P'tit Basque is a pasteurized sheep's milk cheese from the Basque Country in France, named for the little wheel format that made it easy to carry down from the mountains. The paste is pale ivory, smooth and semi-hard, with the distinctive basket-weave pattern pressed into its natural rind, a nod to the wicker molds these cheeses would have traditionally been made in. Aged for about 70 days, it sits right in that sweet spot where sheep's milk still reads sweet and creamy rather than sharp. On the palate it's gentle and buttery up front, with a soft toasted-almond pull through the middle and a clean, short finish. The texture slices beautifully, firm enough to hold its shape but with enough give to feel supple rather than dry. This is a really approachable sheep's milk cheese, mild enough for someone who isn't sure how they feel about brebis yet, but with enough nutty character to keep things interesting. Just because it's mild doesn't mean it's not flavorful.
