Langres is the washed-rind cow's milk cheese of the Langres plateau in the Grand Est, with a hollow top that connoisseurs fill with a splash of marc before serving.
The story of Langres
The cheese comes from the Langres plateau and has held an AOC since 1991 and a PDO since 2009; its zone covers two arrondissements of the Haute-Marne, a canton of the Vosges and four villages of the Côte-d'Or. Shaped like a truncated cone with a hollow on top, it is related to munster and to époisses, its main regional rival, and milder. In 2016 three dairies, one of them a farm, made 605.5 tonnes, and it is at its best from May to August.
How to make Langres
Serves: Serves 4
Ingredients
- 1 Langres (about 300g)
- 2 tbsp champagne or marc de Champagne
- Walnut or rye bread
Method
- Take the cheese out of the fridge an hour before serving so the paste softens.
- Just before serving, pour the champagne or marc into the hollow on top.
- Cut into wedges so each slice takes a little of the soaked centre, and serve with the bread.
Editor tip. Serve it at the end of the meal with a Blanc de Noirs champagne, which stands up to the washed rind.
The editor picks for Langres in Reims are still in research. Meanwhile, see the Reims signature-dishes index or the Reims food guide.