Bouton de culotte

1. History

Bouton de Culotte was born in the Mâconnais wine region of Burgundy-Franche-Comté, where its history is intimately linked to viticulture[1]. Peasants preferred cultivating vines to pastures but raised a few goats to maintain hedges and clear weeds along vineyard paths[4]. The scarce milk produced by these goats allowed for the production of only small cheeses[1]. Historically, this cheese was intended to be consumed several months after production, when very dry[2].

2. Physical characteristics

Bouton de Culotte is one of the smallest traditional cheeses in the world, weighing approximately 30 grams when fresh and only about 15 grams once aged[2]. Its shape resembles a mini-Crottin de Chavignol, approximately 4 centimeters in diameter and height[5]. It is a soft-paste cheese with a bloomy rind, white to ivory in color when young, evolving to blue-grey or brown during maturation[5]. Its white semi-dry paste becomes hard and brittle after several months of aging[5].

3. Taste profile

Bouton de Culotte releases a distinctly goaty aroma[5]. When very dry after 1 to 2 months of aging, it presents a hard paste with peppery, spicy, and caprine notes[4]. Tasting is done by sucking the cheese as a palate cleanser[4]. It contains between 40 and 45% fat content[7].

4. Production zone and period

Bouton de Culotte is produced in the Mâconnais and Haut-Beaujolais regions in the Saône-et-Loire department, on the north-eastern border of the Massif Central[7]. Production has always been artisanal, carried out by approximately a dozen farm producers, generally alongside Mâconnais production[1]. Production runs from March to December[1]. Aging typically lasts one to two months, during which the cheese loses half its size and becomes more compact[1].

5. Certification

Bouton de Culotte is a trademark registered on August 31, 1992 by the Economic Interest Grouping Capriferm, comprising approximately ten producer-breeders in Saône-et-Loire[5]. It is also called Cabrion or Chèvroton du Mâconnais[3]. The cheese is made from raw goat's milk using a method comparable to that of Mâconnais[7].