THE CHEESE

Saint Maure
Region: Loire Valley
Country: France
Milk: Goat
Cheese Type: Ash Ripened
Affineur: Xavier David
Rennet: Animal

Pastoral Fromager
Cesar Olivares

This cheese originates in the heart of the Loire Valley in France, the cradle of fresh and ripened goats milk cheeses. In ancient times the region was occupied by Arabic Saracens who were responsible for introducing the first goats to the area. With them came the original recipes for the famous cheeses associated with the Loire.

Sainte Maure's maker is Gerald Brun and his farm is found in the town of Le Farrondais. This particular producer was selected by affineur Xavier David because of its dedication to sustainable farming and traditional cheese making techniques. 

Xavier David started doing business in 1976 and has developed a great reputation for representing and aging some of the best cheeses in France. The Xavier David Selection mirrors the finest French cheese culture and has been handed down to his son Francois. 

The cheese is hand ladled and the curds are shaped by hand. Alpine goat's milk is used and in the AOC the cheese milk has to be unpasteurized. Because of its youth, the version we carry is pasteurized. The cheese is aged for 3 weeks and sprinkled with ash. The rind is exceptionally beautiful and is a classic example of geotricum ripening. Geo is a mold that is used in many classic cheeses and is very different than the Penicillium candidum mold that is used in cheeses like Brie and Camembert.

What is the difference? Geo can be considered a little more finicky, lending itself to exposure to other mold while Candidum is more aggressive and a sure bet to give you that white rind you see on most soft ripened cheeses. This particular cheese is a great example of a maker who has mastered the use of geo.

On the palate the cheese is lemony, piquant, and reminiscent of hazelnuts and walnuts. The texture is flaky and has a great mouth coating creaminess.

THE BEER

Hop Ruiter
Producer: De Schelderbrowerij
Origin: Tournhout, Belgium
ABV: 8%

Pastoral
Beer Buyer
Ryne Schofstal

Hop Ruiter is not only imported by Vanberg & Dewulf, Don Feinberg, one of the co-owners, helped design the beer. It is a Belgian strong golden ale. It hails from Tournhout, which I recently learned is the card playing capital of the world. This would explain the playing card-like label. The beer itself is an amazing combination of Belgian brewing style and American style hopping. It uses three varieties of hops: two of these being Noble hops, used in a dry-hopping method. Although they do say American style hopping, it does not come across like an IPA or big hop bomb. Its hop character is elegant and refined.

In the glass, the beer is a hazy, golden straw color. A very uniform lace of foam sits on top and leaves traces along the glass. First aromas are the floral hops from the dry hopping process. Tropical fruits like lemon and pineapple follow. On the palate there is a yeasty funk that blends really well with the grassy, earthy notes. Hops clean up the palate and tickle the tongue. 

THE PAIRING

 From Guest Monger Megan Mattson

Some of the best relationships in life happen when a couple can bring out the best in each other while maintaining their own identities. This pair has exactly that kind of beautiful relationship. Take a bite while giving the Hop Ruiter a swirl and the floral aromas of the beer play up the grassiness of the cheese to send you frolicking through a field of dewy wild flowers in your mind. The acidity of the cheese plays nicely with the hops in the beer and helps distinguish the warm, sweet nuttiness of this creamy cheese without letting it mask the complexity of the beer. I'm so glad these two got together!

Happy Pairings!
Cesar, Ryne & Megan