Laguiole cheese facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Laguiole |
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| Country of origin | France |
| Region, town | Aveyron, Laguiole |
| Source of milk | Cows |
| Pasteurized | No |
| Texture | semi-hard |
| Aging time | 6-12 months |
| Certification | French AOC 1961 |
| Named after | Lua error in Module:Wikidata at line 70: attempt to index field 'wikibase' (a nil value). |
Laguiole (pronounced "lah-gyol"), also known as Tome de Laguiole, is a special kind of French cheese. It comes from the high Aubrac plateau in southern France. This area is in the Aveyron region, between 800 and 1400 meters high. The cheese gets its name from the small town of Laguiole.
Laguiole cheese has been protected by French laws since 1961. This protection is called Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée (AOC). It means the cheese must be made in a certain way and from a specific place. In 1996, it also received Appellation d'origine protégée protection. People say this cheese was first made in a monastery in the Aubrac mountains in the 1800s. Monks shared the recipe with local farmers who lived in mountain huts called burons.
Contents
What Laguiole Cheese Tastes Like
Laguiole cheese has a unique flavor. It feels soft and moist when you eat it. The first taste is like hazelnuts. This quickly changes to a slightly sour flavor. You might also notice hints of flowers and a little bitterness. It has a mild salty taste too.
Where Laguiole Cheese is Made Today
Today, Laguiole cheese is made in three different areas of France. These areas are Aveyron, Cantal, and Lozère. The Jeune Montagne cooperative is the only group allowed to make this cheese.
Laguiole cheese has about 45% fat. It is a pressed, uncooked cheese. It is made only from raw, unpasteurized milk. This milk comes from special cows called French Simmental or Aubrac cows. The milk is collected between May and October. It must come from farms located above 800 meters in height. In 1998, about 666 tonnes of this cheese were made. This used between 20,000 and 30,000 liters of milk from 79 different farms.
How Laguiole Cheese is Made
A full wheel of Laguiole cheese weighs about 40 to 50 kilograms (88 to 110 pounds). You can recognize it by a bull symbol and its name stamped on the rind. It also has a special aluminum tag.
The process of making the cheese starts with adding rennet to the milk. This makes the milk curdle. The curds are then pressed two times. The cheese then needs to age for at least six months. Some cheeses age for as long as twelve months. The outside of the cheese, called the rind, is natural and thick. The inside of the cheese is straw-colored. It is soft but firm, and its texture is rich and creamy.
How to Enjoy Laguiole Cheese
Laguiole cheese is often eaten with fruity red wines. Good choices include Marcillac, Cahors, or Etraygues wines.
Traditionally, Laguiole cheese is a main ingredient in a dish called Aligot. Aligot is a tasty mix of mashed potatoes, cheese, cream, and butter.
See also
- In Spanish: Laguiole (queso) para niños
