Tarentais is no "ordinary" goat's milk cheese. It comes from the Tarentaise Valley in Savoie, high in the Alps, where goats graze on blossoming mountain meadows in the summer. Behind the cheese is Eddie Giffey, who produces it on his small farm, La Ferme de Planay – handmade, from raw milk, without rush.

What truly makes Tarentais interesting is its production method. Three cheese curds, drained and ripened on different days, are combined into one, like a layered dough. This is not a technical trick but a way to build depth into the cheese: the acidity is not just on the surface but runs through the entire structure.

When young, Tarentais is bright, citrusy, and airily crumbly – a bit like a good fresh goat cheese, but more finely drawn. Along the edges, it quickly begins to soften and become buttery creamy, while the rind develops from yellowish to orange, then darker, even brownish-black. With age, animalistic, slightly wilder notes emerge, but an acidic backbone holds everything together.

Serve at room temperature, with a piece of good bread, perhaps a spoonful of honey or jam if you want to round out the edges. Or simply on its own, allowing its texture and long, vibrant flavor to truly shine.

Tarentais is also rare because it withstands aging exceptionally long for its type – and each stage of ripeness is its own version of the cheese. This is one that is worth tasting more than once.