Cantal

Cantal is a mountain cheese made in the Auvergne region in central France. It has a written history that dates back over two thousand years! It is made in a very different way from other French cheeses and has more in common with a traditional English cheddar than with other French mountain cheeses.

The milk for Cantal is heated with rennet, the curd is cut, the whey drained, and a first pressing happens almost right away. The newly pressed cheese rests for eight hours. At this stage, the cheese is called a tomme, one of those amazingly complex cheese words that means totally different things depending on where you are in the world. After 8 hours, the tomme is broken up and mixed with salt, then cured again for up to 24 hours until the cheesemaker sees the correct texture of the curd when crumbled by hand.

Next, the curd is gathered into a cloth and pressed in a mould for two days to form its distinctive (slightly awkward) barrel shape. Once the cheese is ready, it is removed from the mould and moved to aging rooms where it will be aged for at least thirty days. At thirty days, some wheels will be sold as young Cantal. At two to six months, the cheese is developing richer, more complex flavours, and a darker golden hue and will be sold as entre-deux. After six months, the more mature wheels will be sold as vieux or charactère’

The crust of Cantal can be dry and dusty, or downright soggy, depending on the wheel and the season. As the wheels age, the crust grows into the paste of the cheese somewhat, so especially on the flat top and bottom, the paste can have quite a rustic look.

Cantal is made in a 40kg wheel, which is a bit of a chore to manage, to be honest. It has been protected by AOP status since 1980, which controls the milk, method, area of production, and the aging process used to make the cheese.

Finally, each wheel has a small metal tag pressed into the crust that indicates the production department and the maker's code.

Milk type: Raw or pasteurized cow's milk

Tasting notes: Cantal is a less well-known cheese in North America. People are very familiar with Comté, the other famous French mountain cheese, but Cantal is a different thing altogether. The finished wheels have a fat content of 45%, so the paste has a richness that is not at all similar to what we would normally think of for a mountain cheese. The taste is less nutty, woodsier, and more lactic.

Cantal is widely eaten and commonly used in cooking in France. It is especially delicious in a potato gratin or in a savoury tart. There is a famous dish from the Auvergne called Aligot, made with mashed potato and the tomme fraiche,  the uncured cheese, and it forms a stretchy, cheesy heaven. Sadly, the tomme isn't available unless you're in the Auvergne, where the cheese is made, but on the bright side, I've just given you a great reason to go explore this beautiful farming region.

Next time you want to try a mountain cheese that is new to you, perhaps try a wedge of Cantal. It may become your favourite, as it is mine.

Pairing: Most French books on cheese recommend a light, fruity wine to pair with Cantal. I do agree that would be good, but one of my favourite things about Cantal is how nicely it plays with a variety of wines and other foods.

As with other cheeses, it would depend on the age of the wheel you were serving, but as a general rule, the richness of the paste and the milky, tangy taste pair well with Bordeaux style wines and other bigger reds, richer, aromatic whites, and even dessert wines. We split a wheel a week ago, and I served a slice to some friends with Madeira, one of my favourite things, and it was excellent. The nutty character of the wine and the fattiness of the cheese were the perfect foil, and it was a great treat instead of dessert. Add some dried pears or apricots, and you're done.