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Pont-l’Évêque AOC since 1976 and AOP since 1996
 2 228 T
Only 15% with raw milk
6 producers
5 farmers
(2016)
Pont-l’Evêque is a cow’s milk cheese, soft cheese, a washed rind or simply brushed, from orange-yellow to straw-yellow. It must contain at least 45% fat on total weight. The originality of this cheese is its square shape. There are actually 4 formats of Pont-l’Evêque :
Specifications
raw milk or pasteurized cow milk.
The refining period is 2 weeks minimum.
Production zones: part of the small town of Pont-l’Evêque, the AOC zone has expanded to all of Normandy, as well as to Mayenne (but a reduction of the territory is now ’study.
History
The Pont-l’Evêque is born in the 12th century with Cistercian monks, located in the west of Caen. It was at the time called "angelot", which was actually the name of a coin as this cheese served as a medium of exchange, remuneration and tax. In 1225, Guillaume de Lorris, in the Roman de la Rose, writes: "The good tables were always topped with cheese angels».
In the 15th century, cherubs are the most famous cheeses in the kingdom.
In the 16th century, the cheese changed its name and became "augelot": this name was then inspired by the Pays d’Auge where the Pont-l’Evêque came from. It is appreciated under this name in Paris.
In the 17th century, the Pont-l’Evêque then takes various forms thanks to the ceramic tableware used. The cheese was finally named "Pont-l’Evêque" in tribute to a small town, between Deauville and Lisieux, where one of the most important markets of the region is held.
In the 18th century, the notoriety of Pont-l’Evêque transcends our borders and adopts a square form in order to distinguish itself from the Livarot.
In the 19th century, the Pont-l’Evêque was manufactured twice a day. Different variants of cheese appear, depending on its fat content. The first quality is made from whole milk, sometimes enriched with cream flower. The second results from a mixture of skimmed milk from the previous day and whole milk from the morning milking. The third from the skimmed milk of yesterday is less rich and more acid. The Pont-l’Evêque is sold on the markets of Pont-l’Evêque and Beaumont, in Auge.
The development of rail transport promotes its commercialization. Cheese makers benefit from the speed, safety and moderate cost of the train. Only the Pont-l’Evêque of the first quality are then marketed. This explains the excellent reputation of Pont-l’Evêque, at a time when fat is rare and expensive.
In the 20th century, the collection of milk was modernized and the methods of transformation were developed with respect for traditions. This allows the growth of large cheese groups. Le Pont-l’Evêque remains a cheese of choice.
Manufacturing
The Pont-l’Evêque’s method of production classifies it in the family of soft cheeses with washed rind. It is made with cow’s milk, added with rennet. 3.5 liter of milk are needed to produce a Pont-l’Eveque of 350 g.
Whole or partially skimmed milk is reheated to about 35 ° C. Put in basin, the milk is then ruffled, then coagulates forming the curd. This is then cut into grains 1 to 2 cm apart, then stirred, thus eliminating the whey. The curd is then molded into a square shape. To help and accelerate the draining, the cheese is turned several times in its mold. After demolding, it is placed on racks, returned again regularly, then salted with dry salt or in brine. Between the fifth and the tenth day, washing and / or brushing are sometimes carried out in clear, slightly salty water, sometimes with annatto. These treatments will define the curd and thus the appearance and final taste of the Pont-l’Evêque.
Sorted, sometimes brushed and packed in boxes of wood, the Pont-l’Evêque continue their refining for 2 to 6 weeks. Whitish, the crust turns red, the dough tenderizes and the aromas develop.
Choice ans tasting
To the eye: fairly smooth crust, from golden yellow to orange; Paste homogeneous neither too dry nor too flowing, with the appearance slightly bounced.
To touch: soft consistency.
On the nose: smell developed with bouquet.
Test : Soft cheese with creamy and fruity aromas (hazelnut).
Make sure to take the cheese out of the fridge one hour before tasting it. It is generally a cheese of end of meal, that one serves by removing a triangular part. It combines perfectly with the Fourme de Montbrison, the Corsican Brocciu and Saint Marcellin, or with its Norman cousins Camembert and Livarot.
It can be tasted without its crust, with a crisp white bread and crispy crispy, or dried fruits (figs and hazelnuts). It is accompanied by a red wine and full-bodied, Bordeaux, Burgundy, or an excellent cider of the Pays d’Auge very fresh.
Did you know
Since 1996, the Pont-l’Evêque has been protected with AOP, a sign of quality in the European Union.
(Sources : Inao and Profession fromager n°11, march/april 2004)
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