The Selles-sur-Cher, made with whole goat's milk, can be recognized by its soft white dough and its natural crust ashed with charcoal powder. It contains at least 45% fat and comes in a very flat round shape with bevelled edges, weighing about 8 ounces.
The Selles-sur-Cher is produced in a delimited area corresponding to the western Sologne and including a part of the departments of Cher, Indre and Loir-et-Cher. The floral and climatic unity of this region gives the milk a particular taste which contributes to the specific aromas of Selles-sur-Cher.
Originally, it is a cheese for family consumption. Its development dates from the nineteenth century, and the city of Selles-sur-Cher, the main collection and resale center, gives it its name.
Selles-sur-Cher is obtained from milk with a small amount of rennet. The flat round molds are filled with the ladle. The fact of not breaking the curd contributes to ensure all the original fineness of the dough. Two operations require a special twist: salting and ashing done by spraying charcoal powder mixed with salt. Refining lasts from ten days (at least) to three weeks.
To the eye: clean shape, dark blue crust, pure white paste.
To the touch: firm and very fine dough.
On the nose: slightly goat smell.
To taste: sweet and nutty flavor, melting dough.
The Selles-sur-Cher is above all a cheese of end of meal which is accompanied with the wines of its soil: a dry white wine, white Touraine, or a light and fruity red, Chinon, Bourgueil. Presented in thin slices, it can also be served as an aperitif. It is important not to scratch the crust: it is she who gives the cheese its particular character. Very decorative, it brings a fresh note in a cheese buffet.