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Banon (cheese)
Encyclopedia
Banon is a French cheese made in the region around the town of Banon
in Provence
, south-east France
.
Also known as Banon à la feuille, it is an unpasteurized cheese
made from goat
's milk and is circular in shape, around 7 cm in diameter and 2.5 cm in height, and weighing around 100 g. This pungent uncooked, unpressed cheese consists of a fine soft white pâte that is wrapped in chestnut
leaves and tied with raffia prior to shipping.
The Provençal specialty fromage fort
du Mont Ventoux
is made by placing a young banon in an earthenware
jar. The cheese is then seasoned with salt and pepper, doused in vinegar
and eau-de-vie and left in a cool cellar to ferment. The concoction will last for many years becoming increasingly fierce in taste.
near to the town of Banon in the département of Alpes-de-Haute-Provence
.
and wrapped in chestnut
leaves that have been softened and sterilized by boiling in a mixture of water
and vinegar. The cheese is at its best when made between spring and autumn.
Banon was awarded the Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée
(AOC) label in 2003.
Banon, Alpes-de-Haute-Provence
Banon is a commune in the department of Alpes-de-Haute-Provence in southeastern France.-Geography:The village is situated on the Albion plateau, between the Mont Ventoux and the Lure Mountain...
in Provence
Provence
Provence ; Provençal: Provença in classical norm or Prouvènço in Mistralian norm) is a region of south eastern France on the Mediterranean adjacent to Italy. It is part of the administrative région of Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur...
, south-east France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
.
Also known as Banon à la feuille, it is an unpasteurized cheese
Cheese
Cheese is a generic term for a diverse group of milk-based food products. Cheese is produced throughout the world in wide-ranging flavors, textures, and forms....
made from goat
Goat
The domestic goat is a subspecies of goat domesticated from the wild goat of southwest Asia and Eastern Europe. The goat is a member of the Bovidae family and is closely related to the sheep as both are in the goat-antelope subfamily Caprinae. There are over three hundred distinct breeds of...
's milk and is circular in shape, around 7 cm in diameter and 2.5 cm in height, and weighing around 100 g. This pungent uncooked, unpressed cheese consists of a fine soft white pâte that is wrapped in chestnut
Chestnut
Chestnut , some species called chinkapin or chinquapin, is a genus of eight or nine species of deciduous trees and shrubs in the beech family Fagaceae, native to temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere. The name also refers to the edible nuts they produce.-Species:The chestnut belongs to the...
leaves and tied with raffia prior to shipping.
The Provençal specialty fromage fort
Fromage fort
Fromage fort is a French cheese spread, literally "strong cheese". It is traditionally made by blending together together pieces of different leftover cheeses, white wine , garlic, and various herbs....
du Mont Ventoux
Mont Ventoux
Mont Ventoux is a mountain in the Provence region of southern France, located some 20 km northeast of Carpentras, Vaucluse. On the north side, the mountain borders the Drôme département. It is the largest mountain in the region and has been nicknamed the "Giant of Provence", or "The Bald...
is made by placing a young banon in an earthenware
Earthenware
Earthenware is a common ceramic material, which is used extensively for pottery tableware and decorative objects.-Types of earthenware:Although body formulations vary between countries and even between individual makers, a generic composition is 25% ball clay, 28% kaolin, 32% quartz, and 15%...
jar. The cheese is then seasoned with salt and pepper, doused in vinegar
Vinegar
Vinegar is a liquid substance consisting mainly of acetic acid and water, the acetic acid being produced through the fermentation of ethanol by acetic acid bacteria. Commercial vinegar is produced either by fast or slow fermentation processes. Slow methods generally are used with traditional...
and eau-de-vie and left in a cool cellar to ferment. The concoction will last for many years becoming increasingly fierce in taste.
History
Small goat's cheeses have been made in the dry hills of Provence since Roman times. As it is sold today, the cheese was first made by a couple in the village of PuimichelPuimichel
Puimichel is a commune in the Alpes-de-Haute-Provence department in southeastern France.-Population:-References:*...
near to the town of Banon in the département of Alpes-de-Haute-Provence
Alpes-de-Haute-Provence
Alpes-de-Haute-Provence is a French department in the south of France, it was formerly part of the province of Provence.- History :Nord-de-Provence was one of the 83 original departments created during the French Revolution on 4 March 1790...
.
Manufacture
The affinage period lasts for two weeks, following which it is dipped in eau de vieEau de vie
An eau de vie is a clear, colorless fruit brandy that is produced by means of fermentation and double distillation...
and wrapped in chestnut
Chestnut
Chestnut , some species called chinkapin or chinquapin, is a genus of eight or nine species of deciduous trees and shrubs in the beech family Fagaceae, native to temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere. The name also refers to the edible nuts they produce.-Species:The chestnut belongs to the...
leaves that have been softened and sterilized by boiling in a mixture of water
Water
Water is a chemical substance with the chemical formula H2O. A water molecule contains one oxygen and two hydrogen atoms connected by covalent bonds. Water is a liquid at ambient conditions, but it often co-exists on Earth with its solid state, ice, and gaseous state . Water also exists in a...
and vinegar. The cheese is at its best when made between spring and autumn.
Banon was awarded the Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée
Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée
Appellation d’origine contrôlée , which translates as "controlled designation of origin", is the French certification granted to certain French geographical indications for wines, cheeses, butters, and other agricultural products, all under the auspices of the government bureau Institut National...
(AOC) label in 2003.