Cathare

{{Short description|French goats' milk cheese}}

{{Distinguish|Catharism|CATHARE (software)}}

{{Infobox cheese

| name = Cathare

| image = Cathare fromage.JPG

| country = France

| region =

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| source = Goat

| pasteurised =

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Cathare is a goat's milk cheese from the Languedoc-Roussillon region of France.{{Cite web |title="Bienvenue à la Ferme de Cabriole – La Ferme de Cabriole" |url=http://ferme-de-cabriole.com/index.php?page=produits/from_chevre.html&navi=navi_produits.php&top=4&sub=2 |access-date=2022-05-19 |archive-date=2016-03-03 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303224639/http://ferme-de-cabriole.com/index.php?page=produits/from_chevre.html&navi=navi_produits.php&top=4&sub=2 |url-status=dead }} The cheese comes in flat discs whose face is covered in charcoal powder with the Occitan cross inscribed. Under the rind, Cathare is pure white with a soft, creamy texture.{{cite web|url=http://www.slashfood.com/2008/06/05/cathare-a-sacred-jewel-of-a-cheese/|title=Cathare, a sacred jewel of a cheese|publisher=slashfood|access-date=2008-11-24|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080607001303/http://www.slashfood.com/2008/06/05/cathare-a-sacred-jewel-of-a-cheese/|archive-date=2008-06-07|url-status=dead}} Its goat-milk flavor intensifies as it ages,{{cite web|url=http://www.french-cheese.com/cathare-p-307.html|title=Cathare|publisher=french-cheese.com|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://archive.today/20120630113205/http://www.french-cheese.com/cathare-p-307.html|archivedate=2012-06-30}} and reaches its prime after two to three weeks, which makes it typically unavailable in the United States, due to the Food and Drug Administration's stance that raw milk soft cheeses can pose a health risk.{{cite web|url=http://www.consumeraffairs.com/news04/2005/fda_cheese.html|title=FDA Warns About Soft Cheese Health Risk|publisher=consumeraffairs.com}} The sale of raw milk cheese aged under 60 days is illegal in the United States.{{cite web|url=http://archive.salon.com/travel/food/feature/2000/01/28/cheese/index.html|title=Cheesy does it|work=salon.com|author=Steven A. Shaw|access-date=2008-11-24|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090206225045/http://archive.salon.com/travel/food/feature/2000/01/28/cheese/index.html|archive-date=2009-02-06|url-status=dead}}