Flavors of Normandy

The Five-Stripe Colonel
In the heart of France's Pays d;Auge, the town of Livarot gives its name to a rich cheese with an exceptional history. It is nicknamed "the colonel" because of the five bullrush rings that encircle it, to keep it from collapsing while ripening. In the 19th century, Livarot was the most-eaten cheese in Normandy. it is mentioned in Thomas Corneille's universal geographical and historical dictionary of 1708. 

Production
After partial skimming, the milk is set aside to ripen. The curd is diced and left to rest, then slowly stirred. The whey is then extracted. Finally the curd is placed into molds. While it is ripening in cellars for a month, it is turned and washed three times.

It has the flavor of its terroir: straightforward and pronounced. Its pungent odor contrasts with its strong but creamy flavor. Its fine curd is slightly elastic.