Venaco
Venaco is a farmhouse cheese from the village of Venaco in central Corsica, made from raw sheep's and goat's milk. It has a soft paste, a washed rind, a mild taste and a strong goat or sheep smell.
Key Facts
| Country of Origin | France |
| Specific Origin | Corsica |
| Milk Type | Goat's or sheep's milk |
| Milk Treatment | Unpasteurized |
| Fat Content | 38% |
| Rind | Washed |
| Texture | Soft, artisan, brined |
| Flavor | Full-flavored |
| Aroma | Strong goat or sheep smell |
| Colors | Ivory |
| Forms | Square tome with rounded edges, 12 cm across and 3 to 5 cm thick |
| Age | 4 months |
| Alternative Spellings | Venachese |
What is Venaco Cheese?
Venaco takes its name from the village where it was born, Venaco, in the center of Corsica. It is made there and in the neighboring area, meaning the canton of Venaco and sometimes beyond. The cheese is also called Venachese, the Corsican form of the name.
It is a farmhouse cheese made from raw sheep's and goat's milk, with a soft paste and a washed rind. Ripening lasts four months.
Until fairly recently, flocks moved between the plain and the mountain. In the sheepfolds high in the Verghellu valley, shepherds made Muntanacciu during the summer grazing season, a mountain cheese that owed its flavor to the local flora, the use of natural rennet, the old hand skills of the shepherds, and ripening in mountain caves. In Corsica, the shepherds of Venaco have long been unmatched at this.
The cheese comes as a square tome with rounded edges, 12 cm across and 3 to 5 cm thick. The paste is soft and ivory colored. It tastes mild, and it smells strongly of goat or sheep.
It can be eaten all year, though it was better made with milk from the transhumance. Suggested wines are red Vin de Corse, Pinot Noir, red Côte d'Auvergne and red Sancerre. A regional cheese fair, A Fiera di u Casgiu, takes place each year at Venaco.
How Does Venaco Cheese Compare?
The most relevant cheeses to compare Venaco against.
