99 per pound or so, they is a lot to be proud of for the producers.
