An ode to Petit Livarot, the undisputed colonel of French cheese.

Normandy is home to two of the finest cheeses known to man; the small villages of Livarot and Camembert famous throughout the world due to theirAOC certified produce. Livarot, situated just six miles south of Camembert in the region of Calvados, has been producing its fantastically smelly cheese since the 13th century, making it one of France’s oldest and most beloved cheeses.

Bands of raffia encircle this beefy cheese, evoking the stripes previously found on French military uniform, hence the nickname ‘the colonel’. Traditionally served with the brandy of the region, the salty cheese also works well with rich, deep reds, Belgian abbey beers  and any ale or stout you have to hand. An excellent after dinner treat along with a few crisp apples, pears or grapes – their sweetness cutting through Livarot’s rich intensity.

It also works well as a more powerful substitute for Reblochon in a variety of traditional French recipes, including this one for Tartiflette, courtesy of Laura Werlin, the writer of Cheese Essentials. Try it with our pancetta, dry cured for 3 months, for a particularly delicious result.