Description
The Pont-l'Évêque PDO is a soft-paste cheese produced with the milk from cows of Norman breed partly (50% in 2020) which crop for more than six months a year in the meadows of Normandy.
Production Area
The production area of Pont-l'ÉvêquePDO covers partly the departments of Calvados, Manche, Orne and a a little part of Eure in Upper and Lower Normandy.
Production Method
The milk used for the production is whole or semi-skimmed. It is heated up to a temperature of about 35°C and coagulated to obtain the curd. This last is broken with the help of a curd-cutter, to achieve grains measuring less than 25 mm. The whey is partially eliminated and the curd is put into square moulds. During dripping which lasts 15 hours at least, the cheeses are upturned several times. Later they are removed from moulds, salted and dried in dryers. During the ripening period which lasts two to six weeks, the cheeses are selected, brushed and packed into wooden boxes.
Appearance and Flavour
Pont-l'Évêque PDO has a square shape of 3-4 cm height. It has a washed or simply brushed rind, orange-yellow or strawyellow colour. The paste is creamy-yellow colour, soft, delicate and velvety with some holes. The flavour is slightly milky (fresh butter) with an aftertaste of hazelnut, and sometimes smoked.
History
The Pont-l'Évêque PDO, whose name comes from the small town of Pont-l'Évêque located between Lisieux and Deauville, was much appreciated in the Middle Ages and probably was invented by the Cistercian monks. At the beginning, it was called angelon, then angelot and finally, in the 16th century, augelot to explain the origin of this cheese originated in the Pays d'Auge located in the valley of Touques, which is rich in green pastures.
Gastronomy
Pont-l'Évêque PDO must be conserved in the least cold compartment of the refrigerator, wrapped into its original package or into a sealed box. Before eating it, it is suggested to leave it at room temperature for about one hour. Pont-l'Évêque PDO is traditionnally tasted at the end of a meal accompanied by homemade bread or a baguette, but can be used to prepare quiches or puffs. It is ideal with the Pays d'Auge PDO cider but also with red bodied wines having a good bouquet like Bordeaux or Bourgogne.
Marketing
The product is sold as Pont-l'Évêque PDO (105-115 mm wide); Petit Pont-l'Évêque PDO (90-95 mm wide); Demi Pont-l'Évêque PDO (105-110 mm wide); Grand Pont-l'Évêque PDO (190-210 mm wide). It is marketed whole in a suitable package.
Distinctive Features
Pont-l'Évêque PDO is considered the most ancient cheese produced in Lower-Normandy and still today is processed with the ancient methods.
