Cabecou
Cabécou is a small round goat cheese from the Midi-Pyrénées in southern France, usually made with raw milk. It weighs under 40 grams (1.4 oz), tastes mildly lactic, and turns sharper once blue mold grows on its crust after about two weeks.
Key Facts
| Country of Origin | France |
| Specific Origin | Midi-Pyrenees |
| Milk Type | Goat's milk |
| Milk Treatment | Raw |
| Fat Content | About 45% |
| Rind | Bloomy, thin and striped |
| Texture | Soft, artisan |
| Flavor | Smooth, tangy |
| Aroma | Aromatic |
| Colors | White |
| Forms | Small round discs, 4 to 6.5 cm (1.6 to 2.6 in) across, 1.5 to 2.5 cm (0.59 to 0.98 in) thick |
| Age | Ten days to four weeks |
| Alternative Spellings | Cabécou |
What is Cabecou Cheese?
Cabécou comes from the Midi-Pyrénées region of southern France, and it counts among Aquitaine's best known foods. The name traces to the Occitan word cabra, or craba, meaning goat. Versions are made across the Massif Central, in Quercy, Rouergue, Haute-Auvergne, Limousin and Périgord.
The cheese is generally made from raw goat's milk. Ripening lasts from ten days to four weeks. After roughly two weeks, blue mold grows on the crust and the taste changes.
Each round measures 4 to 6.5 centimetres (1.6 to 2.6 in) across and 1.5 to 2.5 centimetres (0.59 to 0.98 in) thick, and weight rarely passes 40 grams (1.4 oz). The rind is thin and striped, bloomy, over a soft interior of a calm cream color. Fat content runs near 45 percent. The taste is mildly lactic.
The best eating period runs from April to August. Several named cabécous exist. Rocamadour holds a protected designation of origin, and Cabécou du Fel and Cabécou de Livernon are also listed in the Dictionnaire des fromages du monde. Cabécou du Périgord has been protected since 1992 by the Interprofessional Goat Association of Dordogne Périgord.
How Does Cabecou Cheese Compare?
The most relevant cheeses to compare Cabecou against.
