Aisy Cendre

Aisy Cendre is a traditional French farmhouse cheese made from pasteurised cow’s milk. The semi-soft cheese produced in the Burgundy region of France is coated with a thick layer of ash that gives a distinctive flavour and aroma. Also known as Cendre d'Aisy, the ash or cendre in French, gives the cheese its name.

A washed-rind cheese, mostly an Époisses, is matured by covering with oak or grapevine ash. Before and after rolling it with a coat of ash, the cheese is washed in Marc de Bourgogne wine. Aisy Cendre takes a longer time to mature than normal cheeses, at least a month. As it ripens the pate softens but most cheese lovers enjoy a somewhat firm version of the produce.

The aroma of Aisy Cendre is strong and the flavour is aggressive. It is a very rich & creamy cheese with 50% fat content. The centre of the cheese is salty, chalky and almost white in colour. As it moves towards the ash-covered rind, the cheese assumes a smoky flavour and smoother, creamier texture. The cheese is sold in small wheels, weighing 8 ounces each.

Aisy Cendre works well with fruits like apples and pears, celery sticks. It enhances the tasting experience for fruity, full-bodied Burgundy wine, Hautes Cotes de Nuits Villages or even a full-rounded beer.