Picodon facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Picodon |
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| Country of origin | France |
| Region, town | Drôme, Ardèche |
| Source of milk | Goats |
| Pasteurised | No |
| Texture | Soft/hard |
| Aging time | 2-4 weeks |
| Certification | French AOC 1983 |
| Named after | Lua error in Module:Wikidata at line 70: attempt to index field 'wikibase' (a nil value). |
Picodon is a special kind of cheese from southern France. It's made from goat's milk. The name "Picodon" means "spicy" in the Occitan language, which is spoken in that part of France.
This cheese comes in small, flat, round shapes. They can be white with speckles or a golden color. Each cheese is about 5 to 8 centimeters (2 to 3 inches) wide. They are also about 1.8 to 2.5 centimeters (0.7 to 1 inch) tall. Their weight ranges from 40 to 100 grams (about 1.4 to 3.5 ounces). The inside of the cheese is often spicy and a bit dry, but it feels smooth.
When Picodon cheese is young, it has a soft white rind (the outside part). It tastes fresh and mild. If the cheese is aged for a longer time, it can lose half its weight. Then, its rind turns golden, and the inside becomes much harder. This longer aging also makes its flavor much stronger.
What Are the Different Kinds of Picodon?
Picodon cheese is made in several different ways. Each way follows special rules set by the French government. These rules are called AOC, which stands for "Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée." It means the cheese must be made in a certain area and follow specific steps to be called Picodon.
Here are some of the different types:
- Picodon de l'Ardèche - This is the most common type. It weighs 40 to 60 grams and has a noticeable tangy taste.
- Picodon de Crest - This one weighs about 60 grams. It's made with very good milk, which gives it a stronger flavor.
- Picodon du Dauphiné - This type is usually sold after it has been aged for a long time.
- Picodon de Dieulefit - This type can weigh from 40 to 90 grams. You can buy it either young or well-aged.
- Picodon de la Drôme - This cheese weighs about 45 grams. It's not very tangy and can taste both salty and sweet.
- Picodon à l'huile d'olive - This special Picodon is soaked in olive oil and bay leaves.
How Is Picodon Cheese Made?
The area where Picodon is made, near the Rhône river, is often dry. This makes it perfect for goats, as they enjoy eating the tough grasses and bushes that grow there.
To make Picodon, a small amount of rennet is added to goat's milk. Rennet helps the milk turn into solid curds. Then, this mixture is poured into small molds that have tiny holes. It's important that no frozen, concentrated, or powdered milk is used.
The cheese is salted twice using fine, dry salt. After salting, the cheese is left to dry for at least 14 days. However, it's more common for it to dry for about four weeks.
Some cheeses have a special label called affinage méthode Dieulefit. This means the cheese was washed by hand with water. After washing, it was left to age in covered clay pots for at least one month.
Picodon cheese is made all year long. However, cheese made on farms (called fermier production) only happens from spring to autumn. In 2005, about 584 tons of Picodon cheese were made in total.
Most Picodon cheese is made in the French areas of Ardèche and Drôme. But the rules also allow it to be made in certain parts of Gard and Vaucluse.
The special AOC status, which protects how and where Picodon is made, was given in 1983.
See also
In Spanish: Picodon de la Drôme para niños
