Soignon – a popular goat’s milk cheese from the Poitou.
Soignon is a full-cream goat’s milk cheese, with a soft pâte and mouldy rind.
The fat content is 45%.
Origins of Soignon
Founded in 1895, the Soignon brand benefits from more than 100 years of tradition and goat cheese expertise. Today, it belongs to the Eurial Poitouraine Group, which is number one for goat cheese making in France. The Eurial Group was born from the grouping of three dairy cooperatives in western France. The Soignon brand is now marketed in about 40 countries, including Australia!
Soignon production area
Soignon is usually made in the Poitou region. The group has 11 successful sites located in the centre of the collecting areas. It can therefore fulfill the different needs of supermarket distribution, catering and the food-processing industry, both in France and for export.
The production of Soignon
Curdling is obtained by adding lactic ferments and a bit of rennet to the milk. The milk slowly curdles, for one to two days.
After separation of the solid curd on one side from the liquid whey on the other, the goat’s milk can then become cheese.
Moulding is the stage which gives the cheese its final shape. It is often done with pierced moulds. During the production process, draining has an influence on the quality and preservation of the cheese. Then salt is spread onto the pâte or sprinkled on it. Salt controls the development of microorganisms and gives the curd the appearance and final taste of the cheese.
Finally, goat cheese starts to ripen during affinage.
The curd becomes a pâte and gets a special texture, taste and scent.
Cheeses are turned over by hand. This ripening period takes place in curing rooms or cellars where humidity, temperature and airing are perfectly controlled with the help of sophisticated ventilation systems.
Selection and tasting of Soignon
Soignon is a cylinder shaped like a log.
Soignon is a cheese mainly served at the end of a meal, but it can also be eaten as a snack. Also, the goat cheese can be used in quiche and salads.
It goes well with the white wines of its region (white Sancerre, Quincy, Muscadet) or with a light red wine (Chinon, Beaujolais, Gamay).
Soignon received many honorary titles during international contests, including the gold medal in the 2006 London World Cheese Awards and the gold medal in the 2008 USA World Championship Cheese Contest.
