Bleu des Basques is very different from most other French blues. It isn’t brined so it's far less salty, although it does still have a tiny salty kick at the end. Typical of Basque sheep’s cheese, it has a lovely fruity taste, with a tangy finish. The blue veining is distinctive but not strong, and it doesn’t take away from the delicate nature of the sheep milk.
This is a firm blue with a natural rind, aged in ancient cellars in the village. The natural yeasts and molds of the cellars are an integral part of the ageing and ripening of the cheese. Pasteurized sheep milk collected from ewes from over 250 local farmers. The traditional sheep breeds of the area are used: Black Faced Manech, Red-Faced Manech, and Basco-Bearnaise.
The paste of the cheese is firm and veined with blue-green coloured mold. The natural crust tends to be greyish in colour, dry, and slightly powdery. Â
A match we love is the typical Basque accompaniment to sheep cheese - black cherry jam.Â