This a monthly series which I have been publishing for quite some years. You can subscribe here, to get the latest cheese delivered directly on to your screen.
Actually remains the order, or rather word of the day, unfortunately. Because I actually had been planning for a completely different cheese for this month – but life had its own plans. It sent rain. Torrents of rain the entire North American west coast would be more than grateful for, whereas it caused unimaginable devastation in North Rhine-Westphalia and along the river Ahr. You’ve all seen the pictures, here is a comprehensive, shocking survey from the winegrowers‘ perspective from Trink Magazine. Completely unexpected in every sense of the word.
This is why today I am presenting you with this little fellow from the southeast of the Champagne-Ardenne département (where apple orchards grow instead of vines and cows are grazing on luscious pastures). Langres is fresh and melting and ever so discreetly perfumed by its lightly washed rind. And it pairs really well not only with these two Ahr Pinot Noir wines from Deutzerhof and Meyer-Näkel which I spontaneously grabbed in the cellar, but also has you covered for all those other wines from that (actually) picturesque valley, such as Rosé and Blanc de noir, plus the occasional Riesling. Langres welcomes them all, and this openness and togetherness is what’s needed right now.
My colleagues Paula and Valérie from Trink have listed campaigns for donations, and here is a good address to order wine; obviously there are many many more. You’ll find Langres at your favourite cheese counter – just don’t let them tell you that you must either rub or eat it with Marc de Champagne: right now Ahr wine is it! Which is also the reason why the August cheese is getting to you a week early. To drink is to help, and help is urgently needed. Thank you, and be safe.
Added on July 28: While some are suffering from excessive downpours, others are battling with extreme drought. My Californian colleague Janet Fletcher spoke to two dairy farmers and cheese producers on the north American west coast for her blog Planet Cheese. Go read!
