Fleur Verte Herbs (Chevrefeuille)

From the Chevrefeuille dairy in Saint-Cyprien, in the Périgord region of southwest France, this is a fresh pasteurized goat's milk cheese rolled in a coat of tarragon, thyme, and pink peppercorn. The whole exterior is green and fragrant, almost garden-like before you even cut into it.

Under the herb coat the paste is soft, bright white, and creamy in that fresh chèvre way, just barely holding its shape with a faintly chalky center. On the palate it reads mild and milky first, then the herbs come through, tarragon especially, with a quiet floral warmth from the pink peppercorn at the edges. There's a subtle lactic tang that lingers without ever turning sharp.

This is the gentle end of the goat's milk spectrum, perfect for someone who wants something fresh and aromatic without any of the barnyard funk that scares people off goat cheese. Slice it into rounds and it looks like a little garden on the board.