Saint-Nectaire
Encyclopedia
Saint-Nectaire is a French cheese made in the Auvergne
region of central France
. The cheese has been made in Auvergne since at least the 17th century. Its name comes from the Marshal of Senneterre
(a linguistic corruption of "Saint-Nectaire
"), who served it at the table of Louis XIV
. The Marshal of Senneterre is also responsible for the introduction of Cantal
and Salers
.
Saint-Nectaire is a pressed, uncooked cheese
made from cow's milk, mainly of Holstein
and Montbéliarde and sometimes Salers
. It is circular in shape, around 21 cm in diameter and 5 cm in height, and weighing around 1.7 kg. A smaller version called Petit Saint-Nectaire is also made, measuring 13 cm in diameter, and weighing around 600 g. Both are made from either pasteurized
or unpasteurized milk.
It is the first "farmer" AOC
cheese in France with 6.000 tons produced each year.
The finished cheese has a grey/brown rind, with white, yellow or red patches that surround a semi-hard pâte that is creamy in appearance with occasional residual holes. This dense cheese has a silky texture with soft acidity, and its taste is similar to that of Reblochon
, with hints of hazelnut and mushrooms, due to the aromatic flora where the cheese ages.
is added to the milk and left for around an hour. The curd
is milled to around the size of grains of rice and gathered into a single mass, known as the tomme.
The tomme is cut into small cubes and pressed into the circular mould by hand. After pressing, the cheese is salted and pressed for around 24 hours, turning around midway through. The mould is discarded and the cheese is dried over a period of three days.
The period of affinage lasts up to eight weeks, during which time they are twice washed in brine and aged on rye
straw. The majority of Saint-Nectaires are transported to a professional affineur for the final six weeks of the affinage. The affinage is also cut short if it is decided that the flavour and scent are not developing sufficiently.
Around 15 litres of milk are required to make one cheese, and the final product is at least 45% fat as a percentage of dry matter.
Saint-Nectaire was awarded full Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée
(AOC) status in 1979.
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...
. The cheese has been made in Auvergne since at least the 17th century. Its name comes from the Marshal of Senneterre
Henri de La Ferté-Senneterre
Henri II de La Ferté-Senneterre was a marshal of France and governor of Lorraine.- Life :The son of Henri I de La Ferté-Senneterre, a minister from an old knightly family in the Auvergne, Henri II was destined for a military career and fought for the first time under Maurice of Nassau, leader of...
(a linguistic corruption of "Saint-Nectaire
Saint-Nectaire, Puy-de-Dôme
Saint-Nectaire is a commune in the Puy-de-Dôme department in Auvergne in central France. the village is in two sections Saint-Nectaire le Haut and Saint-Nectaire-History:...
"), who served it at the table of Louis XIV
Louis XIV of France
Louis XIV , known as Louis the Great or the Sun King , was a Bourbon monarch who ruled as King of France and Navarre. His reign, from 1643 to his death in 1715, began at the age of four and lasted seventy-two years, three months, and eighteen days...
. The Marshal of Senneterre is also responsible for the introduction of Cantal
Cantal (cheese)
Cantal cheese is a firm cheese from the Cantal region of France. It is named after the Cantal mountains in the Auvergne region.One of the oldest cheeses in France, Cantal dates back to the times of the Gauls. It came to prominence when marshal Henri de La Ferté-Senneterre served it at the table of...
and Salers
Salers (cheese)
The Salers is a French cheese from the volcanic region in the mountains of Auvergne, central France. It is a pressed, uncooked cheese made from Salers cow's milk between the 15 April and 15 November...
.
Saint-Nectaire is a pressed, uncooked 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 cow's milk, mainly of Holstein
Holstein (cattle)
Holstein cattle is a breed of cattle known today as the world's highest production dairy animal. Originating in Europe, Holsteins were bred in what is now the Netherlands and more specifically in the two northern provinces of North Holland and Friesland...
and Montbéliarde and sometimes Salers
Salers (cattle)
thumb|250px|right|Salers cattleThe Salers is a breed of cattle which originated in Cantal in the Massif Central of France.They are a large breed of cattle, with the female weighing in at between 700 and 750 kg and standing 1.40 metres tall. They have a thick mahogany red or black coat, and...
. It is circular in shape, around 21 cm in diameter and 5 cm in height, and weighing around 1.7 kg. A smaller version called Petit Saint-Nectaire is also made, measuring 13 cm in diameter, and weighing around 600 g. Both are made from either pasteurized
Pasteurization
Pasteurization is a process of heating a food, usually liquid, to a specific temperature for a definite length of time, and then cooling it immediately. This process slows microbial growth in food...
or unpasteurized milk.
It is the first "farmer" AOC
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...
cheese in France with 6.000 tons produced each year.
The finished cheese has a grey/brown rind, with white, yellow or red patches that surround a semi-hard pâte that is creamy in appearance with occasional residual holes. This dense cheese has a silky texture with soft acidity, and its taste is similar to that of Reblochon
Reblochon
Reblochon is a French cheese from the Alps region of Haute-Savoie and has been granted the AOC title. Reblochon was first produced in the Thônes and Arly valleys, in the Aravis massif. Thônes remains the centre of Reblochon production; the cheeses are still made in the local cooperatives. Until...
, with hints of hazelnut and mushrooms, due to the aromatic flora where the cheese ages.
Manufacture
After being heated to 32 °C, rennetRennet
Rennet is a complex of enzymes produced in any mammalian stomach to digest the mother's milk, and is often used in the production of cheese. Rennet contains many enzymes, including a proteolytic enzyme that coagulates the milk, causing it to separate into solids and liquid...
is added to the milk and left for around an hour. The curd
Curd
Curds are a dairy product obtained by curdling milk with rennet or an edible acidic substance such as lemon juice or vinegar, and then draining off the liquid portion. The increased acidity causes the milk proteins to tangle into solid masses, or curds. The remaining liquid, which contains only...
is milled to around the size of grains of rice and gathered into a single mass, known as the tomme.
The tomme is cut into small cubes and pressed into the circular mould by hand. After pressing, the cheese is salted and pressed for around 24 hours, turning around midway through. The mould is discarded and the cheese is dried over a period of three days.
The period of affinage lasts up to eight weeks, during which time they are twice washed in brine and aged on rye
Rye
Rye is a grass grown extensively as a grain and as a forage crop. It is a member of the wheat tribe and is closely related to barley and wheat. Rye grain is used for flour, rye bread, rye beer, some whiskeys, some vodkas, and animal fodder...
straw. The majority of Saint-Nectaires are transported to a professional affineur for the final six weeks of the affinage. The affinage is also cut short if it is decided that the flavour and scent are not developing sufficiently.
Around 15 litres of milk are required to make one cheese, and the final product is at least 45% fat as a percentage of dry matter.
Saint-Nectaire was awarded full 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) status in 1979.