St Maure de Touraine (Tours, France)

Served with red beet jam

They say: "St Maure de Touraine looks like a cheese on a stick. It is skewered with a piece of straw that ventilates it while aging. The stick should not be cut; instead piece of the cheese are pulled off the stick like a kebab. 241 farm producers make St. Maure, and traditionally the name of the farm was printed on the straw to identify the producer."

Cmoore says: Fresh, slightly chalky texture with a slight creamline under the rind. The interior is lactic and goaty, with a peppery accent from the ashy rind. The beet jam (a puree of roasted beets and dijon mustard) adds a lovely tanginess that complements and enhances the cheese. Nice with crisp or bubbly beverages to cut through the fluffy paste.

Suggested pairings: Vouvray, Champagne, Loire valley white (e.g. Sauvignon Blanc), Flemish ale, Kriek, Hefeweizen