Acajou

The Cambon family produces one of the very few cheeses made exclusively from Salers milk.

Gaec Cambon, in Saint-Paul-des-Landes, near Aurillac, produces one of the very few cheeses made exclusively from Salers milk. On their land at “L’Hôpital”, one hundred and sixty Salers cows graze in the family meadows.
The idea of making traditional Salers PDO cheese did cross their minds. But sometimes great stories are born out of disappointments. The geographical area for breeding, production and maturing to bear the Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) label stops at their doorstep. So “we decided to make Acajou, in reference to the Salers breed’s coat,” explains Kevin Cambon.
This is a semi-hard cheese, with a deep yellow or lighter paste, depending on the season, studded with small holes. In its first months, the cheese is tender, with a buttery, nutty flavor. As it ages, it becomes tougher, developing a spicier, saltier taste on a more brittle paste.