Cheese wire… Sainte-Maure de Touraine

Veteran cheesemonger Patrick Ambrosio lifts the lid on Sainte-Maure de Touraine…

Hailing from the lush Loire Valley, Sainte-Maure de Touraine is a classic in the chèvre hall of fame. Instantly recognisable by the thin ‘straw’ peeking out at both ends of its 16cm-or-so body, this beloved goat’s cheese is tart and citrusy in its youth, before developing a mellower palate reminiscent of cooked milk and nuts in a few weeks’ time. A telltale sign of peak ripeness is the slight yellowing of its puckered, ash-coated rind. Slices should reveal a paste that is beginning to yield at the exterior and a firm (but no longer chalky) centre. Simply slice from top to bottom into coins and enjoy with a chilled Sancerre or crisp Vouvray.

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First printed in our sister publication France Today

Patrick Ambrosio is managing partner of the Village Cheese Merchant in Rockville Centre, New York. www.villagecheesemerchant.com