Goat cheese

[3] Goats produce high-quality, nutrient-rich milk under even the most difficult environments, making them valuable to arid or mountainous areas where cattle and sheep cannot survive.

Because goats have hardy digestive systems, they tend to eat many bitter plants that more delicate animals such as cows and horses will not.

[5] Goats were one of the earliest animals domesticated to suit human needs—more specifically milk production—going back to 8,000 BC, 10,000 years ago.

Any variations in this process—the type of starter, the time or pressure of the draining, the temperature and duration of the curing process—can change the texture (soft, semihard, hard) and the flavor.

France produces a great number of goat milk cheeses, especially in the Loire Valley and Poitou.