Saint Agur Blue
Encyclopedia
Saint Agur is a blue cheese
made from pasteurized cow's milk from the village of Beauzac
in the Monts du Velay, part of the mountainous Auvergne
region of central France
. Developed in 1988 by the cheese company Bongrain
, it is made from pasteurised cow's milk
, enriched with cream
, and contains 60% butterfat
qualifying it as a double-cream cheese. Aged for 60 days in cellars, the cheese becomes stronger and spicier as it ages.
The moist, rich, white cheese has characteristic olive green mold veins throughout and a smooth, creamy texture with a subtle mild spicy taste resembling a softer, and finer Roquefort in presentation and taste. It is not as salty as more traditional blue cheese, and its tangy and creamy nature are balanced so not to overpower with a sharp bite, although this is dependent in the age of the cheese. Due to its double-cream nature, this cheese is easily spread and also melts well.
Saint Agur is produced in 2-kilogram octagonal cylinders, rendering a shape that makes it easy to cut into wedges. It has no rind
and sometimes comes in foil to prevent the cheese from becoming more blue.
No saint has ever been named Agur.
No village, in France or elsewhere, has ever been named Saint Agur.
Blue cheese
Blue cheese is a general classification of cow's milk, sheep's milk, or goat's milk cheeses that have had cultures of the mold Penicillium added so that the final product is spotted or veined throughout with blue, blue-gray or blue-green mold, and carries a distinct smell, either from that or...
made from pasteurized cow's milk from the village of Beauzac
Beauzac
Beauzac is a commune in the Haute-Loire department in south-central France....
in the Monts du Velay, part of the mountainous Auvergne
Auvergne (région)
Auvergne is one of the 27 administrative regions of France. It comprises the 4 departments of Allier, Puy de Dome, Cantal and Haute Loire.The current administrative region of Auvergne is larger than the historical province of Auvergne, and includes provinces and areas that historically were not...
region of central 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...
. Developed in 1988 by the cheese company Bongrain
Bongrain
Bongrain is a French food company specializing in the production of cheeses with headquarters in Viroflay. Notable brands/types include Saint Agur Blue, Saint Albray, Etorki. The company is currently headed by Alex Bongrain , son of Jean-Noël Bongrain, the founder and former CEO....
, it is made from pasteurised cow's milk
Milk
Milk is a white liquid produced by the mammary glands of mammals. It is the primary source of nutrition for young mammals before they are able to digest other types of food. Early-lactation milk contains colostrum, which carries the mother's antibodies to the baby and can reduce the risk of many...
, enriched with cream
Cream
Cream is a dairy product that is composed of the higher-butterfat layer skimmed from the top of milk before homogenization. In un-homogenized milk, over time, the lighter fat rises to the top. In the industrial production of cream this process is accelerated by using centrifuges called "separators"...
, and contains 60% butterfat
Butterfat
Butterfat or milkfat is the fatty portion of milk. Milk and cream are often sold according to the amount of butterfat they contain.- Composition :The fatty acids of butterfat are typically composed as follows :...
qualifying it as a double-cream cheese. Aged for 60 days in cellars, the cheese becomes stronger and spicier as it ages.
The moist, rich, white cheese has characteristic olive green mold veins throughout and a smooth, creamy texture with a subtle mild spicy taste resembling a softer, and finer Roquefort in presentation and taste. It is not as salty as more traditional blue cheese, and its tangy and creamy nature are balanced so not to overpower with a sharp bite, although this is dependent in the age of the cheese. Due to its double-cream nature, this cheese is easily spread and also melts well.
Saint Agur is produced in 2-kilogram octagonal cylinders, rendering a shape that makes it easy to cut into wedges. It has no rind
Rind
Rind may refer to:*Peel *Pork rind*Rind , a giantess in Norse mythology*Rind, Armenia, also Rrind*Rind et al. controversy, about a study on child sexual abuse*Rind , a tribe in Baluchistan...
and sometimes comes in foil to prevent the cheese from becoming more blue.
No saint has ever been named Agur.
No village, in France or elsewhere, has ever been named Saint Agur.