Pont l’Evèque is a subtle and elegant cheese that exudes an exquisite aroma of hazelnuts. This, on a cheese board alongside a noble PDO Normandy Camembert, is a match made in heaven. Serve it with slices of good country bread, or a few dried figs. Ideally, it should be sampled with a glass of chilled cider or a favourite wine.
Pont l’Evèque is made from the finest Normandy milks. These are distinguished by their exceptional richness, high fat content, high levels of protein, Omega-3 fatty acids and vitamins, as well as by their lactic bacterial flora that is characteristic of the terroir.
The milk is heated and rennet is added to coagulate it. The curd is then cut, the whey is drained off and the curds are turned out of the vat. The whey is removed to limit lactose levels and curb the development of lactic cultures which feed on lactose. This explains why Pont l’Evèque stays a supple cheese.
At the end of four days, the cheeses are taken out of the moulds and salted on the fifth day. They are washed in salt water on the seventh day, hence the term washed rind cheese. For the rest of their time in the hâloir, the cheeses are turned by hand as they ripen.