A Pairing Suggestion; Ciel de Charlevoix and Cirque du Soleil

Ciel de Charlevoix

Ciel de Charlevoix is a Canadian blue cheese that is produced in Baie-Saint-Paul, Quebec.

Baie-Saint-Paul, Quebec

The town is about 90 km Northeast of Quebec City on the northern shore of the Saint Lawrence River.

Baie-Saint-Paul from Google Maps

This small town (population 7,288) was where Cirque du Soleil was founded in 1984 by two former street performers, Guy Laliberté and Daniel Gauthier. Cirque du Soleil is currently based in Montreal and the company has grown to employ 5,200 people.

The blue cheese Ciel de Charlevoix is produced by La Maison d’Affinage Maurice Dufour Inc. which was established in 1994 by Maurice Dufour. Maurice is a certified agronomist and the head affineur. Their cheeses have won many awards. The Ciel de Charlevoix won the 2009 Champion of the Blue-veined category at the Canadian Cheese Grand Prix.

Ciel de Charlevoix is one of six cheeses currently produced by the company. The six cheeses are:

• Le Ciel de Charlevoix
• Le Migneron de Charlevoix
• Le Secret de Maurice
• La Tomme d’Elles
• La Tomme de Brebis de Charlevoix
• Le Bleu de Brebis de Charlevoix

Ciel de Charlevoix is made from cow’s milk. It is ripened a minimum of 60 days with a shelf like of 60-75 days. The blue is the result of P. Roqueforti. This cheese is 27% milk fat and 39% moisture content.

What does Ciel de Charlevoix taste like?

I like blue cheese and I enjoyed this one. This is not a soft spreadable blue cheese like Cambozola. This is semi-firm cheese that does not need a cracker to carry it. You can slice a small piece and let it melt on your tongue. I like the colour which is a creamy  ivory with a hint of aged yellow that is heavily veined with blue green mold. Although this cheese is not aged long, its look conveys a certain character. It is not a strong blue; in terms of strength, it is in the middle.  It has a fairly sharp finish.

Ciel de Charlevoix will hold its own on a cheese plate. I suggest pairing this cheese with a Cirque du Soleil performance since they both originate from the same small town. My prediction is that they will go together wonderfully and you will enjoy both very much.

Le Mamirolle – The Canadian Version

Le Mamirolle Cheese

I came across some Le Mamirolle cheese at a local Longos Supermarket.  This is a Canadian cheese that I have never tried before.

This cheese has an interesting history. The recipe for the cheese originated in the small village of Mamirolle France in 1935. Mamirolle is home of the French National Dairy School called the École Nationale d’industrie laitière.

Mamirolle France - Image from Wikipedia

The recipe was brought to Canada and in 1996 Eco Delices secured an exclusive license through the École Nationale d’industrie laitière to produce this cheese in Canada using the Le Mamirolle name.

Eco Delices is located in Plessisville, Quebec which is about halfway between Montreal and Quebec City.

Plessisville, Quebec - image from Google Maps

Le Mamirolle won the Selection Caseus award in 1999 in the category of artisan cheese.

This cheese is made from pasteurized cow’s milk. It is a semi-soft cheese with an orange coloured rind.

What does Le Mamirolle taste like?

This cheese has a fairly strong smell that my kids did not find appealing. I can’t decide if it smells good or not. The paste (a fancy term for the cheese inside the rind) is mild, and somewhat rich. Beyond that, I find this cheese hard to describe.

I probably would hesitate to serve this cheese to guests because I think the smell might deter some people from trying it. This cheese was not a stand out for me.  I would classify it in the “runner up” category relative to some other cheeses that I’ve recently had the opportunity to try.