Trappe Echourgnac

Nutty, smoky and soft. Walnut liqueur washes the rind. Bacon notes rise from the pale straw paste. Silky, not crumbly — melts slowly on the tongue. Made by Cistercian nuns at Abbaye Notre-Dame de Bonne-Espérance in Dordogne. The recipe, based on Port Salut, arrived with monks in 1868. Nuns took over in 1923. In 1999, they began washing the cheese with Périgord walnut liqueur . Smells of a forest floor. Slice onto a baguette with cornichons. Melt into a filet mignon or ravioli stuffing. Pair with cider or a red Bordeaux. Eat the rind — it’s the best part.