Whilst many of the cheeses I enjoy eating are either a bit nutty or have a mushroom background to them, I felt that given my absolute love of chaource cheese and the elements of richness and indulgence that come with its taste and texture, I should go for a cheese so rich that you may as well go out and buy a crown to pop on its head whilst giving it a diamond ring at the same time!

Chanteraine cheese comes from Ile-de-France and it is my understanding that it is created using some of the discarded cream that goes into making the indulgent Brie De Meaux cheese of the same area. That said, for those of you expecting a similar cheese, you are in for a shock! The cream from the Brie De Meaux then mixed in with more full fat unpasteurised milk creating the rich and creamy taste that this cheese so effortless conveys.

Spotting the little beast!

I had been forced to leave my Chanteraine in the fridge as I had eaten too much cheese when doing my taste test, but my memory of the freshly bought cheese is that it offered a semi soft texture rather than that of a hard or soft cheese. This certainly isn’t a cheese that you are going to spread like butter, nor is it rock solid like parmigiano, but it does still offer an enjoyable texture even when left in the fridge to avoid letting your cats get at it!

Chanteraine in all its glory!

Taste-wise, you probably cannot get a cheese that is as creamy as this. The richness is indulgent, the nice sweet taste of the cheese is balanced by a strong salty aftertaste and the balance struck is wonderful. I was a big fan.

In what context could you use this cheese? Well, for me it is a great option to pop on a cheeseboard and enjoy with some spicy crackers that would mix nicely with the creamy taste. All in all, this cheese is a fine effort and one that I will certainly not avoid in the future!