Brousse du Rove is a fresh full fat log-shaped goat cheese named after Rove in Provence and its special breed of long horned goat. The goats graze on wild herbs in the garrigue, which lend the cheese an almondy flavour. The season is from January to October, when in days gone by shepherds would roam the streets of Marseille crying out their wares: ‘lei brousso dou rové!.
After the morning milking, it's time for cheese making. In milk heated to 90°C, white wine vinegar is added to give the cheese its tang, causing a fluffy cream to form on the surface. It’s sold in long plastic tubes because it’s so soft and should be eaten within five days.
Brousse de Rove is often served as a dessert, with sugar, fruit or honey; it also goes good with tomatoes, cooked beetroot and artichokes. It was designated AOC in 2016 and AOP in 2020— with only eight producers, it’s the smallest in France.
Images by arbovin, Dirk Beyer