Palet cendré

1. History

The Palet cendré is a farm-made goat cheese traditional to the Poitou and Pays de la Loire regions. Produced by artisans like the GAEC de Roumé in Yzernay or Johnny Blanc's fromagerie near Parthenay, it continues ancestral techniques of ash-coated cheeses, inspired by caprine practices introduced to France in the 8th century by the Saracens. These soft-paste, ash-crusted cheeses reflect the cheesemaking heritage of Central-Western France.

2. Physical characteristics

The Palet cendré comes in a small 150-gram puck shape, with a fine gray rind coated in vegetable ash, slightly moist and vermiculated. Its paste is dense and white when fresh, evolving to a smooth, shiny, creamy ivory color with aging. Compact in size, it has an elegant, distinctive appearance due to its ash bloom that lightens over time.

3. Taste profile

On the nose, it offers a fresh goat milk aroma with subtle caprine notes. In the mouth, it is fresh, melting, and fruity, balanced by mild lactic flavors and a hint of salt in the finish. With aging, it becomes creamier, developing fresh grass, floral, and slightly mineral aromas while retaining great finesse.

4. Production zone and period

Primarily produced in Maine-et-Loire (49) and Deux-Sèvres (79) departments, in Pays de la Loire and Nouvelle-Aquitaine regions, from organic or artisanal farms. Production follows goat milking cycles, typically spring and summer. Local fromageries like those in Parthenay or Yzernay ensure farm-made production with raw milk.

5. Certification

The Palet cendré has no specific AOC, AOP, or IGP certification, though it is often from organic practices like at GAEC de Roumé. It embodies the tradition of French farm cheeses without official labeling. Its quality relies on local producers' expertise.