In the 19th century, Livarot was the most consumed cheese in Normandy and was considered the “poor man’s meat” because of its nutritional values and affordable price.
Livarot is named after a village to the south of Lisieux and almost certainly dates back to the end of the Middle Ages.
The milk origin as well as the production and the ripening of the cheese are all confined within a few districts from the Calvados and Orne provinces. Its smooth orange rind, pungent aroma and racy flavor make Livarot a cheese with character. It takes at least three weeks for the cheese to acquire its unique taste, and a further two months of ripening in the drying room before it reveals its true strength.
Bursting with flavor, Livarot is bound with bands of sedge leaves, that is why it is often referred to as “the colonel”.
