The AOC version of this cheese is Valancay and is made with raw milk. Our selection from Jacquin is identical except that it is made with pasteurized milk. This cheese, named after the town in Berry, is made in the shape of a pyramide with the top part cut off.

Legend has it that Talleyrand had the cheese invented for Napoleon during the Egyptian campaigns to remind him of the pyramids. But once the campaigns went sour, he had the tops flattened. Another story claims that Napoleon himself went through the town of Valencay after his disappointment in Egypt and at the sight of the little pyramids lopped their tops off with his sword.

Disregard for the tops aside, this is a delightful cheese that will age to a beautiful combination of textures, silky smooth just under the rind and fudgy thick toward the center. Once a wedge has been cut from top to bottom and removed it is a great presence on a cheeseboard.