Langres cheese
{{Short description|French cheese}}
{{Infobox cheese
| name = Langres
| image = 250px
| othernames =
| country = France
| regiontown = Champagne-Ardenne, Langres
| region =
| town =
| source = Cows
| pasteurised = No
| texture = Soft, washed rind
| fat =
| protein =
| dimensions =
| weight =
| aging = at least 5 weeks
| certification = French AOC 1991
}}
Langres ({{IPA|fr|lɑ̃ɡʁ|-|LL-Q150 (fra)-Lyokoï-langres.wav}}) is a French cheese from the plateau of Langres in the region of Champagne-Ardenne. It has benefited from an Appellation d'origine contrôlée (AOC) since 1991.
Langres is a cow's milk cheese, cylindrical in shape, weighing about 180 g. The central pâte is soft, creamy in colour, and slightly crumbly, and is surrounded by a white Penicillium candidum rind. Langres cheese is known for its vibrant orange rind, achieved through the use of annatto, and its concave dent known as the "fontaine."{{cite web |title=Langres |url=https://anycheese.com/types/langres/ |website=AnyCheese.com |access-date=31 August 2024}} It is a less pungent cheese than Époisses, its local competition. It is best eaten between May and August after 5 weeks of aging, but it is also excellent March through December.
Production in 1998 was around 305 tons, a decline of 1.61% since 1996, and 2% on farms. In 2016, 605.5 tonnes of Langres cheese were produced by three dairies, including one farm producer.{{cite web |title=Langres Cheese Supply Chain |url=http://www.fromagedelangres.com/filiere.html |website=Fromage de Langres |access-date=2025-04-27 |language=fr}}
Production
The specifications for this Appellation d'origine contrôlée (AOC), recognized since 1991, were approved by Decree No. 2009-49 of January 13, 2009, published in the Journal Officiel on January 15, 2009.{{cite web |title=Decree No. 2009-112 of January 30, 2009, concerning the protected designation of origin "Langres" |url=https://www.legifrance.gouv.fr/loda/id/JORFTEXT000020094297 |website=Légifrance |date=2009-01-30 |access-date=2025-04-27 |language=fr}}
The specifications define an AOC area covering two districts of Haute-Marne (Chaumont and Langres), one canton in the Vosges (Neufchâteau), and four villages in Côte-d'Or. The authorized cow breeds are French Simmental, Montbéliarde, and Brown Swiss. Prim'Holstein cattle are tolerated as long as they do not exceed 50% of the herd. The specifications also state that cows must graze for a minimum of six months per year.
See also
References
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{{French cheeses}}
Category:French products with protected designation of origin
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