Ciel de Charlevoix

Producer:

Maison d'affinage Maurice Dufour inc.

Style:

Semi-firm blue

Milk type:

Whole cow's milk

Region:

Baie-Saint-Paul, Quebec

Context:

La Maison d’Affinage Maurice Dufour Inc. which was established in 1994 by Maurice Dufour. Maurice is a certified agronomist and the head affineur.

Appearance of rind:

This is a natural rind cheese. The rind has a rough texture, is brownish-grey in colour, and has a streaks of white mould.

Appearance of paste:

Ivory coloured paste around the rind. Lightlly veined with blue-green mould from pencillium roqforti.

Nose:

The rind has a slightly dusty-musty smell. The paste, on the other hand, gives off toasty and mineral notes.

Primary taste:

Salty.

Flavour:

Salty, toasty, picquant. Blue is not overpowering.  

Texture:

This is a semi-firm cheese that tends more toward creamy than crumbly.  

Pairing opportunities:

Eat with pasta, meat or vegetable dishes. Good in fondue. Add to a lemon vinaigrette. versatile to be eaten alone after a meal, or used in salad, or on bruschetta. Try it with dry fruit, chocolate, a sweet liqueur, Riesling, Cabernet Franc, or Pinot Noir. Sweet and fruity wine.

Other comments:

Crowned champion in the 2009 Canadian Grand Prix Cheese Competition held in Montreal