Which cheeses to choose for summer: our selection

Our cheese selection for summer

• Summer puts goat's and sheep's milk cheeses in the spotlight, at the very peak of their milk season.
• Young, fresh and supple soft cheeses suit the heat better than long-matured ones.
• A summer cheese board is designed to be light: two to four pieces, varied textures, simple pairings.
• As an aperitif, in a salad or as a warm goat's cheese, summer cheese lends itself to lighter uses than in winter.
• Storage requires more attention when temperatures rise.

When the season changes, cheese changes with it. Summer does not call for the same pieces as winter. The milk is different, so are our cravings, and the heat sets its own constraints. Building a cheese selection for summer means, above all, following the rhythm of the living world: that of the herds at pasture and of the cellars that guide each piece to its ideal point. Here is how we approach that choice, and the cheeses we highlight as the days grow longer. You will find most of them in our In season selection.

Why summer changes the way you choose a cheese

Cheese follows the milk, and the milk follows the season. Goats and ewes give birth at the end of winter. Their lactation rises in spring, when the animals return to grass, flowers and a richer diet. This seasonal milk carries finer, more vegetal aromas, which are then found in the paste. That is why goat's and sheep's milk cheeses naturally take their place at the heart of a summer selection.

The heat also shapes the appetite. We look for lighter, fresher, less powerful cheeses. Young soft cheeses, still lactic, suit this time of year better than the great blue-veined cheeses or the most pronounced washed rinds, whose season of full expression falls rather in autumn and winter. Choosing a cheese in summer therefore means accepting to follow this movement rather than force it: favouring suppleness, freshness and the rightness of the moment.

Goat's milk cheeses, the heart of our summer selection

This is the family that asserts itself naturally. At this time of year, goat's milk cheeses are at the peak of their season. Their texture evolves, from the freshest to the firmest, and they lend themselves as well to a cheese board as to a slice of bread or a salad.

The Mistralou is a small soft goat's cheese with a bloomy rind, from Provence. When young, its paste is supple and lactic, with a discreet goaty note. Left a few days longer, it firms up and gains in length. The Buchette de Manon, also from Provence, plays on the same family with a small log format that slices easily for the aperitif.

Higher up in altitude, the goats of Auvergne Rhône-Alpes bring other nuances. The Carré de Saint Victor, the Dragonnet and the Tarentais share a fine paste and a delicate bloomy rind. The St Christophe affiné bio completes the set for those looking for a piece from organic farming. All require the same care: serving them at the right moment, neither too fresh nor too matured, according to the taste one prefers.

The Banon and the accents of the South

It is impossible to speak of summer without the Banon Fermier Bio AOP. This goat's cheese from Haute-Provence is recognisable by its chestnut leaf, in which the piece is wrapped and tied with raffia. It is not an ash-coated cheese: it is the leaf that protects the paste, accompanies it during ripening and gives it characteristic vegetal aromas. Beneath the leaf, the paste is melting, almost runny at the centre when the piece is at its point.

Other southern pieces extend this family. The Montesquieu and the Lingot des Causses, both from Occitanie, offer bloomy-rind goat's cheeses with a clear but measured character. They find their place on a board next to a Banon, to compose a coherent set around a single territory. To explore this origin more widely, the Provence-Alpes-Côte-d'Azur selection brings together the pieces of the region. Occitanie extends this family with the Montesquieu and the Lingot des Causses.

Fresher, creamier cheeses when it's hot

Alongside the goat's cheeses, a few mild and creamy cheeses respond well to the heat. The Brillat Savarin IGP, made from cow's milk, offers a rich and melting paste, both milky and fresh, which appeals even to those who do not like overly pronounced cheeses. Served slightly cool, it keeps its hold and its mildness.

On the sheep's milk side, the Lingot St Nicolas brings a supple paste and a round flavour, less lively than that of a goat's cheese. For a more assertive contrast without going too far, the Barriquet, a goat's cheese with a brine-washed rind, adds a more expressive note to the set. Finally, fresh cheeses, faisselles and brousses remain the simple, refreshing staples of summer, to be worked into a salad or with a few herbs.

Summer cheeses as an aperitif and in cooking

In summer, cheese readily leaves the board for the table and the terrace. As an aperitif, small formats are easily shared: a Buchette de Manon cut into rounds, a few cubes of sheep's cheese, slices of fresh goat's cheese topped with a drizzle of olive oil and a few herbs. We stick to young, supple pieces that can be enjoyed without heaviness between two moments of the day.

In cooking, goat's cheese finds its place in seasonal salads. A fresh goat's cheese crumbled over tomatoes, raw courgettes or a green salad brings freshness without dominating the vegetables. Sheep's cheese, rounder, pairs well with summer fruits and a drizzle of honey. Warm goat's cheese remains a simple staple: a slice of log placed on a piece of toast, put in the oven or under the grill for a few minutes, then served on a salad.

As for pairings, summer calls for fresh, light wines. A dry, lively white or a light rosé accompanies goat's cheeses and fresh cheeses well, without overpowering their aromas. The idea remains the same as at the table: let the cheese express itself rather than mask it.

Composing a balanced summer cheese board

A good summer board is not a heavily loaded one. Two to four pieces are enough, chosen to answer one another rather than resemble each other. You can start from a logic of textures: a fresh, lactic goat's cheese, a more melting piece like the Brillat Savarin, a mild sheep's cheese, and possibly a washed rind for those looking for more character. You can also start from a territory, Provence for example, and let a common thread guide the whole.

The accompaniments stay simple: good bread, a few seasonal fruits, a little honey. The aim is not to accumulate, but to let each piece express itself. To save time, our ready-made platters follow this logic of balance between milks, textures and regions.

Storing and serving cheese in hot weather

Summer requires a little more vigilance. Cheeses are kept in the refrigerator, well wrapped in their original paper, at a temperature between 4 and 6 °C. This wrapping lets the paste breathe while limiting its drying out. For tasting, it is useful to take the cheeses out about thirty minutes to an hour before serving, so that they return to their temperature and release their aromas. In hot weather, this time to come back to temperature shortens, so the paste must be watched.

For transport, a cool box and a few ice packs are enough to preserve the cold chain over a short journey. Our shipments go through Chronofresh, with packaging designed to hold up even during hot periods.

A seasonal note on raw milk: most of the goat's and sheep's milk cheeses mentioned here are made from raw milk. Health authorities recommend that young children under five, pregnant women, immunocompromised people and the elderly avoid raw milk cheeses, with the exception of cooked pressed cheeses. In case of doubt, it is best to ask for advice and refer to the official information from ANSES on raw milk cheeses, or to consult a health professional.

About Mons Fromager Affineur

A family business born in the 1960s, Mons selects, matures and accompanies farmhouse and artisanal cheeses in its cellars. Our work consists of observing, choosing and letting time do its work, to bring each piece to its ideal point. This affineur's approach also guides our seasonal selections: following the milk, respecting the producers' rhythm and offering, at each time of year, the cheeses that express it best. To go further, discover our ageing cellars.

In summary

Composing a cheese selection for summer comes down to listening to the season. Goat's and sheep's milk cheeses, carried by the spring and summer milk, form the heart of the choice. We surround them with a few mild, creamy pieces, we adapt them as an aperitif, in a salad or as a warm goat's cheese, we compose light boards, and we adjust storage to the heat. Nothing complicated: following the rhythm of the living world remains the surest way to choose your summer cheeses well. To build your own, the In season selection is the best starting point.