Le Timanoix

The Lady’s BCFF, Amy aka The Queen of Cheese, taught The Lady how to stretch mozzarella curd last week and as a treat she brought along a wheel of Le Timanoix, a washed-rind cheese made at the Abbey of Timadeuc in the Brittany region of France.

I must digress for just a moment and say that The French have really got it going on when it comes to cheesemaking. Seven or eight times out of the ten or so times I have actually wept while eating cheese I was eating cheese from France…
This cheese made me weep.
First, a short history lesson… In 1841 three monks from the Cistercian Order founded the Timadeuc Abbey with “Hope in God”. Today the Monks of the Abbey make two kinds of cheese from the milk of cows which they also breed. They also grow apples and make crystallized fruits using their own apple jelly. Both foodstuffs are sold to support their work. The full name of the Monastery is Cistercian Abbey Notre Dame de Timadeuc and is located in Brehan, Morbihan, France (Southern Brittany). Their Choir is known worldwide and has recordings available for purchase on the internet.
Now back to the reason we are all here…Le Timanoix…this small Tomme of cheese is a taste of heaven…appropriate since it’s made by Monks, don’tcha think??? (And don’t forget my thought on why Monks make some of the best cheese…once again, the defense rests…)This 300 gram (about 10 ounces) wheel is a semi-soft, ivory cheese similar to Port de Salut (some say it is a direct descendent, but I cannot confirm such an assertion). The rind is washed in a walnut brandy (“noix” is French for nut) which not only gives the cheese its coffee color but also a pleasant hint of walnut taste.
The US imported version is made from pasteurized (thanks to the rat ass bastards in our government…but that’s another story for another post…oh that’s right, I’ve already done that one…) cows’ milk and aged sixty days. The European version is, of course, made using raw milk and I can only dream of how divine it is…
The Lady assures me she will be petitioning the “powers that be” to approve this cheese for sale in the kiosk…stayed tuned…
This feline foodie gives Le Timanoix 4 paws out of 4 paws (cause that’s all I’ve got) plus a few tears of joy that The Lady has a BCFF in Amy…I sure hope The Lady never does anything to piss out Amy, THE Queen of  cheese in general…and my cheese world specifically…God Save The Queen…
Serving Suggestions: First of all, this cheese would be perfect on any cheese plate with honey and walnuts. Those yummy Sesame Crispbread Crackers from 34° would be an excellent choice to accompany your cheese plate.
Wine Pairing: Oregon’s Andrew Rich Gewurztraminer Ice Wine
Beer Pairing: Oregon’s Pelican Pub and Brewery Doryman’s Dark Ale
Source: Cow’s Milk

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