🧀 Pont-l'Évêque

Pont-l'Évêque is a soft French cheese from Normandy with a protected designation of origin (PDO; registered in the EU in 1996, eAmbrosia number PDO-FR-0129), made from cow's milk. According to the specification it is square or rectangular, with a whitish to reddish rind that may be brushed or washed and a supple paste. It is produced in listed cantons and municipalities of the departments of Calvados, Eure, Manche and Orne.

Milk and feed. From 1 May 2017 at least 50% of the dairy cows on each farm must be of the Normande breed. The cows graze at least six months a year; at least 80% of the dry matter of the basic fodder must come from the farm's plots in the zone, and complementary feed is limited to 1,800 kg per cow per year. The milk may not be concentrated; besides rennet, only harmless bacterial cultures, yeasts, moulds, salt and calcium chloride are allowed.

Making. The milk is renneted with animal rennet at 32–40 °C in vats of up to 600 litres; the curd is cut into pieces under 25 mm and moulded within two hours. Draining in the mould lasts at least 10 hours at 17–31 °C, and salting takes place 1–4 days after renneting. Ripening lasts at least 18 days from renneting (21 days for the largest format), with at least 8–9 days at 11–19 °C.

Look and taste. The paste is ivory to straw-yellow, supple, neither sticky nor runny, with a few holes; fat is at least 45 g per 100 g of dry cheese. The flavour is mild, with milky, plant-like, creamy or slightly smoky notes. There are four formats: grand (190–210 mm, 1,200–1,600 g), standard (105–115 mm, 300–400 g), demi (rectangular, 150–200 g) and petit (85–95 mm, 180–250 g).

Labelling and history. Each cheese bears an individual label with the name in letters at least two thirds the size of the largest on the label, plus "Appellation d'Origine Protégée" or PDO and the EU symbol. The specification says a poem praised the cheese in 1622 and that it became square when wooden moulds appeared in the early 18th century.