Chabichou

The Chabichou is a Fromage with the whole goat's milk, with soft paste.

It with the form characteristic of a small truncated cone, known as “plug”, six centimetres height and five to six centimetres in diameter.

Its fine crust, originally white, becomes gradually gray-blue. With the age, it sinks, becomes sometimes breakable and can cover spots of yellow, blue or red moulds.

Its paste is white, firm but flexible. It becomes slightly friable into growing old, without losing its gustatory qualities.

History

The legend of Chabichou goes up with 732, at the time of the defeat of the Sarrasins in the area, in VIII^e century, after the battles of Poitiers. Many enter-them left these grounds but some settled there with their family and, in particular, their herd of goat. The country was appropriate completely for the “cow of poor”, because the pastures were of quality. One then made a cheese named cheblis (“goat”, in Arabic), which will become “chabichou thereafter”. However, the domestication of the goat in this area is supposed to be former to Roman colonization.

The extension of the herds of goats would be related to the presence of Arabic. Thus, Chabichou would borrow it its name from the Arab word chebli which means “goat”.

Chabichou of Poitou

The Chabichou of the Poitou , manufactured exclusively in the area Poitou-Charentes, acquired its AOC in 1990 following the action of Ségolène Royal. One recognizes it with his characteristic label, with macaroon and straps.

Its production rose with 555 tons in 2003.

As of 1782, one quotes the excellence of the chabichou, in the “Guide of the traveller in Poitiers and with the surroundings”.

The caprine production strongly developed thanks to the crisis of the Phylloxera and with the development of the cooperative dairies (1906 with Bougon).

The production zone of a.O.C is limited enough since it extends on the Haut-Poitou (limestone): south of the Vienna, the Two-Sevres and the north of the Charente.

Manufacture

Chabichou of Poitou east made of Milk of goat expenses and entirety. It is quickly but slightly emprésuré: less than 100 microlitres by Liter of milk. One lets milk then coagulate during 24 hour S between 20 and 22 °C.

Then, this curd is moulded manually with the ladle or with distributer in perforated and truncated moulds; one lets it drain during 18 more to 12 midnight while turning over it two to three times, and this, with 22 °C. Afterwards, they are unmoulded and salted with dry salt or some times in a brine bath.

They are then laid out in room of ressuyage, i.e. one will drain them of new while placing them in moulds during 24 to 48 hours. Then they are installed in hâloir it between 10 and 12 °C and under 80 to 90% of Hygrométrie. They remain 10 days at least there, but generally two to three weeks. Some are even preserved there months so that they have a more vigorous savor.

Tasting

Its paste, very white and smooth, is flexible with the palate. Its fine caprine odor reveals the softness of Chabichou at three weeks of refining which becomes, after a few weeks moreover, one cheese of character.

Chabichou of Poitou is appreciated with a white Vin and, more particularly, with the wines of its country containing Sauvignon, which have a wild and typical taste. When the chabichou is refined more, one can prefer it with a red wine or, with aperitif, with a Pineau of Charentes.

Here the receipt of the “small bundles of Chabichou of Poitou”:

1 Chabichou of Poitou;
12 sheets of brig;
1 egg;
1 spoon with soup of fine chapelure (10 G);
1 spoon with soup of pinions (15 G);
1 spoon with soup of Grape S (20 G);
2 spoons with soup of chive engraved;
4 pinches of grooves powder;
30 G of molten Butter;
Pepper;
Sugar ice.

On a board, superimpose the sheets of brig without detaching them from paper and cutting out squares of 21 cm there. Cut Chabichou out of discs then crush it with the fork coarsely. Make heat the furnace with 200 °C. Break egg in a bowl and beat it; add chapelure, Chabichou, the grapes, chive, pepper at will and mix.

Detach a sheet of brig and slightly whitewash melted butter. Pose a spoon with coffee convex of joke in the bottom of the sheet. Roll up the joke in the sheet and tie the two ends to obtain a bundle. Powder it of sugar freezes and place it on the hotplate.

Let cook 30 minutes with the furnace and taste them hot with aperitif or in entry with a salad of rocket.

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