Crayeux de Roncq

Crayeux de Roncq, also spelt as Carré du Vinage, is a washed rind cheese prepared from raw cow's milk in the Roncq region of Northern France, about 30 kms from Lille. Introduced by Marie-Thérèse Couvreur, the soft pate cheese is ripened for at least two months during which the rind is regularly washed with beer and salted water. Finally, it is molded by hand into cubes of 4.5 cm high and 300 gms weight. The cheese is similar to that of Maroilles.Underneath the thick orange crust of this French cheese, is a grainy, soft, creamy and chalky pate. Incredibly flavourful, it surrounds the palate with strong flavours and a sweet aftertaste but not bitter. The cheese contains about 45% fat of its total weight.