Pont-l'évêque

The cheese

One of the oldest Norman cheeses (documented since the 12th century), AOP Pont-l'Évêque is a square soft-ripened washed-rind cheese (15 cm per side) made in Calvados, Eure, Manche, Orne and Seine-Maritime. From raw or pasteurized milk of Norman-breed cows, it ages at least six weeks, washed regularly with brine, which gives it its characteristic yellow-orange rind. Beneath it lies a supple, melting, cream-coloured paste with aromas of butter, hazelnut, byre, hay and fresh herbs, with a light piquant persistence. Milder than Camembert but more complex than Brie, it pairs wonderfully with Champagne, a Crémant de Loire, Calvados or a traditional Normandy cider.