History of Claousou

Loréziennes lands are characterized by a stony ground and not much deep. Only a few plots, situated at the end of the sinkhole, presented a deeper ground and were then reserved to garden. In order to protect the gourmand ewes, those gardens, most of the time with an oblong form, were enclosed with walls of dried stones and were named « Claousou ». From there was born the Claousou, oval, symbole of soil, surrounded and protected by a wooden strap.

Fabrication

The Claousou is produced in one of the natural regions of Lozère: Causses region, located in South-West of Lozère. This region is characterized by vast plateaux, a bit less high that Aubrac, including many sinkholes and caves. Armand takes time to get himself the milk to put in decanting tanks. Once the milk in the tank, he reheats at 35°C and then adds rennet. He curdles the milk, then put it in molds and adds again a little of rennet. Milk needs about 24 hours to curdle. Thereafter curdle is molded, dried and finally salted with dried salt.

Tasting advice

The Claousou is a cheese that is usually eaten after a meal. It can also be used as the making of hot dishes.

Wine-pairing

The Claousou fits with light red wines when still soft, then with other wines more corpulent when its texture is more developed.

Appearance: creamy cheese circled by a thin sliver of spruce.
Texture: flexible and smooth.
Sense of smell: woody aroma.
Taste: fine flavors of raw ewe milk match very well with the woody smell, the tastes are wide.

Main Features

Product code: CLAO1
Production place: Languedoc-Roussillon, France
Approval code: FR 54 395 173 CE
Maturing place: Lorraine, France
Shelf life: 21 days
Maturing time: 12 days
Storage temperature: between + 2°C and + 4°C
Weight: 250 g

Nutritional Values

Type of milk: Raw ewe’s milk
Rind color: white
Type of cheese: Soft paste with bloomy rind
Texture color (inside): pale yellow

Ingredients:
- Raw ewe’s milk 98 %
- Salt 1,20 %
- Lactic acid bacteria 0,50 %
- Rennet 0,30 %

Energetic value per 100 g

kcal-kJ 294-1230
Proteins 17.8 g
Total fat 25 g
Of which saturated 18 g
Trans fat 0.45 g
Carbohydrate 2 g
Of which sugars 0.5 g
Salt 1.3 g
Sodium 520 mg

Microbiological Standards

Listeria: none in 25 g No preservatives or color additives.
Salmonella: none in 25 g Guaranteed GMO-free, in accordance
Enterobacteria: < 10 ufc/ml with current legislation.