Valençay comes from the Loire Valley in France, where the producers at Jacquin shape this little goat's milk pyramid with its signature flat top. It's a young cheese, aged about three weeks, dusted all over in vegetable ash and then bloomed with a soft white mold that settles into a grey-blue cloak over the ash. The paste is soft and chalky right in the middle, with a creamier line developing just under the rind as it ripens from the outside in. The flavor is gentle, the way a young Loire goat should be: bright lactic tang on the front of the tongue, a clean fresh-cream pull through the middle, and a quiet nutty finish. No barnyard funk, no sharp bite, just that pretty citrus brightness goat's milk does when it's handled this carefully. The shape has its own story. Legend says Napoleon, returning from a failed Egyptian campaign, lopped the top off the original pointed pyramid in a rage, and the locals kept the shape that way out of respect. True or not, the flat-topped pyramid is the calling card, and the ash isn't just decoration: it balances the acidity of the fresh curd and helps the rind set evenly. A little cheese that punches above its size.
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