Abbaye de Belloc Cheese | culture: the word on cheese
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Abbaye de Belloc

Producer
Abbaye de Notre-Dame de Belloc
Country
France
Region
Aquitaine
Size
8-9 in. diameter, 3-4 in. high
Weight
8-10 lbs
Website
Milk
Sheep
Treatment
Raw
Classification
Firm
Rennet
Animal
Rind
Natural
Paprika
Style
Alpine-style
Cheddar-like
Flavor
Flavor added to rind
Abbaye de Belloc Cheese

Abbaye de Belloc is a French cheese that is made by Benedictine monks at the Abbaye de Notre-Dame de Belloc in the Western Pyrenees. The monks developed this sheep’s milk cheese in the 1960s, though its recipe is based on another local classic, Ossau Iraty.

Abbaye de Belloc is produced pasteurized sheep's milk sourced from red-nosed Manech ewes. Farmhouse sheep’s milk cheese production in this mountainous region is resolutely seasonal, with cheesemaking taking place mainly between December and the end of July.

After production, wheels of Abbaye de Belloc are aged for four to ten months prior to release and sale. The youngest wheels are made in December and sent to market in April, while the older cheeses are made in July and held until the following April or May.

The rind of Abbaye de Belloc has a reddish hue overlaid with brown and grey molds. Its texture is firm and supple with an interior paste that is dense, smooth, and ivory in color.

Tasting Notes

Abbaye de Belloc is typically sweet and mild in flavor, with a pleasant brown butter aroma and hints of nuts and caramel.

Pairings

Pair with pinot noir or shiraz.

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