What Is Le Cendrillon Cheese?
Le Cendrillon is a world-renowned surface-ripened goat cheese from Canada that won the prestigious title of world's best cheese at the 2009 World Cheese Awards. You'll recognize this unique cheese by its striking pyramid shape and ash-covered rind, which creates a beautiful contrast with its smooth ivory interior. Its flavor develops from creamy and mild to complex and tangy as it ages. This exceptional cheese holds many more secrets within its distinctive marble-textured exterior.
The Story Behind Le Cendrillon
While many cheeses have fascinating histories, Le Cendrillon's rise to fame reads like a fairy tale. This SURFACE RIPENED GOAT cheese, crafted by Fromagerie Alexis de Portneuf in Canada, stunned the world when it captured the title of best cheese globally at the 2009 World Cheese Awards. You'll find its distinctive pyramid shape and ash-covered rind instantly recognizable, setting it apart from traditional cheese designs.
The name "Cendrillon" couldn't be more fitting - it's the French word for Cinderella, perfectly matching this cheese's unexpected path to the top. Made using time-honored methods and premium goat's milk, it develops a complex flavor profile that intensifies with age. Its marble-textured rind and ivory interior showcase the artisanal abilities that transformed this Canadian cheese from an unknown contender into a world champion. Like other soft ripened cheeses, it matures from the outside inward, developing its characteristic creamy texture and rich taste.
Award-Winning Excellence
Le Cendrillon stepped into the spotlight in 2009 when it took home the prestigious title of world's best cheese at the World Cheese Awards. You'll find this Canadian exemplar outshined 2,440 competitors from 34 countries, marking the first time a Canadian cheese achieved this honor.
What makes Le Cendrillon stand out is its exceptional craftsmanship. You'll notice its distinctive marble-textured rind, covered in vegetable ash, which beautifully contrasts with its smooth ivory body. When you taste this goat's milk cheese, you'll uncover a semi-strong taste that becomes more complex as it ages, developing an acidulous character that cheese connoisseurs prize. This unique combination of visual appeal and sophisticated flavor profile demonstrates why Le Cendrillon earned its place among the world's finest cheeses. The goat milk imparts a distinctive tangy and earthy flavor that sets this artisanal masterpiece apart from conventional cheeses.
Distinctive Characteristics and Appearance
At first glance, you'll notice the striking appearance of this French-inspired cheese with its distinctive marble-textured rind. Created by coating the exterior with vegetable ash, this unique surface treatment isn't just for show - it helps balance the cheese's flavor profile and follows traditional goat cheese-making methods.
When you cut into Le Cendrillon, you'll find a rind and a smooth ivory interior that offers an intriguing contrast to its ashen exterior. The cheese's long, flat-topped pyramid shape serves a practical purpose, enabling faster ripening while preserving moisture in its core. As for the taste, you'll experience an acidulous, semi-strong taste that becomes more pronounced as the cheese ages, creating a complex flavor profile that has earned this cheese international recognition. Like its French cousin soft-ripened Camembert, Le Cendrillon develops more complex flavors and aromas as it matures.
Tasting Notes and Flavor Profile
Diving into Le Cendrillon's flavor profile reveals a complex expedition of taste that evolves with age. This exceptional cheese from Quebec will greet your palate with creamy, rich notes that gradually develop into more pronounced, tangy flavors as it matures. You'll notice its distinctive acidulous, semi-strong character becomes more assertive over time, making each tasting experience unique.
The marble-textured exterior, covered in traditional vegetable ash, isn't just for show - it helps balance the cheese's powerful flavor profile. As this goat cheese ages under Saputo's expert care, you'll uncover how its smooth, ivory body transforms from a mild, creamy consistency to a more complex and pronounced taste experience. The ash coating enhances these flavor developments, creating a harmonious blend of subtle and bold notes.
Making and Aging Process
Created through time-honored artisanal methods, Le Cendrillon's making process begins with carefully selected goat's milk from Quebec's local farms. In the cheese world, this handcrafted masterpiece undergoes a meticulous surface ripening process that creates its characteristic marble-textured rind.
As a cheese lover, you'll appreciate how the distinctive pyramid shape plays a vital role in the aging odyssey. This unique form guarantees even ripening throughout while maintaining the proper moisture balance at the cheese's core. Over several weeks, the goat's milk transforms into a complex creation with an acidulous, semi-strong taste that intensifies with age. Each passing day enhances the flavor profile, resulting in a more pronounced and sophisticated character that sets Le Cendrillon apart from other artisanal cheeses.
Perfect Pairings and Serving Suggestions
The extraordinary aging process of Le Cendrillon leads naturally to the question of how best to serve and pair this distinguished cheese. You'll find this tangy goat cheese reaches its peak potential when enjoyed 7-10 days before its best-before date, offering ideal texture and flavor development.
For the perfect pairing experience, consider these serving suggestions:
- Serve with warm stollen bread for a wonderful contrast of crispy and creamy textures
- Allow the cheese to come to room temperature before serving
- Present the cheese whole to showcase its distinctive ash coating
- Position it alongside sweet breads to complement its rich, tangy profile
When serving, remember the ash coating is part of the cheese's character but isn't meant to be eaten like a covering.
Nutritional Value and Ingredients
Understanding what goes into Le Cendrillon reveals a nutritionally rich cheese crafted from pasteurized goat's milk and essential cheesemaking ingredients. You'll find a blend of bacterial culture, calcium chloride, and microbial enzyme, along with vegetable ash that naturally balances the cheese's acidity while creating its distinctive appearance.
When you're watching your nutrition, you'll appreciate that each 30-gram serving delivers impressive nutrients: 120 calories, 9 grams each of protein and fat, and just 1 gram of carbohydrates. The cheese also provides 15% of your daily calcium needs. If you're sensitive to lactose, you'll be pleased to know that Le Cendrillon is lactose-free. You won't find any artificial additives here - the cheese contains no artificial preservatives, colors, or flavors.
Storage and Handling Tips
Proper storage and handling of Le Cendrillon cheese guarantees you'll experience its full flavor potential and maintain its distinctive texture. Keep it refrigerated at 40°F, but let it reach room temperature before serving to enhance its flavor profile.
To preserve your Le Cendrillon, follow these essential steps:
- Store in original packaging or wrap tightly in parchment or wax paper to maintain moisture
- Use a clean knife and cut from center outward to protect the delicate texture
- Consume within 7-10 days of the best before date
- Never freeze the cheese, as it damages the ash-covered rind
When wrapping your cheese, ascertain the rind doesn't dry out by creating a snug seal with your chosen wrapping material. This careful attention to storage will help maintain the cheese's creamy interior and characteristic qualities.
