Poitou: land of goats

Chabichou du Poitou, Mothais-sur-Feuille, fresh chèvre, log, faisselle: the Poitou region is also famous for a local cheesecake, the tourteau fromagé. 

According to legend, the Poitou goat arrived in the region with the Saracens, during their invasions in the 7th and 8th centuries.
They left after being defeated by Charles Martel at Poitiers in 732, leaving their herds to be adopted by locals.
However, recent archeological and scientific research shows that these animals have been bred in Poitou for much longer.

The herds were decimated by a foot-and-mouth disease epidemic in the 1920s. Only 600 goats were left in the 1980s. In 2020, thanks to the commitment of local farmers, there were about 3,900 goats spread across 136 farms.

The Mel'Élie farm's goat herd migrates each summer to graze freely on organically cultivated land.

Throughout the rest of the year, they are fed alfalfa, pea straw, barley, and corn—all organically raised products from the farm.

They give birth between January and March, and produce milk for almost 9 months.

During this period, the goats on the farm are milked twice per day and produce about 26 gallons (100 l) of milk each day.

After the milk is collected, it can be used raw or pasteurized, meaning that it is heated for a few seconds at between 162ºF and 185°F.

The first step in transforming milk into cheese is curdling.
Lactic acid bacteria and rennet are added to coagulate the milk. The amount of rennet varies based on the kind of cheese being produced: a small amount for lactic cheeses, and six times more rennet for pressed cheeses.

The curdled milk is then drained. The solid curd is used as a base for the cheese, and the liquid, or whey, is not used.

The solid curd is then traditionally molded with a ladle.
It is poured into different types of containers with holes, based on the desired shape of the cheese. These molds are called faisselles.

Whey drains through the container's holes for about 24 hours. This step, known as drying, is crucial for the cheese's taste. Whey has a pungent, acidic taste.
Salt, a natural barrier against microorganisms, is added as needed.

After 24 hours, the cheese is taken out of the molds and has its final shape, but not its final texture or taste.

Then the crucial step of maturing starts.
The cheese is placed on shelves in a room called the hâloir, which has a specific climate and temperature.
Fresh cheeses spend a few days there, while drier cheeses spend several weeks.

Chabichou du Poitou is the region's most well-known cheese: it has had an Appellation of Controlled Origin label since 1990.
Its truncated cone shape is regulated and special molds with the letters CdP must be used. It is matured for 10 days and must weigh about 5 ounces (150 g) at the end of this time.

According to tradition, its name comes from combining chebli (small goat in Arabic), and cabecou (goat in Occitan).

Mothais-sur-Feuille is usually made in southern Poitou.
Until the 1960s, farmers in this region produced it using leaves from plane or chestnut trees to drain moisture from the cheese during the maturing process.
This stage lasts for a maximum of six weeks for Mothais-sur-Feuille. While it used to vary, the cheese's shape is now regulated; it is a disc with rounded edges, measuring 4 to 5 inches (10 to 12 cm) in diameter, and weighing between 6 to 8 ounces (180 and 250 g).

It is traditionally made from sugar, flour, butter, eggs, vanilla, fresh goat's cheese, and shortcrust pastry.
The secret of its success lies in its mold, which must be semi-spherical and made of terracotta.

It is made for special occasions like weddings and religious holidays, such as Easter.
Its soft texture and white interior contrast with its charred top.