Cheeses by season: Winter

05. Cheeses by season: Winter

Winter is cold, lacking in light and humidity, and therefore the pasture is not at its best. The cows, ewes and sheep are therefore usually fed on hay, which gives a milk lacking in aromas.

Most of the cheeses matured for a short period are therefore not at their best during this period.
On the other hand, this period is best for:
• Cheeses matured for a medium length of time, made with milk from the summer or autumn (Laguiole, Salers, Tomes,  Ossau Iraty)
• Blue cheeses (bleus, fourmes, Roquefort, Tête de moine, Stilton, Mont-d’or) or cheeses matured for a long period, made in the previous summer (Comté, Gruyère, Beaufort, Appenzell).

In winter, when composing a cheese platter, the following are advised:
• Banon, Cantal, Chaource, Trape d'Echourgnac, Roquefort
     or
• Beaufort de Chalet, Langres, Saint-Marcellin. Rollot de Picardie.