Brittany: Celtic Heritage and Innovation

Curé Nantais

- Type: Soft cheese with washed rind - Milk: Cow's milk 🌿 - Aging: 1-2 months - Pronunciation: /ky.ʁe nɑ̃.tɛ/ (kew-RAY nahn-TEH) - Characteristics: Square shape, golden rind, supple texture

Maritime Origins: Created by a priest (curé) in the 19th century who settled in Nantes after fleeing the Vendée uprising. The cheese is washed with brine, reflecting the region's connection to the sea. Some modern producers wash it with Muscadet wine.

Modern Innovation: Breton cheesemaker Yann Le Goff has created a seaweed-washed version, incorporating dulse and sea lettuce from sustainable harvesting cooperatives run by women in Roscoff.

Trappe de Timadeuc

- Type: Semi-hard monastery cheese - Milk: Cow's milk 🌱 - Aging: 2-6 months - Pronunciation: /tʁap də ti.ma.dək/ (trahp duh tee-mah-DEUK) - Characteristics: Pressed cheese, mild and nutty

Monastic Revival: Cistercian monks revived cheesemaking at Timadeuc Abbey in the 1920s. Today, they work with local farmers, including several who converted to organic farming with the monastery's support. The monks use vegetarian rennet, making this accessible to more people.

Community Impact: The abbey runs workshops teaching cheesemaking to refugees and supports a cooperative of Malian immigrants who now produce their own cheese using similar techniques.

Modern Breton Innovations

Ker Bodig - Fresh cheese with seaweed - Created by Japanese-Breton cheesemaker Yukiko Morinaga - Combines Breton dairy traditions with Japanese umami sensibilities

Ti Pavez - Tomme-style cheese aged in cider cellars - Collaborative effort between cideries and dairies - 🌱 Vegetarian options available