Lingot de St Nicolas

Type: Soft
Milk: Raw Sheep's Milk
Rennet: Animal
Location: Herault, Languedoc-Rousillon, France

Lingot de Saint Nicolas is made at the Monastery of La Dalmerie in the valley of Mont d'Orb by Pere Gabriel using local Lacaune sheeps milk from a farm 3 kilometres away.  The monastery looks down to the Mediterranean Sea across the wine growing plain of Languedoc-Roussilon and is surrounded by aromatic scrubland known as 'garrigue' to the background sound of cicadas.  

This cheese in particular, is a reflection of the land from which it comes and the close relationship between cheesemaker, Pere Gabriel, and Patrick, the farmer whose sheeps milk they use.  As a further nod to that, after the milk has ripened with a small amount of mother culture, just before the rennet is added, Pere Gabriel uses a drop of a thyme oil, made at the monastery from herbs collected in the surrounding garrigue.

This adds a herbal note to the cheese, perfectly in balance with the gentle, lactic acidity and smooth, richness on the palate.  It has a warmth and aromatic quality that evokes summertime.