Chèvre (Goat Cheese)

What is Chèvre (Goat Cheese)?

Chèvre is the French name for cheese made from goat's milk. Goats were among the first animals domesticated for food, with milk production going back to about 8,000 BC, and goat cheese has been made at least as far back as 5,000 BC. France produces a great number of goat milk cheeses, especially in the Loire Valley and Poitou. In Italy the equivalent term is caprino, which covers at least 33 goat milk cheeses.

Production follows the same path as other cheeses. The milk is filtered, then a curdling agent goes in: rennet, or starter bacteria such as Lactococcus lactis lactis, L. l. cremoris and Streptococcus thermophilus. The curds are separated from the whey, then molded, dried, flavored and cured. Small changes in the starter, the draining, and the temperature and length of curing push the result toward soft, semihard or hard.

Chèvre is soft and creamy, close to melt-in-mouth, and can taste fruity. It usually carries a light colored rind or skin and is not aged for very long. The tart, goaty note comes from the medium-chain fatty acids in goat milk, mainly caproic and caprylic, which take their name from capra, Latin for goat.

It is eaten as it is, and in France it is sometimes served hot as chèvre chaud. Goat milk cheeses are relatively easy to digest and are high in calcium, vitamins A and K, phosphorus, thiamin and niacin.