Coulommiers cheese facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Coulommiers |
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 Coulommiers  Texture of Coulommiers |
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| Country of origin | France |
| Region | Coulommiers |
| Source of milk | Cows |
| Pasteurized | yes or no |
| Texture | Soft |
| Dimensions | 13 cm (5.1 in) |
| Weight | 12 oz (340 g) |
| Aging time | 3-8 weeks |
| Named after | Lua error in Module:Wikidata at line 70: attempt to index field 'wikibase' (a nil value). |
Coulommiers is a delicious, creamy cheese from a town called Coulommiers in France. It's made from cow's milk and usually comes in a round shape. This cheese has a soft, white, edible crust called a "bloomy rind." This special rind forms because of a type of mold called Penicillium candidum.
When Coulommiers cheese is made by hand on farms, using milk that hasn't been heated (called unpasteurized milk), its rind might have a slight reddish color. If it's made from milk that has been heated to kill germs (pasteurized milk), it usually ages for about four to six weeks. This cheese is known for its soft texture and rich flavor.
Coulommiers is often thought of as a smaller, thicker relative of Brie cheese. It has been made for a longer time than Brie. While it shares a similar buttery color and soft feel, Coulommiers often has a slightly nuttier taste. You can find Coulommiers made by farmers or produced in large factories. The farm-made versions, especially those from unpasteurized milk, often have a richer taste. Because Coulommiers doesn't have a special French label called an AOC (which protects how certain foods are made), producers can make it with pasteurized milk and sell it in places like the United States.
History of Coulommiers Cheese
The story of Coulommiers cheese goes back many years in France. In 1930, there were about 250 cheesemakers in Coulommiers. They would sell their cheeses to special cheese sellers, called "affineurs," at the local market every Wednesday. These affineurs would then age the cheese until it was perfect.
By 1946, the number of cheesemakers had dropped to only 60. Around this time, the affineurs also started making cheese themselves. All these cheesemakers were making a type of Brie cheese from Coulommiers. They made it in different sizes. However, only the cheese with a specific diameter, between 13 to 15 centimeters (about 5 to 6 inches), was unique to the Coulommiers market. Today, this specific size of cheese is simply known as Coulommiers.
In 2008, local leaders and journalists started a project to get a special PDO (Protected Designation of Origin) label for Coulommiers cheese. This label would help protect the unique way Coulommiers cheese is made and ensure its quality.
See also
In Spanish: Coulommiers (queso) para niños
