A few weeks ago I bought some cheeses to have on hand for serving to drop-in guests. Regrettably I have to limit my own consumption of dairy products and hardly ever touch cheese, but I do love it. One of the cheeses I bought was a Port Salut. In spite of being frequently treated to cheeseboards at the homes of friends, it dawned on me that it's been years if not a few decades since anyone served a Port Salut. I remember it from childhood, being kind of funky with a slightly bitter finish--things I hated but would love now.
So a few days ago needing an effortless day-after-surgery dinner on a hot day, I put this on a raw vegetable platter with Matzoh crackers. And oh how we loved the cheese! Yes it was funky, and yes it was slightly bitter but all the better for both. So just now I looked it up, curious about its origins. Was surprised to learn that it's a Loire cheese. Thought I'd share:
Port Salut is a semi-soft pasteurised cow's milk cheese from Pays de la Loire, France, with a distinctive orange rind and a mild flavour. The cheese is produced in wheels approximately 23 cm (9 inches) in diameter, weighing approximately 2 kg (4.4 lb).
Though Port Salut has a mild flavour, it sometimes has a strong smell because it is a mature cheese. The smell increases the longer the cheese is kept; this does not affect its flavour. It can be refrigerated and is best eaten within two weeks of opening.
The cheese was developed by Trappist monks during the 19th century at Port-du-Salut Abbey in Entrammes.[1] The monks, many of whom had left France during the French Revolution of 1789, learned cheese-making skills to support themselves abroad, and brought those skills back upon their return after the Bourbon Restoration. The name of their society, "Société Anonyme des Fermiers Réunis" (S.A.F.R.), later became their registered trademark, and is still printed on the wheels of Port Salut cheese.
In 1873, the head of the abbey came to an agreement with a Parisian cheese-seller granting exclusive rights of distribution, and purchases of the cheese soon began to increase. The abbey sought trade protection, and eventually, sold the rights to the Bel Group in 1950.[2] The cheese is now produced in a factory, with the characteristic smooth rind now the result of a plastic-coated wrapper.[3] When made of wax the rind may be edible, but can detract from the flavour of the cheese.
Handmade Port Salut cheese or "Entrammes" cheese is still produced by various monasteries throughout the French countryside.
